Off-The-Grid-Vaping... What kit do you backpack with?

[aldenf]

Hi guys!

I hope everyone is having a great Mothers' Day!

As I plan my outings for the warmer weather, I'm thinking about how I'll get my vape on while off-the-grid. I've been vaping almost a year. Last season, I hit the trails with a few EGO twists, a VV v3, a couple of EVODS and a Protank2 w/AFC; all powered by a 6000mAh solar power bank. I've been rebuilding the Kanger heads almost since day one. Since moving to RTAs & RDAs, the idea of living with EVODS & a PT2 is not exciting.

Here are my choices for kit thus far:

6000 mAh Solar Power Bank
20W istick
30W iStick
2 30W Hana Clones
iTaste VTR
VAMO v3
VAMO v5 7.4v box mod
1:1 Erlk Clone (my favorite)
1:1 KFL+v2 Clone
Various EVODS and a PT2 w/AFC
IGO L
Veritas clone
Plume Veil clone

With the goal of keeping things simple, compact and light; I'm thinking the solar power bank and 2 iSticks will be the foundation for my kit. I don't want to deal with builds gone bad while on the trail, so my RTAs & RDAs will remain home. That leaves me looking for a couple of new atomizers.

I'm told eleaf's GS Air series are quite good for standard clearos and their heads don't seem any more difficult to rebuild than Kanger's. The GS Air M and/or MS seem to be ideal for this use. They're also <$10 each, so I wouldn't be thoroughly ...... if disaster would strike.

What do you guys think? What are YOU using for off-the-grid trailblazing?

I'm just glad I wasn't vaping 20 years ago when I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail. What a nightmare that would have been...

Thanks!

 

[issy]

I just drove past part of the PCT while on a day trip to Truckee and was wondering the same thing. Where did you get your solar power bank? I think I'd do alright with two isticks and a couple of bvc clearos. When I mountain bike it's usually just a couple of hours, so not really off-grid But I can't wait to backpack around Tahoe soon!

 

[aldenf]

@issy Solar power banks are available most places tech is sold. They're available with capacities as high as 30,000mAh+. Here's one example:

Amazon.com: SKYLMW(TM) Solar Charger 6000mAh Polymer Portable USB Charger Power Bank Portable Backup Power Bank Pack Water/ Shock/ Dust Resistant Dual USB Charger for iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 5s, 5c,5,4s,4, iPods Touch 4,5, iPad Mini Retina (Apple Lightning Adapter Not Included), Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Note 3, S2 S3, S4, S5,LG G3, Nexus, HTC One M8, Gopro Camera, Most Android/Windows Smart Cell Phones, GPS, Tablets, and Other Kindle, Nook, 5V/1A,5V/2A USB-charged Devices,With KongFu Panda/Skull/Anchor Pattern Design optional,Black/Rose/Sky Blue/Orange/Army Green 5 color available,Compass Flash Light Unique Design,Blue+Anchor Style: Cell Phones & Accessories

Good luck in Tahoe!... I'm jealous.

 

[Train2]

An iStick is a good idea - and instead of solar, you could get one of those battery packs - I'm seeing plenty for $20 or less, in the range of 15-16,000 Mah.
Don't know the eLeaf tanks, but they are made for iStick and cheap - another good idea.

Note - changing elevation can make tanks leak. You might want to check it frequently while climbing. I used to turn my ProTanks upside down, and that worked perfectly...but it depends on the design, and where the air gets in.

I'm probably only going to need 3 days of battery...everything else is pretty much road-worthy (I pack a Provari and a Reo...everywhere). I have and could bring enough batteries for the longest trip I'll take - but it would be cool if I could recharge.

Any good solution for recharging 18650's while camping?

 

[aldenf]

Any good solution for recharging 18650's while camping?

Thanks for the advice in your post. Leaving with a fully charged 30,000mAh power bank should get most vapers through the better part of a couple of weeks.

As to off-the-grid charging of 18650s; most charger manufacturers have released USB fed 18650 chargers. Examples:

UM Series Archives - nitecore
Portable USB Series

The above chargers are then fed from a usb wall adapter, power bank, solar charger, car electrical system, etc.

