This is the Nestout portable solar panel, and as the name suggests, it’s a portable fold-out solar array that allows you to charge your devices when you’re in the great outdoors.
This system consists of two high-conversion solar panels, rated to 5v / 2.1a each. The panels are SunPower Maxeon cells offering up to a 22% increase in efficiency compared to traditional solar cells, and the adjustable stands allow you to angle the panels for optimal power generation.
The Outdoor Series from Nestout recently won the IF Design Gold Award, the full system includes a series of waterproof lithium-ion battery packs that can be used for charging devices, or paired with additional accessories like lamp fittings for illumination.
The Nestout Portable Solar Panel has dual built-in USB ports for charging devices or for recharging your battery packs for use later. It also has a current indicating LED display to show the solar power going into the USB ports, and from there to your devices – this can help you when adjusting the angle of the panels to the sun to get the best results.
The solar system is water resistant, which is handy if you leave it out charging and the rain comes in before you have a chance to pack it away. One popular use for small solar systems like this is to leave them set up at your base camp during the day charging a portable lithium-ion battery pack which can then be used for charging your devices when you get back at the end of the day.
A set of external loops are included on the left side, this allows you to hang the solar panels vertically and clip them to your backpack when hiking, with the charge cables running into your bag to charge your devices on the go.
Images courtesy of Nestout
Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.