Power · The rankings
Best trail camera solar panels: matched to the jack they plug into
A solar panel is only as good as the connector on the end of its cable. Five panels ranked on fit, capacity, output and price, sorted by the camera brand each one actually powers.
By Mike M.Updated Spec-checked, not field-tested
#adReader-supported: we may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never decides a ranking. How we rank · Disclosure
Quick picks
The rankings at a glance
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Tactacam Reveal Folding Solar Panel Two panels, a 7.2V/4,900 mAh battery and a 12V/2A output that Tactacam says supports up to 5,000 photos a day in direct sun; it fits every Reveal and most 12V cameras. | Best overall (Tactacam / 12V)Solar panel | 8.4 /10 | Check price · Amazon |
| 2 | Spypoint Lithium Battery Solar Panel (10W) SPLB-22 A 10-watt panel over a 15,000 mAh battery with four output cords, so it powers any Spypoint camera and charges in about 24 hours of sun. | Most capacity (Spypoint)Solar panel | 8.3 /10 | Check price · Amazon |
| 3 | Moultrie 3.4W Solar Power Pack II A 3.4W panel over a 3,350 mAh pack with USB-C and barrel cables, IP65 housing and an 18W peak output that suits any Edge camera; out of stock on Moultrie's page when checked. | Best for Moultrie Edge (USB-C)Solar panel | 7.7 /10 | Check price · Amazon |
| 4 | HME 5,000 mAh Solar Power Panel A universal 12V panel-and-battery with a critter-resistant cable, a threaded connector and adapters for Stealth Cam, Muddy, Browning, Spypoint, Moultrie and Tactacam jacks. | Best universal 12VSolar panel | 7.9 /10 | Check price · Amazon |
| 5 | Tactacam Reveal Solar Panel V2 The single-panel Reveal solar with a 7.2V/5,200 mAh lithium cell, 12V/1.5A output and a one-year warranty; the simpler, cheaper way to keep a Reveal on power. | Best simple Reveal panelSolar panel | 7.8 /10 | Check price · Amazon |
#ad · Prices are set by Amazon and change often, so we don't print them. Scores are ours, built from published specs, verified plan prices and cited independent tests, not our own field measurements. Photos are illustrative stock. Tap a row for the full write-up.
The jack decides the panel
- Tactacam Reveal: DC 12V input on every 3.0-series body and the Ultra. Tactacam's own panels, or HME's universal with its 4.5 mm Tactacam adapter.
- Browning, Stealth Cam, GardePro: 12V external jack (Browning "12-volt external power jack"; Stealth Cam DS4K "12V DC jack"; GardePro A60 "DC 12V input, 5.5x2.1 mm"). HME's universal panel lists Browning, Stealth Cam and 5.5 mm cameras.
- Moultrie Edge: USB-C only. Moultrie's Solar Power Pack II ships USB-C and barrel cables; a 12V panel won't plug in.
- Spypoint Flex: Spypoint's SPLB-22 ships "four output power cord choices" and is listed as compatible with all Spypoint cameras. HME lists Spypoint among its 5.5 mm cameras too.
- Bushnell CORE (SD): no external jack listed on the pages we read. Batteries only.
If you're not sure what your camera has, the product card on its review page here lists the jack under "External power," with a link to the maker's spec.
The five, side by side
Watts vs mAh: what each number tells you
The Tactacam Folding panel's two faces are why it leads despite not publishing wattage: more panel area in the same footprint, and Tactacam's claim of "up to 5,000 photos a day" in direct sun is the most concrete performance figure any of them publishes. The Spypoint SPLB-22's 15,000 mAh is three times any other bank here, which is why it's the pick for a shaded set. HME's 5,000 mAh universal is the answer for a brand nobody makes a panel for; it publishes no wattage at all.
In detail
The picks, in full
Rank 1
Stock photoBest overall (Tactacam / 12V)
Tactacam Reveal Folding Solar Panel
Two panels, a 7.2V/4,900 mAh battery and a 12V/2A output that Tactacam says supports up to 5,000 photos a day in direct sun; it fits every Reveal and most 12V cameras.
