During the course of putting our gear together for days out, researching prepping and self sufficiency, and generally trying to be more eco-friendly, I realised how many useful items now use USB as a power or recharge source. USB is now so ubiquitous it is impossible to avoid using it daily. This also means that from a travel perspective, the need for country specific adapters has also been vastly reduced. I remember taking my old Motorola flip phone to the Far East in the 1990’s. The phone was large, then there were 2 spare high capacity batteries, the charging cradle and the power supply. The whole collection weighed a ton, and took up a large part of my suitcase. Now, my iPhone sits in my pocket along with the USB charging cable, and I can charge it from my seat when driving, on a train or even flying. I will try and find my old phone and charger (they are in the loft somewhere) and take a comparison photo.
The list below are things we use either daily or on our travels. Have a look around at what you use that has a USB socket on it, and you will be surprised. Further down the page, we explore some of these items in more detail. If there are things you have that we do not, please drop us a line, and we will investigate!
Anything with an asterisk (*) is available from the Ford & Field online store.
Ways Of Charging
- Power Bank / Solar Power Bank
- Solar charger
- BioLite – CampStove 2* & SolarHome 620*
- Car (in-built USB sockets, power inverters and cigarette lighter socket adapters)
- Solar Inverter
- Mains electricity
- Hand Cranked Torch
- Petrol Generator
- Hand Cranked/Solar Radio*
- Computer
- USB UPS
- Power Station with 100w Solar Panel
Daily Uses
- Phone
- Tablet (iPad, Kindle)
- Headphones (Ear Pods etc)
Travel Items
- Light Bulb*
- Plasma Lighter*
- Shower*
- Games Consoles (Sega Mega Drive [modern re-release], Mini Super Nintendo, Nintendo Switch)
- Mini Fan & Hand Held Fan
- Mobile Broadband (powered via USB)
- Bluetooth Speakers
- Charger for Rechargeable AA/AAA/9V Batteries
- Bluetooth Cassette
- Walkie Talkies
- CCTV
- Mini Food Processor
- Head Torch battery
- Portable Blender
Cables We Use aside from the normal ones
- Extension
- 4 Way Splitters
- On/Off Switches
- Adapters
- USB To 12v socket
Miscellaneous USB Related Things
- Decorative Synthetic Candles
- Flir One Thermal Imaging Camera attachment for iPhone
- Label Printer
^
As you can see, the list is impressive and diverse.
Charging or powering any electrical item is always a challenge when you are nowhere near main electricity. This is where devices such as the BioLite CampStove 2 come into their own. Not only is it fueled by wood you can collect freely but it generates power which is stored on an integrated battery. This power is then accessible via a USB socket on the side of the unit. Solar is another great free source of power, as is your vehicle whilst driving. As we move forward in our travels, I will let you know what we have found the most convenient and effective methods for charging (beyond the mains electricity).
TYPES OF USB
This is where things get tricky, as there are currently 5 standard plug derivatives (not including the Apple connector and the Apple Lightning connector and other bespoke connections), across 3 standards of USB. This was correct at the time of writing (January 2021), however things change with time, so I will endeavor to keep this as up to date as possible. They are as follows:
Plug Types
- A
- B
- C
- MINI
- MICRO
Standards
- 1.x (black)
- 2 (white)
- 3.x (blue)
Some manufacturers may also use their own plug derivative, so you will invariably find a USB A on one end and then an item-specific connector at the other end, such as an RCA jack.
I will go into more detail shortly about each type of connection and each standard, as they have slightly different properties. That said, when it comes to charging, they should all be interchangeable.