The Practical Woodsman
Education • Travel • Preparedness
The Practical Woodsman is a way to share love of the wilderness, as well as my observations, thinking, and approach to what folks today are calling 'bushcraft' and 'survival'. The focus is on what is practical, as well as pointing out certain things being demonstrated by 'bushcrafters' today that are not practical at all.
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November 25, 2024
Results of Solar Charger Tests

Yesterday was a perfectly sunny day here where I am. So I took advantage of the sunlight to test out several different solar chargers to charge up the same 50000mAh power bank. I thought you folks would find the results interesting. I certainly was surprised with the outcome.

One thing I had never done before when doing tests like this - which has always been a silly thing to overlook - is that I never before established how much charge the wall electric outlet in my house gives me within the same time frame that I am using to test these solar chargers. As you will see from the results, my smallest and lightest solar charger consistently performed the best and performed as well as my wall electric outlet. The larger watt solar chargers performed the least well.

The 15w solar charger is the smaller, two-panel in the picture. The 22w solar charger is in the background and contains a third panel. Obviously, smaller and more compact is better, especially if higher watt solar chargers don’t offer any advantage in performance.

50,000mAh power bank

30 Minutes each test

29% Charge on Power Bank to begin

15w Solar Charger
START: 29%
END 32%

22w Solar Charger
START: 32%
END: 35%

15w Solar Charger (again)
START: 35%
END: 38%

28w Solar Charger
START: 38%
END: 39%

Home Electric Outlet
START: 39%
END: 41%

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What else you may like…
Videos
Posts
August 02, 2026
Whiskey for Cook Fuel? With Pleasant the Hillbilly Pickle

I got tired of carrying booze, fuel, and medicine and got the bright idea to see if a strong enough whiskey might not serve all three purposes.

#WhiskeyStoves #BoozeForFuel #PocketCooking #ThePracticalWoodsman #PleasantHillbillyPickle

00:02:50
The Many Uses of Cow Dung

Very interesting, useful video.

00:02:59
Vin Scully, The Field of Dreams Speech
00:02:02
TPW 214: All About Pocket Stoves

Emergency Stealth Pocket Cooking: The PW Way

August 03, 2026
The Box Bed

For centuries, families across Britain slept in what was known as a box bed, a wooden bed built into the wall or enclosed with doors, designed to keep out the bitter cold of winter.

Far more than a place to sleep, the box bed was a practical solution in cottages where space was limited and every bit of warmth mattered. By enclosing the bed, families trapped precious heat, reduced draughts and gained a little privacy in homes where several generations often lived under one roof.

These humble beds witnessed every stage of life. Children were tucked into them at night, babies were born in them, and loved ones spent their final hours there, surrounded by family. In many cottages, the box bed even formed part of the wall itself, helping divide the living and sleeping areas of a single-room home.

To modern eyes they may seem cramped, but to those who lived through harsh winters with little comfort, the box bed was a warm, secure refuge, a simple piece of craftsmanship that helped ordinary families ...

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August 01, 2026

Ancient Roman army knife, containing spoon, fork, knife, spike, and spatula, dating to 200 A.D.

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