Once you’ve read and researched what’s important you need to decide what’s right for you. Adventure Kings has a range of different types and styles of panels. There’s fixed panels and semi flexible panels that are ideal for permanent camping vehicle setups. Plus there are portable types including folding solar blankets and folding solar panels. There are pros and cons of each type, but of course at the end of the day the decision comes down to you and your setup or camping style! Read on to learn about the different types available and make the right choice!

So, first do you want a Permanent Solar Setup or a Portable Solar Setup. Well, permanent solar is a fixed solar panel or semi flexible solar panel that’s mounted to the roof of your vehicle, camper trailer, caravan or boat. Some of the big pros of a permanent setups include that the solar is always set up and always charging so long as  the sun is  out – whether you’re at camp, in a carpark or even driving. Plus, because it’s always charging it can help reduce fuel usage / emissions if used with DC-DC charger with solar priority charging. It charges your batteries while driving so your alternator doesn’t need to work as hard. There are a couple of cons for permanent solar panels though, first you’ll need to be parked in the sun at camp for solar to work – you can’t park in shade and this means your camp site is hotter and your camping fridge has to work harder which uses more power! Adventure Kings permanent solar panels don’t come with a regulator so need to add one to your list to complete the setup. For an even better option you could choose a DC-DC charger with built in MPPT. Finally, although they’re super convenient and always set up and ready to go, the downside is it will take up room on your roof rack and generally can’t be moved so may not get ideal panel angle to maximise power or efficiency!

A portable solar kit is a compact all-in-one kit that is easy to transport inside your vehicle and is quick to set up when you need it. Adventure Kings Portable Solar Kits are an all-in-one solar kit with regulator and wiring included – ready to setup and charge your Deep Cycle Battery. They’re generally compact and easy to move or angle towards the sun for maximum power and it means you can park your vehicle in the shade to stay cool and still easily set up your portable solar panel in the sun. Of course there are a couple cons – because unlike a permanent option, it’s not always setup and ready to go, so you will need to set it up daily to catch those rays. If choose a portable solar kit they can be difficult to position to face the sun if they don’t have built in legs (although having legs means blankets are the best of both worlds). Finally, choosing a portable solar panel means it won’t take up a permanent spot on your roof rack, but you will need somewhere to store inside your vehicle too.

If you’re leaning towards choosing a portable solar kit you’re still not out of the woods – next you need to decide whether you’re after a folding solar blanket or folding solar panel! First, a folding solar panel is two typical solar panels joined with hinges in the middle that allow them to fold down to half their size for easy transport. They are typically made with alloy frames and glass top layers to protect the cells inside. They have some very good things going for them – first of all Adventure Kings Folding Solar Panels are an all in one kit. They come with a regulator and wiring, which are built into the back of the panels and are accessible when the panel is opened up. That means they’re a super easy and fast setup, so you can start charging fast. Folding solar panels are typically a little more rugged than portable folding blankets thanks to the tough alloy frame and one big pro is that they have built in legs that make it easy to point at the sun to maximise power and charging efficiency. However they’re a bit bulkier and heavier than a folding solar blanket with the same output and the glass can crack if you mistreat the panel – not is safety glass so it won’t shatter into shards and the panel will still work, but not at 100%. In some cases the fixed regulator on a folding panel can make it slightly harder to plug your panel into a DC-DC charger, but in reality it’s a 5 minute job to add a new connector!

Finally, folding solar blankets are made up of multiple panels covered with p.e.t and framed with a polyester material – they pack up small by folding up to a quarter or a 6th of their overall size so they easily fit in your vehicle and they are lightweight enough to easily reposition or setup. Of course they are still an all in one kit and all Adventure Kings Folding Solar Blankets come with a regulator, wiring and connectors. They’re all separate which makes it super easy to connect up your portable solar blanket to a DC-DC charger. On the other hand they could be considered a little less rugged than a folding panel – due to their lightweight compared to heavyweight nature – and they’re less resistant to accidental moisture than folding panels. Finally, typical folding solar blankets that don’t have built in legs can be difficult to position pointing directly at the sun for the highest power output – that’s not the case with the Adventure Kings 250 Folding Solar Blanket as it’s not only a portable blanket but it has built in legs too!