My point was that fixating on powering everything with AA batteries doesn't make sense when weight is a concern.
Except when you consider the investment I have in 5 PowerEx (4) AA battery chargers that can be used with 12V or 120V, plus have a long term "recondition" feature on them as well. A 6th PowerEx is on top of my radio desk and will do 8 batteries at a time. It too has the "recondition" feature. I'm still using batteries from 2012 in some devices so this recondition feature is very useful. None of those chargers would be compatible with the 14500's. When hiking I carry 8 AA batteries, one pack in the scanner and one pack being recharged. The roll up solar panel charges standard AA rechargeable batteries, that is what they were made to do. The weight difference between (8) 14500's and (8) 2700mAh PowerEx batteries is 8.2 ounces. I make up for those ounces with the excellent equipment I've acquired over the years (backpacks, tents, stoves, water bottles, etc.) that reduce weight. I have a first aid kit that is heavier than almost anyone's. It includes two 36" long "Sam Splints" (TM) that weigh 4 ounces each. My pack is heavier than average so that my skills are matched with a few tools. Some call these heavier packs "the ranger syndrome" because rangers, paramedics, etc., even off duty, tend to carry more to be able to help others. Anyway, the extra 8 ounces for batteries does not concern me given what I carry.
If you have backpacking or overnight cross country ski trip experience this might make some sense. There are always trade offs with everything item you carry, or choose to not carry. I remember one trip in Colorado where a woman from Miami developed "HAPE" (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema), which caused me to carry a stethoscope for a few subsequent trips, but I stopped. I haven't had the need since, knock on wood.
