I recently read an article that explained some battery packs will use up to 30% of their own power to charge an electronic. That explained why I wasn’t getting the 2 charges I thought I should. If I can find the link, I will provide it here.

Thanks to Randy, Jeff and Larry I added some info about the external battery. Always appreciate the feedback! Thanks again.

Mmm…but they are not making them as much anymore, however. The S5 will be three years old in Feb 2017…two months from now. Get it on eBay while you can I guess. 🙂 Being serious, the phones will become less and less common esp as the stocks dry up. And to reiterate, as the linked article mentioned, fewer new phones are being made with this feature.

Having said that, some newer phones do have a replaceable battery. But is that the main selling point of buying a new phone? Hence the trade-offs.

I do confess to liking the very good camera on me at all times. As the adage goes “The best camera is the one you have on you at the time.” So, I like to have the best camera for that “best camera” if you know what I mean! Note, I also use a “real” camera. But it is not always on me.

Not really hard to find, but like you said: tradeoffs. I’m like Larryboy in that I won’t upgrade past the S5 because of the non-replaceable battery. I use a dedicated camera and I haven’t found the S5 to lacking in anything else so I won’t be in a hurry to do so. I set my phone beside me while giving blood last Friday and when I rolled out of the chair, I cracked the screen. (Thanks reverse karma!) Ordered up another S5 (only $225 new on Ebay) and I’ll be good for quite a while.

My wife and daughter have the S6. The camera is significantly better. But I still like a “real” camera when backpacking. Just personal preference.

I suspect a desert trail may be more doable for solar panels for backpacking versus other types of trails for sure.

I used a SolarMonkey Adventurer Solar Panel for nine days on the Oregon Desert Trail in April. It rode on the top of my pack, angled towards the sun – usually. It charged itself on most days, and not at all when sky was overcast. I used Gaiagps.com for maps and trail on the phone, and consulted the program often. I turned off all apps, wireless and cell, put it in airplane mode. I never got below 60% on the phone.
The GPS function worked great.

I would consider myself a frequent user according to Paul’s scale of use.

Harder and harder to find perhaps. I bought a phone of a newer vintage for someone. The phone was not a Samsung or iPhone and the battery was not removable.

http://www.androidauthority.com/best-android-phones-removable-battery-697520/ “Removable batteries have become a dying breed.” I must confess I bought my Samsung S6 because of its camera. All of life is a trade-off it seems. Otherwise a good idea.

One really long hauls (say, 9 day resupplies in southern Utah), I bring my phone and an extra removable (OEM) battery. Cost me fifteen bucks on Amazon and weighs 1.6oz. I’m somewhere in between a “light” user and a “moderate” user (I take a lot of pictures, but don’t use it for much else) and could probably go for two weeks on two batteries – at a total weight of less than two ounces.