10 Best Solar Backpacks And Their Reviews For 2021
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Understanding the difference between a solar backpack and an ordinary backpack is vital, for someone who is a layman on this subject.
You are right if the first thing that came to your mind when you read solar backpack, was, “a backpack with solar panels or probably solar batteries”.
It’s probably the first thing that would come to anyone’s mind, if it’s their first time hearing of it, or if they were just trying to know why they should get one.
Outdoor enthusiasts, travelers, sports enthusiasts or, anyone who constantly needs power when they’re on the move, usually go for backpacks like these.
Asides storage, these special backpacks can charge your phone or flashlight, portable gaming device, music player, GPS, camera, etc.
Solar backpacks go as far as 2006, or probably earlier, and they’ve been going through changes due to advancement in technology, ever since.
The good thing about solar backpacks (just like all solar equipment), is that the sun does the charging, while you move, and as such, you are guaranteed power anytime, anywhere.
Let’s take a look, at some of the best backpacks one can find on the market, at this time.
1. Voltaic Systems Array Rapid Solar Backpack
We’ve got to start with the solar backpack with the biggest battery, and arguably the biggest power source.
The Voltaic Systems Array Rapid Solar Backpack, took its power game on a whole different level, making it perfect for all kinds of travelers, and/ or outdoor enthusiasts, including photographers.
It’s got a 24000mAh external battery pack, putting it among solar backpacks with the most powerful power sources.
It can charge all your electronic gadgets, including; your camera, DSLR camera batteries, and laptop, in a space of about 6 hours.
The battery not only charges your gadgets but also guarantees safety when charging, by consistently providing regulated power.
Its solar panels are built-in, and not removable.
The solar panels are built, using rugged fabric, and strong solar cells, that can withstand everyday use.
It’s pass-through charging, allows you to charge both your laptop and your Voltaic battery at the same time.
Regardless of the weather conditions, be it rain, clouds or sunshine, this backpack has got all your power needs covered.
If you are a photographer, then this is definitely for you.
This bag allows you to pack all your gear within its 25L storage, which also includes a pocket for your phone, and separate sleeves for your tablet, and 15” laptop.
It is made from 33 recycled PET bottles, which is a perfect way of riding the environment of plastic.
Whether due to accidental water spills, or sudden change of weather (which can cause rain to come unexpectedly), you are guaranteed safety of your gadgets, due to its water-resistant feature.
As a way of quality assurance, this product comes with a 2-year warranty on the solar panel, and one year warranty on the battery pack.
Pros & Benefits:
- Water resistant
- Large storage space
- Powerful power source
- Can withstand weather conditions
- Safety when charging gadgets by regulating power
- Environmental conscious, since it is made from recycled material
2. LifePod Backpack With Solar Panel and USB Port
The LifePod backpack is not only stylish, but also convenient, with multiple compartments for easy storage, and organization of accessories like; books, iPad, keys, etc.
Weighing about 1.67 pounds due to its ultra-lightweight material, this backpack is perfect for anyone who detests the extra weight that comes from a bag.
It’s got adjustable straps, which makes adjusting the back to a position of choice possible.
The backpack has multi-pockets, which you can easily use if you’d like to keep your stuff organized, and in separate pockets.
The solar panels are designed to capture more sunlight than conventional solar panels, and with its exterior USB port, you don’t have to worry about having to open the backpack, just to charge your device.
Conveniently, it comes in grey, and it is a unisex adult backpack, meaning one bag for all.
Materials used to make this backpack are of high quality, and durability is guaranteed.
Thus, it can withstand any weather element, except rain, because it lacks the waterproof feature.
Pro & Benefits:
- Lightweight with comfortable adjustable straps
- Exterior USB port so you do not have to open the back to charge your device
- Captures more sunlight with its high power integrated solar panels
- Multiple pockets for easy organization of your belongings
3. XD Design Bobby Tech Anti-Theft Backpack
The Booby tech backpack comes with a whole lot of amazing features.
For starters, it has an anti-theft design with hidden zippers, no front access, lockable zipper, cut resistant, and hidden protected pockets.
This guarantees you peace of mind knowing your items, stuff or gadgets are safe even when you’re moving in crowded places.
It’s got an integrated solar panel with a wireless charging pad and it’s also got both regular and type C charging ports.
This means you can charge your phone through a Power Bank or Wireless charging pad.
On a sunny day, it can take about 3.5 hours to fully charge your smartphone.
The Booby Tech backpack comes with a waterproof feature, eliminating any worry about your gadgets being wet, due to rains (especially if you’ve got no umbrella) or maybe a car splashing water on you, a thing of the past.
The internal dividers make it easy to store and organize your stuff in different ways and guess what? The compartments are big enough to accommodate a 15.6” laptop.