Spec sheetSpec-checked · not field-tested by us
How the 8.4 score breaks down
- Fit & compatibility (30%)
- 9
- Capacity & output (30%)
- 9
- Weather durability (20%)
- 7
- Value (20%)
- 8
What the spec sheet supports
- Two-panel folding design gathers more sun than a single flat panel
- Built-in lithium buffer keeps the camera up overnight
- 12V/2A output works with most 12V cameras, not only Reveals
- $99.99 on the Reveal X 3.0 page when checked
Where it falls short
- Tactacam publishes no wattage or waterproof rating on the product page
- Charges the Reveal lithium pack, not AA batteries in the tray
- Bulkier than the V2 panel
Skip this if…
…your camera isn't 12V; check the jack before you buy any external panel.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Tactacam Reveal Folding Solar Panel
Rank 2
Stock photoMost capacity (Spypoint)
Spypoint Lithium Battery Solar Panel (10W) SPLB-22
A 10-watt panel over a 15,000 mAh battery with four output cords, so it powers any Spypoint camera and charges in about 24 hours of sun.
Spec sheetSpec-checked · not field-tested by us
How the 8.3 score breaks down
- Fit & compatibility (30%)
- 9
- Capacity & output (30%)
- 10
- Weather durability (20%)
- 7
- Value (20%)
- 6
What the spec sheet supports
- 15,000 mAh is three times the capacity of the Reveal panels
- 10W panel recharges that bank in roughly a day of sun
- Four cords in the box; you can aim it independently of the camera
Where it falls short
- $129.99 list, the priciest panel here
- Large: over 10 inches square
- Spypoint doesn't state a waterproof rating on the page
Skip this if…
…you run a Flex-S-Dark; it already has a panel and the money is better spent on a second camera.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Spypoint Lithium Battery Solar Panel (10W) SPLB-22
Rank 3
Stock photoBest for Moultrie Edge (USB-C)
Moultrie 3.4W Solar Power Pack II
A 3.4W panel over a 3,350 mAh pack with USB-C and barrel cables, IP65 housing and an 18W peak output that suits any Edge camera; out of stock on Moultrie's page when checked.
Spec sheetSpec-checked · not field-tested by us
How the 7.7 score breaks down
- Fit & compatibility (30%)
- 9
- Capacity & output (30%)
- 6
- Weather durability (20%)
- 9
- Value (20%)
- 7
What the spec sheet supports
- Ships with both USB-C and barrel cables
- IP65 rating published, which most panels here don't state
- Reports power metrics to the Moultrie app on Edge 3 cameras
Where it falls short
- 3.4W is a small panel; 10 h 45 min of sun for a full charge
- Out of stock on Moultrie's page at the time of checking
- 3,350 mAh is a modest buffer for a video-heavy set
Skip this if…
…the set faces north under canopy; pair an Edge with the POWER MAG III and swap packs instead.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Moultrie 3.4W Solar Power Pack II
Rank 4
Stock photoBest universal 12V
HME 5,000 mAh Solar Power Panel
A universal 12V panel-and-battery with a critter-resistant cable, a threaded connector and adapters for Stealth Cam, Muddy, Browning, Spypoint, Moultrie and Tactacam jacks.
Spec sheetSpec-checked · not field-tested by us
How the 7.9 score breaks down
- Fit & compatibility (30%)
- 10
- Capacity & output (30%)
- 7
- Weather durability (20%)
- 8
- Value (20%)
- 6
What the spec sheet supports
- One panel that covers most 12V jacks on the market
- Python lock mount so the panel itself can be cabled
- Critter-resistant cable, the failure point on most panels
Where it falls short
- HME publishes no wattage, so recharge speed is unknown
- $89.99 for 5,000 mAh
Skip this if…
…you run one brand only; the brand panel usually costs less and reports to the app.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to HME 5,000 mAh Solar Power Panel
Rank 5
Stock photoBest simple Reveal panel
Tactacam Reveal Solar Panel V2
The single-panel Reveal solar with a 7.2V/5,200 mAh lithium cell, 12V/1.5A output and a one-year warranty; the simpler, cheaper way to keep a Reveal on power.
