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Why your outdoorsy friend suddenly has a gummy bear power bank

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Re: Why your outdoorsy friend suddenly has a gummy bear power bank

#151

> Ultralight culture seems a little nuts to the uninitiated. I prefer "Durable, but as light as possible", not the other way around. Most ultralight gear breaks after a few uses or when it is mishandled in anything-less-than-perfect conditions, which, happens a lot outside.

In my experience, the third main variable here is cost. Light gear can be durable, but that usually costs a lot more because it uses expensive materials like titanium.

Re: Why your outdoorsy friend suddenly has a gummy bear power bank

#152
post #124

This is a very poorly researched article. A few things worth considering: - 20,000 mAh is the rated capacity. Anyone who has tested 18650 batteries (which are the cells typically used in these battery packs) knows the rated capacity != tested capacity. - Watthours is more important than amp hours - Tested watt hours as typical loads is more important than amp hours - It's very normal to see tested capacity to be roug…

you don't have to go that far. probably that demographic won't even carry a power bank to begin with.

Re: Why your outdoorsy friend suddenly has a gummy bear power bank

#153
post #124

This is a very poorly researched article. A few things worth considering: - 20,000 mAh is the rated capacity. Anyone who has tested 18650 batteries (which are the cells typically used in these battery packs) knows the rated capacity != tested capacity. - Watthours is more important than amp hours - Tested watt hours as typical loads is more important than amp hours - It's very normal to see tested capacity to be roug…

>18650 batteries (which are the cells typically used in these battery packs)

Absolutely not. Pouch cells are what most powerbanks have.

Re: Why your outdoorsy friend suddenly has a gummy bear power bank

#154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You put them under your sleeping bag and they make your sleep way warmer than if your sleeping bag is directly on the tent floor. https://www.nemoequipment.com/collections/sleeping-pads

That the purpose of the sleeping pad is characterized as thermal performance and not comfort is proof that I am not capable of the ultralight mindset.

The tagline for the sleeping pad category is "Find the best backpacking and camping sleeping pads for comfort and support. NEMO sleeping pads are lightweight, packable, and built for your next adventure." Comfort is definitely a concern.

The pads do list their insulation value, but so do non-ultralight sleeping pads.

The reason is that the insulation value is incredibly important to comfort. From experience, a sleeping mat that is thick, but with bad insulation will lead to a way less comfortable night than a thin one with good insulation.

Sleeping bags don't provide much insulation on the bottom because they are compressed under your body (the insulation from a sleeping bag typically comes from air trapped in the fill). Any insulation between you and the cold ground has to come from the sleeping mat. That's why it is important to get one that is cushioned enough for your body as well as being insulated enough.

R values aren't an ultralight camper thing, they are an informed camper thing.

Re: Why your outdoorsy friend suddenly has a gummy bear power bank

#155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That the purpose of the sleeping pad is characterized as thermal performance and not comfort is proof that I am not capable of the ultralight mindset.

With ultralight activities you're supposed to be so exhausted by bedtime that it isn't necessary to be comfortable to fall asleep.

You can be even more exhausted, if you pack heavier gear.

Re: Why your outdoorsy friend suddenly has a gummy bear power bank

#156
post #84
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That insane over-optimization is how folks are getting down to (and below) 10 pounds. I'm not even remotely an ultralight backpacker, but I do count ounces (no matter what your weight limit is, you can't escape making tradeoffs to stay within it). Your hiking load is a great example of how quickly apparently insignificant quantities can add up. Saving fractions of an ounce multiple times gets you large savings far mo…

I'm down to around 10 lb base load. And then I hike in the desert where I carry 5 - 7 liters of water (11 - 15 lbs). And food. Saving a pound here and there is totally worth it, but there's a large part of the country where prudent hiking means the majority of your weight is water.

Out of curiosity where in the desert do you hike and where would you recommend? I have a particular attraction to being in the American desert but never have hiked it properly.

Re: Why your outdoorsy friend suddenly has a gummy bear power bank

#157
post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm down to around 10 lb base load. And then I hike in the desert where I carry 5 - 7 liters of water (11 - 15 lbs). And food. Saving a pound here and there is totally worth it, but there's a large part of the country where prudent hiking means the majority of your weight is water.

If saving here and there is worth it, why would a hiker carry a 300g battery? Imagine the savings from leaving that boat anchor at home along with whatever obviously non-essential gadget wants to be recharged.

Perhaps you save all the other grams, so you can 'afford' to bring the battery?

Re: Why your outdoorsy friend suddenly has a gummy bear power bank

#158
post #98
post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Wouldn't surprise me if it was just half that, This was openly crowdfunded in Japan. Please explain the lie/scam for us? How does Makuake rip people off? https://www.makuake.com/project/haribo_dcglobal/ Is this comment anything more than the normal shit HN negativity? Nihilism is so cool, thinking is so hard, if I try I might fail. Sure you might be right. Just want to know where the scam is here?

Because 20ah for a 5v battery is ~357 Wh/kg which is more than the highest density lipo as of 2024 []. Do you honestly think they are putting the most cutting edge lipo technology in a gummy bear branded battery pack? I agree with your GP, it is unlikely. Maybe at least consider the density vs SOTA before you accuse someone of being a nihilist. [] https://www.cei.washington.edu/research/energy-storage/lithi...

I assume they're using Ah at the cell level (3.7v nominal), and then maybe rounding up slightly.

(This is the absurdity of using Ah to measure the capacity of consumer-oriented power banks. They usually output 5v over USB A or a variable voltage over PD, but measure current at the cell level. Of course this fact or the precise voltage is rarely stated anywhere.)

Re: Why your outdoorsy friend suddenly has a gummy bear power bank

#159
post #124

This is a very poorly researched article. A few things worth considering: - 20,000 mAh is the rated capacity. Anyone who has tested 18650 batteries (which are the cells typically used in these battery packs) knows the rated capacity != tested capacity. - Watthours is more important than amp hours - Tested watt hours as typical loads is more important than amp hours - It's very normal to see tested capacity to be roug…

> Watthours is more important than amp hours

I'd go a step further and say that amp hours is meaning less since voltage is not specified. The only valid battery capacity unit of measure is watt hours. While most battery packs use a single 3.7 lithium ion battery, Apple's first gen MagSafe battery pack used two internal batteries in series, throwing off everyone's amp hours only comparison.

Re: Why your outdoorsy friend suddenly has a gummy bear power bank

#160
post #156
post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm down to around 10 lb base load. And then I hike in the desert where I carry 5 - 7 liters of water (11 - 15 lbs). And food. Saving a pound here and there is totally worth it, but there's a large part of the country where prudent hiking means the majority of your weight is water.

Out of curiosity where in the desert do you hike and where would you recommend? I have a particular attraction to being in the American desert but never have hiked it properly.

The "American desert" can refer to an absolutely huge portion of the continent, and many, many different ecosystems. Its a big enough area of land that it is like saying I like hiking in Europe.

I'm partial to Utah's canyonlands, and a lot of the adjacent pinyon forest (still desert) in Northern New Mexico and Colorado, but that's just where I grew up. The Saguaro forests in southern Arizona are also amazing.

If you've never been to the desert in America, a good plan would be to fly to LA, and drive to the Grand Canyon. You will pass through a number of very different desert ecosystems.

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