Renogy REGO 400W Solar Blanket

WHY I CHOSE IT

The job it needed to do

I needed solar that could produce useful power without permanently occupying the limited space around a compact cargo van. I also needed to be able to handle, pack and store it myself.

HOW I USED IT

What it looked like at camp

Unpacking and packing were easy, and the weight was manageable for me. Folded, it fit easily in the van without taking over the storage space. The cables tucked neatly into the panel's storage pocket, which meant I was not hunting around the van for them.

I used it flat on the ground because that was the simplest method for me. When the ground was wet or muddy, I put a tarp underneath it. Before folding it, I brushed away debris. The panel can potentially be hung, but ground placement suited my camp and my routine.

WHAT I NOTICED

The part a product box cannot tell you

The learning curve was not operating the equipment. It was learning the sun pattern at a new campsite. Positioning became easier once I understood where the light moved during the day.

I kept the blanket flat and unobstructed. In my own use, I generally saw better results when it was laid on pavement rather than directly on the ground. That is an observation, not a claim about the cause.

The separate 20-foot extension cable gave me more freedom to position the panel. Because the blanket is so portable, I would not leave it unattended at a campsite. It looked quite capable of growing legs.