To many people, camping is a pass time they wouldn’t give up for anything in the world. And why would you? Camping helps us get closer to nature, let’s us detach from the world and gives us a chance to rejuvenate ourselves like nothing else can. Camping is one of the simplest forms of a vacation getaway you can have and it doesn’t take a lot enjoy yourself in the wilderness.
Now, when many people think of camping, they imagine a desolate site out in the woods with no creature comforts and wild animals taking over. With today’s technology, it doesn’t have to be that way. You can still bring along your smart phone, tablet, portable heater, heck, you can even bring along a coffee maker so you can enjoy a hot cup of Sumatran blend in the morning. Yes, the variety of generators available to campers has enabled us to bring along almost any creature comfort that you have back at home, but when it comes down to it, which one do you choose?
The portable generators on the market today come in two different types, solar and gas powered. They both have their advantages as well as their drawbacks and these factors can make all of the difference in the world on your next campout.
For starters, both solar and gasoline generators offer reliable energy to power a multitude of devices and their reliability depends mainly on their energy source. With solar, as long as you have sunshine, you will have energy and, conversely, with gasoline, as long as you have gas, you will have power. Run out of either energy source and you will really be roughing it.
A gasoline generator also creates a lot of noise, pollution and fumes, not to mention how flammable gasoline is; for those reasons, a gasoline generator may not be right for you when you are trying to get back to nature.
Let’s take a look at the solar alternative. Solar energy is good for the environment, it’s quiet, cost effective and doesn’t create any harmful fumes. Solar energy is very powerful, yet it won’t combust like gasoline will. This all sounds very good doesn’t it? To be fair, solar energy does have its downsides just as a gasoline powered generator does. With solar power, you have to wait to build up a good supply before use whereas with a gasoline generator, you either pull a cord or turn a key and you have electricity. If you are stuck in the rain or the weather turns inclement and cloudy, you may not produce as much electricity with a solar powered generator. Many of today’s solar powered generators will still produce power in low light conditions, but you may have to cut back your usage to ensure you have adequate supply.
As you can see, the argument for both is quite strong, but we feel that due to the environmental challenges that a gasoline generator poses, solar power wins out this time. It’s cleaner, it’s cost effective and sunlight doesn’t cost anything. Ultimately, the decision is yours, but for this writer, solar power is the way to go. Happy camping!
