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BioLite SolarPanel 5+ — Specs & Analysis
Manufacturer specifications, compared against every other electronics & power in our database. We do not test gear in the field — we measure, verify, and compare.
BioLite's SolarPanel 5+ integrates a small 2200mAh onboard battery with a 5W solar panel, so it stores power even when your device isn't connected. The sundial alignment tool helps you aim the panel for optimal angle, squeezing more watts from limited sun.
Who Is the BioLite SolarPanel 5+ Best For?
Casual bikepackers who want a set-and-forget solar option at camp. If that describes your riding style, the SolarPanel 5+ should be at the top of your shortlist. It sits in the Electronics & Power category alongside 12 other products we track.
How It Compares
At 390g and $100, the SolarPanel 5+ is 347g heavier than the lightest option in this category (the Sinewave Cycles Reactor USB Dynamo Charger at 43g). The most budget-friendly option is the Voltaic Systems Arc 10W Solar Panel at $25.
The price-to-weight ratio comes in at $26 per 100g — a reasonable middle ground between performance and value.
What We Like
- +Built-in 2200mAh battery stores power
- +Sundial tool optimizes panel angle
- +Affordable for a solar-plus-battery combo
- +Slim and easy to strap to bags
Watch Out For
- −Only 5W panel charges slowly
- −Onboard battery is small
- −Not fully waterproof
The Bottom Line
We haven't scored the BioLite SolarPanel 5+, and neither has anyone else we can cite. It's here for its verified specifications and dimensions, which is what the fit tools run on — a score is an editorial judgement, and we don't hand one out until someone has a basis for it. What this page can tell you is measured: 390g, $100, and how both sit against every other electronics & power product we track.
Price checked against the manufacturer on 18 August 2026 — see the source.
Specifications and dimensions come from the sources listed above. Where a page draws on first-hand riding, it says so.
How it compares
Against the 13 electronics & power products we hold published specs for.
At 390g the SolarPanel 5+ is lighter than 2 of 12 alternatives we track, which makes it among the heaviest we track. The category median is 195g.
At $100 it undercuts 3 of 12 of them, against a median of $60. That works out at $26 per 100g — below the $40 median for electronics & power products.
Weight and price come from published specifications. Cost per 100g is a blunt measure — it rewards light gear and says nothing about durability or whether the thing works — so treat it as one input, not a verdict.
More in Electronics & Power
Power banks, solar panels, dynamo chargers, and phone mounts to keep devices alive on multi-day rides.