Recently I did a lot of traveling that took me from places to power (some of the time) to places with no power (most of the time). It is in these situations when a Gadget-Addict like me tends to think about the devices at hand. Like many of us we start to worry about powering our devices. I didn’t just have a phone to power, I also had a flashlight, GPS, walkie-talkies, and night vision batteries to worry about. (Yes, night vision, but that’s a different story).

The solution I wanted had to be multipurpose, lightweight, and chock full of solutions. What I ended up finding and using was something that served as an auxiliary battery that could charge any of my devices. The auxiliary battery could also be charged by sunlight, auto and a normal outlet. Most solar panels are just that, a panel. Without a battery to charge your device needs to be plugged in constantly. The SolarMio solved that problem by having it’s own 900mAH battery to charge during the day that I could use at night to charge other devices. Keep reading to find out how well it worked.

Most obvious is the 3 cell solar panel. These panels are flexible and can bend without breaking. This flexibility allows the form factor to be much smaller and more versatile. The whole kit folds up into a nice package. The grommets at the corners and the hanging cord allow for many mounting options such as hanging it from a tree or tying it to the outside of a backpack. You can tell from the dirt and mud on the unit above that I got some good use out of it. I even left it out during a sudden monsoon rainstorm. It isn’t rated for water resistance but the panel side managed to keep the battery (and ports) from shorting out.

Inside is the detachable 900 mAH battery. As most of you might know, that is only 20mAH smaller than the original Shadow’s battery. This can be used as a standalone in the city if you need extra juice. Since it can be charged with the wall charger or auto adapter it makes a great travel companion. My only issue is that the wall charger and auto adapter aren’t combined. Still, having extra juice comes in quite handy when walking around or using public transportation. (FYI, that extra short USB cable is a custom cable I built)

It is important to mention that many devices need a minimum amperage to recognize that they are being charged and start relaying juice to their batteries. Many small solar panels are unable to deliver this. The SolarMio solves this problem by charging it’s own battery first. This is a valuable component! The battery attaches to the panel through the two snaps pictured above.

On the top is the USB port, notification LEDs and DC out port. The DC out port is for the adapter cable that came with the SolarMio. The adapter has several end plugs for different devices. I like to keep things simple so I try to avoid buying things that don’t use a miniUSB cable to charge. One Cable to Rule them All.

On the side is the On/Off switch and DC in port. The On/Off switch should be in the On position if you are charging a device and Off if you are charging the battery. Unfortunately, it will only charge the battery and not a device directly from the panel. This is something I hope they build into their next panel.

When you need power, simply connect the battery to your device. Here for a size comparison is the Dash 3G. The larger size of the SolarMio’s battery is attributed to the electronics inside that handle the solar and DC input currents as well as the switch and output currents. The Dash 3G has a larger 1500 mAH battery, so the 900 mAH SolarMio battery won’t charge it completely but it will put a substantial charge on it.

Specs:

Power:(Max.)

3.3 W (System) / 2.52 W (Solar)

Power Bank Output:

5V (USB) / 6V (DC-out)

Power Bank Input:

5V; 500mA

Solar Panel Output:(Max.)

6V; 420mA

Auxiliary Battery

3.7V; 900 mAh
Rechargeable Lithium Polymer

 

Cost: $120-$150 through various retailers. Check out this Google Shopping Link.

Conclusion:

The SolarFocus SolarMio is worth the money. Instead of spending $40-50 on extra batteries for one device for a trip, spend some more and get a solution that will work with all your devices. Since the SolarMio performed so well for me I have added it to my list of ‘must pack’ for any excursion I take. It might be a little pricey for some but the same company also makes a fairly decent Rechargeable AA battery bank that we hope to bring to you in a review soon. Enjoy!




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