REASONS TO BUY
Rugged design
Has a built-in stand
REASONS TO AVOID
Doesn't like to stay unfolded/folded after being in one of those states and then changing
Heavy for the size
Rigid design makes it hard to pack
Goal Zero Nomad 20 Review
This solar panel seems like it should be a good option but after testing, The Nomad 20 failed to live up to its solid design
Credit: Goal Zero
RELATED: Best Portable Solar Charger of 2023
Our Verdict
This well-designed solar charger seemed like a good choice but when we put it to the test, it failed to perform well especially given its high price tag. It performed mediocrely in the charging tests as well as in portability and multiple device charging. Though it performed ok, the juice from this solar charger isn't worth the squeeze from the wallet.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Goal Zero Nomad 20 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  |  | ||
| Price | $149.95 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $100 List $72.96 at Amazon | $65 List $64.98 at Amazon | $63 List $59.99 at Amazon | $42 List |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Rugged design, has a built-in stand | Inexpensive, efficient, user-friendly, great charging speed, excels in partly cloudy conditions | Good charging speed, lots of places to clip carabiners, highly affordable | Impressive charging speeds, can charge multiple devices simultaneously, affordable | Large battery capacity, LED back panel |
| Cons | Doesn't like to stay unfolded/folded after being in one of those states and then changing, heavy for the size, rigid design makes it hard to pack | Bulky, lacks portability, and the storage pouch is only semi-secure | Hard to reach pouch makes the panel lay crooked, just a solar panel with no battery pack, | Poor interruption recovery | The small solar panel makes charging hard |
| Bottom Line | This solar panel seems like it should be a good option but after testing, The Nomad 20 failed to live up to its solid design | This speedy solar charger handles multiple devices and offers reliability at a reasonable price | This low-priced, incredibly efficient solar panel converts the sun into charges while saving on costs | A powerful, fast charging machine, capable of charging multiple devices, complete with a reasonable price tag | Where this device lacks in its ability as a solar charger, it makes up for as an affordable battery pack |
| Rating Categories | Goal Zero Nomad 20 | BigBlue 3 | X-Dragon 20W | Ryno-Tuff 21W | OEUUDD 25000mAh |
| Direct Solar Charging Speed (35%) | |||||
| Indirect Solar Charging Speed (35%) | |||||
| Portability (15%) | |||||
| Multiple Device Charging (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Goal Zero Nomad 20 | BigBlue 3 | X-Dragon 20W | Ryno-Tuff 21W | OEUUDD 25000mAh |
| Panel Size (watts) Power Output? | 20W | 28W | 20W | 21W | <5W |
| Weight (measured) | 41.8oz | 21.8oz | 21.1oz | 17.5oz | 18.6oz |
| # of USB outlets | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Max USB Output Current (amps per port) | 2.1 amp | 2.4 amp | 3 amp | 2.1 amp | 2 amp |
| Size folded | 11.5" x 7.4" x 1.25" | 11.1" x 6.3" x 1.3" | 12.1" x 7.2" x .51" | 5.9" x 11.8" x 0.8" | N/A |
| Size opened | 11.5" x 21.75" x 0.75" | 33.1" x 11.1" x 0.2" | 23.3" x 12.1" x .12" | 18" x 11.8" x 0.1" | 7" x 3.75" x 1.25" |
| Battery? | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Charge capacity (mAh) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 25,000mAh |
| Charge tablet? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Charge laptop? | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Charge iPhone/Smartphone | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Panel outside material | Plastic case | PET Polymer Fabric | PTFE | PET Polymer Fabric | PET Polymer Fabric |
| Panel type | Mono-crystalline | Mono-crystalline | Mono-crystalline | Mono-crystalline | Mono-crystalline |
| Battery input (Volts / Amps) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 5V/2A |
| Direct USB Plug? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Daisy Chain? | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| 12-Volt connection | No | No | No | No | No |
| DC Output | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Goal Zero Nomad 20 offers a durable panel that ranked in the middle of the class in terms of its ability to charge in the direct and indirect sun, it has the ability to charge multiple devices but not rapidly, and is a reasonable sized, though not excessively portable, solar panel. Overall this panel does the job.
Performance Comparison
Though it's designed as a foldable travel panel, the Nomad 50 is bulky and large.
Credit: Jane Jackson
Direct Solar Charging Speed
The Nomad 20 did just ok at charging speed. The three mono-crystalline panels received 1096 mAh while in direct sunlight making the Nomad 20 a mediocre choice for collecting sun.
Indirect Charging Speed
The Nomad 20 did well, producing 108 mAh. This was the second-highest output we observed in our tests. In partial coverage, it produced a mere 443 mAh. However, this was far from ideal. We wanted to see a bit more in the solar panel's ability to capture light.
While it performed slightly better in partial shade, it still didn't do that well compared with the other panels.
The kickstand on the Nomad 50 increases efficiency, but we were still underwhelmed by the charging speed.
Credit: Jane Jackson
Multiple Device Charging Speed
The Nomad 20 has two USB ports and delivers 2.1 amps through each of them. The ports offered mediocre charge performance. With multiple devices plugged in, the rates decreased from 471 mAh in the first port to 447 mAh in the second port. In terms of multiple device charging, the Nomad 20 faired below average.
Our testing grounds were a great place to subject these panels to daily wear and tear. With its coated cells and reinforced canvas exteroir, the Goal Zero excels in this metric.
Credit: Jane Jackson
Portability
This panel weighs in at 41.8 ounces. Folded this panel comes in at 11.63" x 7.25" x 1.35." Unfolded it's 22" x 11.63." This panel would be significantly nicer if it was substantially lighter and more portable.
With so much surface area, it's no surprise that this panel excels in this metric.
Credit: Jane Jackson
Should You Buy The Nomad 20?
This panel is heavy and expensive. While it can be daisy-chained, it can be linked with other solar panels to increase the wattage, the actual value of the panel is a bit off. Consider looking at a few of the other reviewed models that perform a bit better given their price.
With a standard panel design, but in a super-sized package, the Nomad 50 is a niche item. We appreciated the materials used in its construction, like the reinforced pocket shown above. That said, it's a serious investment.
Credit: Jane Jackson
Conclusion
The What Other Solar Chargers Should You Consider? is an expensive solar charging set-up that didn't blow our minds when it came to charging speed, portability, or multiple devices charging speed. Though durable and well made, this charger may be best suited for just when you need to connect multiple solar panels together to make a large wattage system.
If you're looking for a simpler solar charger try the Big Blue 28W which charges better, is significantly less expensive, and is far more portable.—
James Lucas, Matt Spencer
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