Spec sheetSpec-checked · not field-tested by us
How the 7.8 score breaks down
- Fit & compatibility (30%)
- 9
- Capacity & output (30%)
- 7
- Weather durability (20%)
- 7
- Value (20%)
- 8
What the spec sheet supports
- Largest built-in cell of the two Reveal panels (5,200 mAh)
- Wall adapter included for pre-charging
- One-year warranty stated on the page
Where it falls short
- Single panel and 1.5A output: slower recharge than the Folding panel
- No wattage or waterproof rating published
Skip this if…
…the set only gets a few hours of low-angle sun; the Folding panel's two faces make more of it.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Tactacam Reveal Solar Panel V2
Buyer's guide: getting a season out of a panel
Aim the panel, not the camera
Every panel here ships with a bracket and strap so it can sit on a different tree or the sunny side of the same one, facing south and tilted up. The cable length is the constraint: HME's is 4 ft, Moultrie's strap is 6 ft; Tactacam and Spypoint don't publish a length. A camera facing north into a trail with its panel 6 feet away facing south is the whole trick.
Pre-charge it
Spypoint (5 hours on DC), Moultrie (1 h 45 min on USB-C) and Tactacam (USB-C cable, wall adapter on the V2) all charge indoors. Hang it full.
Cable it
A panel is a visible, valuable object on a tree. HME's has an integrated Python lock mount; for the others, run the cable lock through the bracket. See best locks and cables.
Cold
Lithium banks charge poorly below freezing and the sun is low. A panel keeps a camera alive through fall; in January, expect it to slow the drain rather than stop it. Batteries in cold weather has the numbers, and a 12V lead-acid box is the cold-weather alternative.
Or skip the panel
On a sunny field edge, a camera with the panel built in (Flex-S-Dark, Edge Solar, Browning HD Solar) is simpler. See best solar cellular cameras.
How we scored this
Cameras we claim to have field-tested: none we don't own
Plenty of sites say they hung every camera on this list in a tree for a season. We don't say that, and we say so on every page. What we do instead: read the maker's published trigger speed, flash type, battery configuration and detection range; verify each brand's plan tiers on its own plan page and compute the real monthly cost at one and four cameras; cite the independent shootouts (Trailcampro, Outdoor Life, Field & Stream, TechGearLab) as their measurements, never ours; and score every pick on a public rubric. Every figure links to where it came from.
Scores are editorial judgments from that documented research, not lab results. Commissions never set a score or decide a pick. The rubric and its weights are published.
Questions
Frequently asked
What is the best solar panel for a trail camera?
For Tactacam and most 12V cameras, the Reveal Folding Solar Panel (7.2V/4,900 mAh, 12V/2A). For Spypoint, the SPLB-22 (10W, 15,000 mAh). For Moultrie Edge, the USB-C 3.4W Solar Power Pack II.
Will any solar panel work with any trail camera?
No. Tactacam and Browning use 12V barrel jacks, Moultrie uses USB-C, Spypoint ships its own cords. HME's universal panel includes adapters for most 12V cameras; Bushnell CORE cameras list no jack at all.
Does a Moultrie Edge 3 solar panel exist?
Yes: Moultrie's 3.4W Solar Power Pack II (USB-C, 3,350 mAh, listed for any Edge series camera). It was out of stock on Moultrie's page when we checked.
How many watts does a trail camera solar panel need?
Spypoint's 10W recharges a 15,000 mAh bank in about a day of sun; Moultrie's 3.4W takes nearly 11 hours for 3,350 mAh. More watts means faster refill; more mAh means longer cloudy-day survival. Both matter.
Keep reading
Related on Cam & Canopy
Receipts
Sources
- Tactacam — REVEAL Folding Solar Panel product page (checked 2026-09-21)
- Tactacam — REVEAL Solar Panel (RV-EXT-V2) product page (checked 2026-09-21)
- Spypoint — Lithium Battery Solar Panel (10W) SPLB-22 product page (checked 2026-09-21)
- Moultrie — 3.4W Solar Power Pack II product page (checked 2026-09-21)
- HME Products — 5,000 mAh Solar Power Panel product page (checked 2026-09-21)
- Tactacam — REVEAL X 3.0 product page (checked 2026-09-21)
- Browning Trail Cameras — Defender Pro Scout Max HD DV product page (checked 2026-09-21)
- Stealth Cam — DS4K Ultimate product page (checked 2026-09-21)
- GardePro — A60 4K product page (checked 2026-09-21)
- Bushnell — CORE DS-4K No Glow product page (checked 2026-09-21)
We don't claim to have field-tested these cameras and we don't pretend to. Specs come from the maker's own product pages (linked on every product), plan prices from the maker's plan page with an “as of” date, and independent measurements are attributed to whoever made them. Amazon prices change often, so we don't print them. Where a figure isn't published, we say so. Read the full method.