| Bright new gear | | Stay cozy with a solar-powered … jacket? | The Vollebak Solar Charged Jacket boasts glow-in-the-dark fibers that absorb sunlight to generate warmth as well as artificial light. Weighing in at just half a pound, this hoodie jacket feels surprisingly light and is appropriate for runners, bikers and anyone who needs visibility at night — or just wants to make a statement with threads that glow. The jacket will maintain a temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit and will glow for up to 12 hours after charging for about two hours in direct sunlight. Cost: $495 Vollebak also offers a Solar Charged Puffer jacket, although its price point ($1,295) will scare most curious shoppers away. But Vollebak isn’t the only company playing around with sun-powered winter gear. The ThermalTech Jacket began as a crowdfunding project. Designed to produce heat not only from captured solar energy but also from artificial light sources, this jacket’s makers promise it will keep you warm after the sun goes down. The company says the jacket can increase your in-clothing temperature by a whopping 20 degrees Fahrenheit in just two minutes. It’s not on the market yet but you can expect the ThermalTech, or others like it, to be coming soon to a retail portal near you. |
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| | Take it on the road: Solar backpacks | Outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate the Offgrid Solar Backpack by Voltaic. Its built-in solar panel and USB battery pack has two charging ports and, according to the company, charges a typical smartphone in two hours. The solar panel is waterproof — so no worries about getting caught in a storm — and the pack includes a padded sleeve to protect laptops and other devices. Shoppers trying to reduce their consumption footprint will appreciate that each backpack is made from 33 recycled plastic bottles. Measuring in at 19 x 7 inches, the pack’s volume is 25 liters, or about 1.5 times the capacity of the average daypack. The downside is its weight, 4 pounds; daypacks typically weigh in around a pound. Cost: $199 |
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| | Sun-powered entertainment | | Rock out with solar speakers | The Westinghouse Solar Bluetooth Speaker with LED light lasts up to five hours after charging in direct sunlight for about three hours, according to company specs. This portable speaker is small — just 2 x 4 inches — and has a Bluetooth range of about 30 feet. It also has three light modes, including a strobe setting, for your outdoor dance party. It charges either with direct sun or by USB. It claims “crisp, clean sound,” but that’s in the ear of the beholder. Cost: $14.99 For a heavier bass, consider the Exogear SolJam. It has two 10-watt speakers, a large passive subwoofer and nearly a 100-foot range. It’s also fully submersible. Measuring in at 6 x 7 x 4 inches, three hours in direct sun gives SolJam a full charge, and provides you with 12 hours of Bluetooth jams. Cost: $159 |
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| | Solar charging just got brighter | BigBlue’s 28-watt USB solar charger is compact and can charge up to three devices at once when placed in direct sunlight. It’s compatible with most iPhones, iPads, and Samsung phones and measures 11.1 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches when folded, weighing in at 1 pound 4 ounces. This charger’s solar paneling has a polymer coating intended to improve durability by protecting it from the elements. At 28 watts, it charges slightly slower than wall power for most devices — but not bad for the outdoors. Cost: $69.99 |
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| | WATCH ANTONIA GINSBERG-KLEMMT | |
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| Food and beverage | | Cooking with solar: Not your usual prep | The GoSun Sport solar oven claims to be able to bake, or even roast, a meal for two people in 20 minutes under direct sunlight. Just load your ingredients into this portable cooker’s insulated vacuum tube, which can heat up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit. The GoSun Sport weighs 7 pounds and measures 24 x 16 x 12 inches. It requires sunlight to operate, however, which means you’re out of luck in inclement weather. Cost: $279 |
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| | Stay chill with solar cooling (yes, you read that right) | The GoSun Chillest turns cooling into an (expensive) art by using the sun’s energy for refrigeration, including at sub-freezing temps. This cooler does not use ice or water, although it does have the option to draw power through a wall adapter, DC car outlet or built-in battery, in addition to either a 30-watt ($219) or 60-watt ($299) solar panel, which must be purchased separately. Both of the Chillest’s two cooling zones can be set either as a freezer or refrigerator, with a range of -4 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. It has a storage capacity of 45 liters — ample for a family picnic — and is great for camping or the beach. One reviewer even pledges it’s appropriate for a home refrigerator that you can take on the road. It measures 28 x 17 x 20.5 inches. Cost: $699 |
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