When planning a camping trip one of the most important but often overlooked aspects is determining your electrical requirements. Whether you are trekking, preparing meals, navigating after dark, or charging devices, understanding how much energy you will consume helps you pack the right supplies.

Begin by making a comprehensive inventory of your tech gear. Common items include a headlamp, a phone, a GPS unit, an action cam, a portable solar power station speaker, or a lightweight cooker with electronic ignition. For each device, locate the energy rating on the label or manual. Most devices provide details in the user guide. If it's in watts, multiply power rating by estimated daily runtime to get energy consumption in Wh. For example, a 5 watt headlamp used for 4 hours a day consumes 20 watt hours daily.

For battery-powered devices listed in milliamp hours, convert to watt hours by multiplying the milliamp hours by the voltage and then dividing by 1000. Most phones and power banks use a 3.7-volt lithium-ion cell. So, a 10000 mAh power bank has a capacity of 37 watt hours derived from multiplying 10,000 by 3.7 and dividing by 1,000.

Consider realistic usage frequency for each gadget. Be realistic. You might plan to use GPS minimally to conserve power, not continuously. Consider that cold weather can reduce battery life significantly, so add a 20 to 30 percent buffer to your total energy needs.

Add up the daily watt hours for all your devices to get your total daily energy requirement. Extend the daily total by your trip duration to find your overall power requirement. For example, your 50Wh daily use over five days equals 250Wh.

Select your energy solutions. Solar chargers work well in open sunlight but struggle under overcast skies or dense canopy. Power banks are reliable and easy to use, but verify their capacity is above your estimated usage. A 250 watt hour power bank would be ideal for the example above, but you might want to carry a 300Wh backup for margin of error.

If you plan to cook with a stove, remember that fuel like white gas or propane also counts as energy. Most stoves consume 100–200g of fuel per cooking session. Account for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and add a little extra for boiling water or emergencies.

Finally, always bring a backup. Bring redundant power sources, a non-electronic navigational tool, a printed topographic map, and a waterproof match. Technology can fail, but basic tools won't let you down. With thoughtful preparation and precise power estimation, you can enjoy your trip without worrying about dead batteries or running out of fuel.