Perhaps one very interesting thing that it shares with the voltaic systems Array backpack is that it’s made from recycled plastic bottles.
You are right to think of this as an environmentally friendly act and an act of being responsible.This may be the reason behind its high price.
Pros & Benefits:
- Antitheft design for your peace of mind
- Internal dividers which makes organizing your stuff easy
- Spacious compartments
- Water resistance
- Environmental conscious (since its made from recycled bottles)
4. ECEEN Solar Backpack
This lightweight backpack is made of water and tear-resistant nylon material, with anti-scratch hardened coating, making it weather-resistant, with outdoor durability.
It comes with a 3.5 watts foldable, and removable solar panel.
It has a battery pack with up to 2000mAh from the main backpack, guaranteeing you the ability to charge your phone, for the longest time possible.
On top of that, it also stores energy for use at night.
You can easily fold this backpack into a suitcase, thus making it possible to carry an extra bag, that doesn’t take up much space.
It has a large main pocket, a small outer pack, an upper zippered pocket, and two outer mesh pocketing, making it perfect for carrying your laptop, cameras, books, clothes, water bottles, umbrella, and even snacks.
Perhaps the only downside, is that the power can only be used to charge your phone and other smaller electronic gadgets.
Not only is it perfect for school, but also hiking, vacationing, shopping, camping, day trips, and travel.
If you are looking for a backpack for your outdoor activities, this here is another option for you.
Pros & Benefits:
- Perfect for outdoor activities
- Can be folded and the solar panel is removable
- Fits spaces easily
- Stores energy which can be used at night
- Spacious
5. ECEEN Solar Backpack 7W Solar Panel Charge
Crafted for adventure, this nylon and poly material backpack is good for day to day activities and light travel, as well as other outdoor activities such as hiking, biking or camping.
It’s got a solar panel and stability controller, which allows easy charging of your small mobile essentials such as phones, tablets, voltages or iPods.
The solar panel is detachable and designed with portability in mind.
All you need to do, is hang it on the backpack using the clips, with the panel facing the natural light when outdoors.
For super-minimalist, every gram on the backpack counts, which is why this backpack is suitable for them.
It weighs less than 3 pounds, with adjustable breathable straps making it comfortable to carry around all day.
The main compartment and pockets are roomy, for easy storage, and organization of accessories such as laptops, phones, books, gadgets etc.
Sports lovers would definitely love this backpack, since it’s got a 1.8L hydration pack, which makes it sports, weather-proof, and reliable.
Pros & Benefits:
- Sport weather friendly
- Light weight
- Can be used for outdoor activities
- Comfortable
- Charges other devices and not just the phone (e.g. GPS)
- Safe charging
6. SolarGo Pack
The SolarGo backpack is a great option for an outdoor or travel enthusiast.
It has a solar panel that generates power from the sun to charge its 10,000mAh li-polymer battery, which of course is waterproof.
With that kind of battery, unlimited power on the go is guaranteed, and it can come in handy in cases of emergency power outages.
You can use it to charge more than just your smartphone, meaning other devices such as; the GPS unit, E-readers, cameras, tablets, and Bluetooth speakers can be charged too.
The fabric used to make this bag is made up of water-resistant nylon and poly.
This gives you peace of mind, knowing that your gadgets are safe from any water damage threats.
It comes with plenty of pockets and compartments you can use to properly organize all your documents, maps, and other essential items, depending on where you plan to go.
It can be used for a lot of outdoor activities such as; fishing, trekking, school, traveling, mountaineering, biking, and sports.
Let’s not forget the Micro USB cable, that it comes with.
Pros & Benefits:
- Water resistance
- Unlimited power
- Charges more than just a phone
- Good for a lot of outdoor activities
- Enough compartments to help you easily organize your stuff
7. Voltaic Systems Off-Grid Solar Backpack
This backpack is great for those looking to stay off-grid, yet reachable on their gadgets.
It comes with UV and scratch-resistant solar panels, plus a 12000mAh external battery pack that captures more solar energy, than any standard power bank.
It can charge your smartphone up to 4X and your tablet up to 1.5- 2X.
It has dual USB ports and you can charge any device that uses USB like, DSLR camera batteries, smartphones, etc.
Its pass-through charging allows you to both charge your device, and Voltaic battery.
Just like the other Voltaic backpack, the off-grid ensures that you charge your devices safely, by providing consistent and regulated power.
Weather conditions have nothing on this backpack.
Day, night, rain, clouds, or sunshine, you are guaranteed not to fall short of power.
It has a 15” laptop or 10” tablet sleeve and its compartments are designed to accommodate cables, adapters, and expandable water bottles.
It even has a sunglasses pocket, how cool is that?
The solar panels are designed to last since they are built using rugged fabric and strong solar cells.
This product attracts a 2-year warranty on the solar panel, and a year on the battery pack.
