Laptop Solar Charger Slick Stand-Alone Review

Voltaic Systems brings us new laptop solar charger

We usually hear about new laptop solar chargers from Voltaic Systems, known for its very high quality backpacks, laptop cases and messenger bags. The company is bringing us something new,the stand-alone laptop solar charger. There are three new models available, each boasting about four times the charging power of most solar chargers out there on the market. Voltaic states they can charge a smartphone in just 4-5 hours of direct sunlight, which is a fast charge by any account. It seems we might finally have small, personal chargers that make practical sense.

Brief introduction about the stand-alone laptop solar charger

The chargers have two 6-volt panels, and users can switch between 6 and 12 volt charging. The cells are also high-temperature Lithium Polymer, which means their charging capacity lasts longer even when exposed to very hot sunlight. And the battery is large enough to fully charge a smartphone twice.

The models come in three sizes, one that fits folded into a backpack or purse, one that can clip on to bike racks, tents, backpacks and other items, and one that is a small day bag itself with room enough to carry a couple of devices from a camera to a Kindle. And as always, the fabric of the packs are made from recycled PET.

Reasonably priced at $99 and $129, depending on which model you purchase, the new chargers are an exciting option for those on the hunt for off-grid power. While you'll likely never be able to offset the embodied energy of the charger itself by using sunlight instead of grid energy, you'll at least have a portable alternative energy source that allows you to stay unplugged as much as possible.

Many of the solar chargers on the market now may look slick, but take a frustratingly long time to gather enough charge to juice up a cell phone or MP3 player. Or, if they're strong enough, they're bulky, heavy, and cost an arm and a leg. We haven't had a chance to personally test the new chargers from Voltaic, but if they live up to what the company states about them, then we might have hit a nice middle ground for charging strength, size and affordability.