This is a pretty decent charger in reality and I really like the pouch setup so you can put your cell phone inthere to keep it dry too. It uses a step-up/step down DC/DC convertor that helps you keep charging a cell phone, which need a pretty stable supply, which solar isn't. The total project would roughly cost $50-$80, but that is significantly cheaper than any off-the-shelf chargers that start at over $100 and are not waterproof.
Up next is a really crude, ugly, but really cheap charger titled Small Solar Charger.
It is an extremely simple solar charger that just puts a diode across the batteries so that they do not discharge back into the solar cells. This is a heavier and more fragile charger than the one listed above nor can it charge a cell phone directly. To add that feature, you would have to build the Minty-Boost, a USB charger that you use AA batteries to charge a USB device (cellphone, iPod, whatever...). The total cost should be around $10.
These are just a couple of the many DIY designs out there. I got both of these from Instructables.Com on of my favorite How-To sites. Solar chargers can get complex very quickly, but I like these two since the charge AA or AAAs. Many GPSs, cheaper MP3 players, small flashlights, etc. use these making these chargers fairly flexible.
Happy hacking!
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