Pros & Benefits:
- It has a good space of about 25L
- Can withstand weather conditions
- It can charge any device safely
- Powerful power source
- Long lasting scratch resistant solar panels
8. Kingsons Beam Backpack
The beam bag was designed to stabilize weight on the lower back, using its compression shoulder straps.
This makes it different from a traditional backpack which pulls the weight down, concentrating it on the lower back.
It’s got dual material and a YKK zipper, which not only makes it weigh less but also water-resistant.
With this bag, you do not have to worry about accidental water spills on your backpack, which could damage your gadgets.
On top of that, it’s got an anti-theft system that allows you to lock the buckle around anything.
The storage space consists of a large laptop and tablet compartment, a spacious compartment for daily necessities, and a dual quick-access side pocket for smaller objects like; an umbrella, or a water bottle.
The Kingsons backpack allows you to charge your smartphone or power bank on the go.
Perhaps another interesting feature about this backpack is its unique micro USB and USB charging ports, which have a water-resistant cover.
Just below the backpack’s USB ports, there is a Reflective Logo or pilot light that illuminates in the day, night, sun, or shade, when charging your devices.
The pilot light also blinks, as a notification that your Power Bank is fully charged.
This backpack is suitable for light travel and day to day activities.
Pros & Benefits:
- Water resistance
- Pilot light notifies you when power bank is full
- Anti-theft
- Stabilizes weight thereby realizing pressure off the lower back
9. EnerPlex Packr Executive Solar Powered Backpack
This backpack is suitable for those who would like to use it for travel and other day to day activities like for instance work or school, but it is not very good for other outdoor activities such as fishing, sports or camping.
It is made of lightweight flexible material and it includes padded laptop sleeves for that extra protection.
It also includes pen and business card pockets, for when you use it when going for business e.g. work and expandable compartments for when you need to carry extra stuff.
The integrated solar panel for this backpack is water resistant and they have solar-on- plastic technology which makes it extremely light (adding virtually no weight to the backpack) and flexible for when you decide to fully pack and expand the backpack.
Additionally, the solar panel is designed for the hardest conditions such that it can withstand shocks, drops and even minor punctures
On top of that the solar panels will charge your smartphone, cameras and almost any USB enabled device in less than 5 hours.
Key Features:
- Solar panels can withstand hard conditions
- It is expandable
- Padded laptop sleeves
- Charges just about any USB enabled device
- Lightweight
10. SUNNYBAG Explorer + Solar Backpack Charger
This product is suitable for travel, day to day activities, and outdoor activities like school, work, hiking, and camping.
The backpack can charge just about any USB enabled device, including phones, power banks, and drones.
It has a durable and removable 6-watt solar panel.
This means you can remove the solar panel and take it with you, using it anywhere you choose to go without having to carry the whole backpack.
Smartphones can take 2 to 3 hours to charge and bigger devices like drones can take about 6 hours to charge.
It has a sophisticated design with a volume of 15L, which has a padded 15” laptop sleeve (for extra protection) and a good number of pockets, making it easy to organize your belongings.
Also, it has a sunglasses compartment, pens, or business cards compartment and side pockets on the outside for carrying drinking bottles.
Weighing 2.2 pounds, the backpack is made of high-quality water-repellent fabric, which is also insulated for additional resistance.
For each order made, the manufacturer includes a certificate as proof that every one of their solar panels is tested for its quality and performance during production.
It’s available in four colors, giving you variety and choice, making it stand out from the rest of the designs which only come in one color.
Pros & Benefits:
- Water repellent fabric
- Detachable solar panel you can carry separately and charge your devices with
- Comes in four colors giving you a choice
- Charges a smart phone is far less time than most solar backpacks
- It can charge any USB enabled devices including drones
Choosing a Solar Backpack That Works For You
Choosing a backpack that will meet your needs can be quite a hustle, especially when presented with a wide range of choices, as done above.
However, we’ve tried to make this easy for you.
Here’re a few tips to help you pick a solar backpack, that works for you;
- Assess your needs and write them down
- Draw a budget by looking for and including the price of each solar backpack
- Assess your needs against the available items
- Pick at least three or more backpacks that meet your needs
- Check which solar backpack syncs with your budget
Final Thoughts
People purchase solar backpacks for different reasons and purposes.
It could be for day to day activities (like school, or work), or even for outdoor activities (like sports, fishing, mountaineering, travel, hiking, etc).
Understanding the specifications of each backpack and what it can do, not only allows you to make a sound choice on which backpack to purchase, but it also saves you time.
There’re plenty of solar backpacks available for you to pick from online, ultimately, the choice depends on your needs.
These 10 solar backpacks are the best options at the moment.
Know any product that should make this list, that isn’t here?
Let us know by leaving a comment below
