While a hand-crank mechanism might seem like something from a 1920s automobile commercial, it’s one that represents a technological innovation - as far as radios for camping are concerned. Sufficiently small to store away without stopping you from packing other gear, they’re increasingly popular with modern outdoor enthusiasts.
So, if you’ve been thinking about getting one, but you’d just like to know a little bit more about them first, then you’re reading the right blog! That’s because we’re going to be going through some of the many advantages they offer.
The Benefits of Crank Radios For Camping
Perhaps the biggest and most obvious benefit of having a crank-powered camping radio is the fact that you’re always going to know that it will work when you want it to. So, no worries about finding fully charged batteries and no silent nights around the campfire.
However, that’s far from all you’ll get out of tech like this. Crank radios often come with a range of different features:
- USB Chargers that allow you to charge your smartphone - some people get away from city life to avoid the outside world, but others can’t afford to. Some crank radios allow you to keep your cell phone juiced up with a USB charging point, so you can keep in contact with loved ones and browse the web, no matter how long you’re away for.
- Integrated Flashlight - sure, a flashlight is something that most people carry anyway, but in the dead of night, wouldn’t it be better to know that there were two sources of light available? Well, that’s something that crank radios can also offer when purchasing one with the feature.
- Solar Panels - although these crank radios for camping are primarily charged manually, some also come equipped with solar panels that allow for passive charging throughout the day. It is a little like wearing a belt and braces at the same time, but you are guaranteed that it will work, regardless of the conditions.
- Access to Weather Stations - another important ability that these crank radios offer is access to weather station information. Weather can have a big bearing on your plans and your safety, so having access to accurate information can be critical.
- Regular Radio Access - Of course, we can’t afford to skip the raison d’etre of radios i.e. providing you with entertainment coming through the AM/FM spectrum. Having something to listen to around the campfire can really help to make the evenings go with a swing.
Add This Convenience to Your Next Camping Trip
So, when you’ve got all this convenience at your fingertips, it’s hard to argue with the fact that everyone should have one as part of their camping kit. Crank radios for camping are eco-friendly, feature-packed and hugely dependable.
Acting as something of a Swiss army knife with everything you need to keep yourself happy and safe, it should be one of the first things you consider when going outdoors. What you end up doing is entirely your prerogative, but it’s hard to ignore that they’d make any camping trip a better one.