Why your outdoorsy friend suddenly has a gummy bear power bank

You can learn a lot from the ultra light dudes.

I replaced all my travel electronics to be powerable from USB-C. This saved me from a lot cables and adapters.

Even re-soldered the cable of my electric shaver to use a USB-C PD adapter PCB. As long it's somehow close to the standardized voltages (5/9/12/18/etc.) there will be no problems.

I'm not trying to be gatekeepy or anything, but in 2009 (not so long ago), I did an "ultralight" 40-day on-and-off-road motorcycle trip without any electronics. A few years before that, I did a 10 week "backpacker without a backpack" trip with no electronics. This is still very possible.

The weight savings, the "escape from electronics" bonus... It's not nothing.

I think that it's a bad trade-off. A cell phone is a literal lifeline.

Cell phones are a crutch. Us real hikers/backpackers/outdoorians don't need such hand holding as "doing it on easy mode". You look danger in the face and call for help, I look danger in in the face and I say "you ready?". We are not the same.