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hand crank torch radios for disasters and hiking

see also:

  • I have not tested any of these nor do I sell them nor do I get paid by any of these companies in any way!

Introduction

  • the prime role of these devices is to provide a short amount of emergency power for either your smartphone, a torch or radio by using a hand crank which you rotate at around 120-150 rpm to drive a dynamo which can then create a charge - usually enough to power your device for a couple of minutes per minute of cranking
  • the secondary role of most of these devices is as a power bank which not only can store the hand cranked charge but can also be charged via USB or, in many cases by a small attached solar panel.
    • these power bank batteries are generally lithium batteries now, mostly 3.7V 18650 batteries up to around 2500mAH capacity which is the maximum safe amount for 18350 sized cells
    • smaller units may have smaller batteries and many do not allow user to replace them.
    • these batteries should be charged every 2-3 months and should not be used continuously if you want to prolong their life - they generally have around 500 charge-recharge cycles lifetime
    • they should not be exposed to very high temperatures
    • they generally should be above 0degC to charge
    • most have a USB-out to charge your smartphone and other devices
  • the other roles these can play and other functions they might have are:
    • analog AM/FM radio
      • some have SW as well but this is now of very limited utility and the small antenna and usually limited tuning controls further limit this use
      • some have DAB digital radio but this is generally not available in rural areas, thus unless specified they do NOT have DAB digital radio (DAB only works in some parts of Australia - see https://www.digitalradioplus.com.au/can-i-get-digital-radio)
      • in Australia, you don't need the NOAA weather radio channels as this is NOT available in Australia (these are for USA and Canada only)
      • usually mono speaker but some have a stereo headphone port
    • LED torch with SOS blinking option
    • LED reading lamp - some have a proximity sensor to optionally activate the light as you walk past for 30secs
    • red LED - very few have these, but the Retekess does have a red SOS LED
    • SOS loud siren
    • LCD display with alarm clock with sleep
    • battery meter
    • MP3 player - either via microSD slot or Bluetooth
    • aux in port to play music by wire from your smartphone, etc
    • weatherproofing
    • ultrasonic dog whistle - have not seen any with this!

What features are important as a disaster/hiking survival tool?

  • should be small enough and light enough that you will actually take it with you
  • should have a sturdy, reliable hand crank
  • should have some weatherproofing eg. IPX3 as minimum - you are likely to need this in bad weather!
  • ideally the lithium battery should be user replaceable 18650 batteries so you can have back up charged batteries
    • the greater the capacity the better
  • must have USB in to charge
  • must have USB out to power your smartphone, etc
  • LED torch with SOS blink
  • AM/FM radio
    • very useful when disaster strikes and you have no other way to remain in contact with news services
    • should have an extendable antenna
  • optional:
    • headphone socket is a very nice addition - gives stereo audio instead of just the mono speaker output
    • solar panel - these are not essential but could be useful if there are many days without access to power but they are not going to be very effective giving less than 1W charge per hour
    • red LED is nice at night to avoid upsetting your night vision
    • MP3 player - not sure if this is very useful
    • reading lamp
    • SOS siren - might be handle if you forget your whistle
    • Bluetooth - not really a good idea as it uses up lots of hand cranks of power
    • AAA batteries use as an option in addition to the rechargeable battery
    • SW radio to get global news but this would require a special antenna set up

Which would I recommend?

  • for having in the house in case of prolonged blackouts, etc where having a rugged waterproof device is not really needed:
    • the Swiss LifeBox Sentinelle PRO 2000mAh offers an affordable, sleek compact design with most of the features you need
    • the XHDATA-D608WB 3000mAh adds SW radio, MP3, BT, 18650 battery for similar price point
    • the Vokida Emergency 10000mAh Hand Crank Radio adds 5x more capacity and an additional reading side light for similar price point
    • but you will want an additional 12V lithium power supply in the house for longer blackouts
  • for hikers where more rugged waterproof and relatively compact, light weight becomes important and preferably the ability to carry spare lithium batteries (you may need a screwdriver to replace them):
    • the Tecsun Radios Australia Emergency 4000mAh Radio is an affordable reasonable compromise although it uses microUSB to charge and is heavy at 490g
    • the Sangean MMR-88 Survivor 8 AM/FM HandCrank USB Solar emergency alert radio is lighter at 392g and has USB-C but with much smaller capacity 850mAh battery and is twice the price
  • for campers or those at home who want a longer life and more capable device:
    • the ROCAM Crank 12000mAh Radio is a very affordable $115
    • the AZURAOKEY 16000mAh radio adds even more battery capacity
    • the Vokida Emergency 10000mAh Hand Crank Radio
    • you should also have an additional 12V lithium power supply and perhaps a 100-200W solar panel and controller
    • NB. in a disaster you may need to leave home so a lighter more compact option may be preferable!

Models available in Australia in 2026

australia/handcrank.1793842199.txt.gz · Last modified: by gary1
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