Thanks and good luck!

 

[440BB]

Depending on how long you are going out for, I would suggest a spare power bank. Should the weather not cooperate, a spare bank may be a necessity. It might be helpful to put the power bank/solar charging combo through a full cycle to know how much time it takes to charge the bank, as well as how long charging an 18650 takes. Good luck!

 

[aldenf]

Depending on how long you are going out for, I would suggest a spare power bank. Should the weather not cooperate, a spare bank may be a necessity. It might be helpful to put the power bank/solar charging combo through a full cycle to know how much time it takes to charge the bank, as well as how long charging an 18650 takes. Good luck!

Thanks, 440BB! I don't have time for trips longer than two weeks anymore. So that seems to be my target. The solar charging circuit on my unit is not all that powerful. It's designed for emergency use. The 6000mAh power bank charges from 2.5v (cut-off) to 4.2V in 10-13 hours in a mostly sunny location (windowsill). I'm vaping at higher power output than I was last year. Maybe picking up an additional 30,000mAh power bank is a good idea. That way the solar charging becomes backup/emergency.

 

[tj99959]

@issy Solar power banks are available most places tech is sold. They're available with capacities as high as 30,000mAh+. Here's one example:

Amazon.com: SKYLMW(TM) Solar Charger 6000mAh Polymer Portable USB Charger Power Bank Portable Backup Power Bank Pack Water/ Shock/ Dust Resistant Dual USB Charger for iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 5s, 5c,5,4s,4, iPods Touch 4,5, iPad Mini Retina (Apple Lightning Adapter Not Included), Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Note 3, S2 S3, S4, S5,LG G3, Nexus, HTC One M8, Gopro Camera, Most Android/Windows Smart Cell Phones, GPS, Tablets, and Other Kindle, Nook, 5V/1A,5V/2A USB-charged Devices,With KongFu Panda/Skull/Anchor Pattern Design optional,Black/Rose/Sky Blue/Orange/Army Green 5 color available,Compass Flash Light Unique Design,Blue+Anchor Style: Cell Phones & Accessories

Good luck in Tahoe!... I'm jealous.

That's a nice one .... even shows that I'm going in the wrong direction

 

[caramel]

What are YOU using for off-the-grid trailblazing?

Nic gum, Quickmist and one pack of cigarettes "just in case".

 

[wfo_ak]

When I'm going out here I always bring a mech and an easy to rebuild dripper. That way I don't really have to worry about it getting damaged when I'm out. I can't imagine most regulated mods holding up well to an unexpected dunking or a nasty fall. Plus no worries of it leaking pretty much no matter what I do with it in my pocket. My old precise+ is covered in dents from various incidents outdoors but still works great and easy to take care of in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Robert Cromwell]

@issy Solar power banks are available most places tech is sold. They're available with capacities as high as 30,000mAh+. Here's one example:

Amazon.com: SKYLMW(TM) Solar Charger 6000mAh Polymer Portable USB Charger Power Bank Portable Backup Power Bank Pack Water/ Shock/ Dust Resistant Dual USB Charger for iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 5s, 5c,5,4s,4, iPods Touch 4,5, iPad Mini Retina (Apple Lightning Adapter Not Included), Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Note 3, S2 S3, S4, S5,LG G3, Nexus, HTC One M8, Gopro Camera, Most Android/Windows Smart Cell Phones, GPS, Tablets, and Other Kindle, Nook, 5V/1A,5V/2A USB-charged Devices,With KongFu Panda/Skull/Anchor Pattern Design optional,Black/Rose/Sky Blue/Orange/Army Green 5 color available,Compass Flash Light Unique Design,Blue+Anchor Style: Cell Phones & Accessories

Good luck in Tahoe!... I'm jealous.

I like the "anti Explosion" detail in the description

 

[petrotech]

I normally bring my microstick with microdrip, stingray with magma, and a bunch of batteries. Granted, I'm normally only gone a day or two, so for two weeks I'd bring something to charge with and some extra cotton.