portable batteries aka portable chargers for small gadgets are a dime a dozen but one that has enough oomph for your laptop is far and few between, let alone one that you can juiced up (and re-juiced) without having you spending a single cent. the Goal Zero Sherpa 50 Solar Recharging Kit happens to be one that belongs to the latter. the idea of using solar panels to recharge a portable power supply may seem absurd to urban dwellers but if you are one who requires to work in the field without proper electric outlets, the sun is probably your best friend and so are the solar panels. packed within its compact enclosure is a 50Wh+ lithium-ion battery that, when fully charged, is capable of recharging your laptop in 2 hours or it could be used to juice up other USB, 12V and AC powered devices such as smartphones, lanterns, e-readers, and tablets. the battery pack recharges in about 5 hours using the Nomad 13 solar panel or 3 hours if using a regular wall outlet. and the best news for style-conscious gadgeteers is, it is not just functional but it looks totally bad-ass cool too, plus it is totally compact (measuring 11.4 x 3.8 x 13.3 cm or 4.5 x 1.5 x 5.3 in) and lightweight, tipping the scale at just 1.1 lbs (500 grams) – a weight that’s less than some tablets in the market today. the Goal Zero Sherpa 50 Solar Recharging Kit is available with or without solar panel and inverter with a starting price from $249.99. check out a product promo clip after the break.
