Extraordinary Tech: Voltaic’s OffGrid Solar Backpack Is More Than Just Solar Charging

Welcome to Extraordinary Tech 2018 Day 10. Join Buchanan, Joelle, Mike and myself on our adventures as we test out some of the best tech available in 2018. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday we’ll be showcasing devices that came with us on a cross-country trip this summer, ranging from an outdoor speaker that will change the way you think of sound to a smartwatch that offers the best fitness features at an affordable price. Along the way, we’ll be hosting giveaways of some of the tech featured in this series, so stay tuned! 

Believe it or not, a single moment put the Voltaic OffGrid Solar Backpack into perspective for me. In an instant, I could see this solar backpack for what it was:

Fashionable

“We need a more dynamic shot. Can you walk with the backpack on Joelle?”

The request was simple enough. Joelle strapped on the OffGrid Solar Backpack and started walking up a little incline in a quiet San Francisco park. It was definitely not her first rodeo; Mike’s camera clicking wildly, only matched by Buchanan’s phone shutter button, did not intimidate her. Wide smile and hair blowing in the wind, Joelle was winding down the photo shoot when someone asked:

“Hey, are you like a model?”

Recognizable

We all turned our heads instantly only to see a group of high school girls chatting about Joelle.

“So are you a model?” the first one asked again. Joelle, humble as ever, quickly responded, “no no it’s for this backpack.”

“Oh wait, is this a solar backpack?!” another asked incredulously, brimming with excitement. For these girls, the solar backpack was a novelty, one they couldn’t wait to find out more about.

Sustainable

Mike took some final shots and beckoned us to go. As we neared the car, I whipped out my phone, ready to take notes on the scene, when I realized I had 10% battery left. With no outlet for at least the next hour, I turned to the OffGrid Solar Backpack and plugged in my phone in the removable battery pack to start charging. Minutes later, I fell asleep only to realize, when I woke up, my phone was fully charged. Not only that, the battery pack itself was also still fully charged thanks to the solar panels on the outside of the backpack.

Bottom Line:

Renewable energy is fast becoming more accessible. However, the industry has mostly focused on the macro – solar powered houses, hybrid and full electric cars, and further research into nuclear energy. Only recently have consumer focused renewable energy products been present in the market. One that is still in its early stages is the solar-powered backpack.

Even so, the Voltaic lineup offers some of the most effective solar-powered backpacks on the market. The OffGrid Solar Backpack, in particular, is incredibly impressive. As a backpack, it holds 25L, has multiple storage pockets, and is “waterproof, lightweight and UV resistant” (Voltaic Systems website). Stylish and trendy, the OffGrid Solar Backpack can be used as an old ordinary backpack.

But why should you stop there?

Coming with a 12,000 mAh, 44 Watt Hours battery, the backpack can likely handle all your energy needs throughout the day. If it can’t with one full charge of the battery, no worries. The solar panels will continually provide energy to the battery, providing you with a constant power source.

Solar backpacks and accessories will become more common in the years to follow, but something tells us the Voltaic OffGrid Solar Backpack will remain a reference in the industry.

The Extraordinary Tech series was produced in partnership with Xperi. We were not compensated by Voltaic Systems. The Voltaic OffGrid Solar Backpack is available at https://www.voltaicsystems.com/ starting at $199.