Fatcat Power Solstice 2.5 solar charger review

Device Review:  Fatcat Solstice 2.5 Travel Battery Pack by Timothy Noordewier

You can purchase this product here.

Fatcat’s new Solstice 2.5 Travel Battery Pack features two solar panels that produce up to 250 mA as a maximum current when direct sunlight is available.  They are conveniently located on opposite sides of a hinge, so that the device can be compact when stored for travel, and effective when in the sun.  The solar panels charge a 2500 mAh battery (three times the power of a typical cell phone battery).  This allows for up to three full cell phone charges from one full charge of the Fatcat.

The device takes 5-10 hours of sunlight for a full charge, due to the large capacity of the battery.  If sunlight is not available, the Fatcat Solstice 2.5 Travel Battery Pack can be charged via the AC wall charger, included in kit.  Because the AC charger has an output of 800 mA, it only takes 3-4 hours for the Fatcat to fully charge the 2500 mAh battery.  There is an LED indicator that indicates if the device is on, being charged, or charging another device.  If the Fatcat has a full charge, the LED will turn green.  Orange indicates the Fatcat is not fully charged, and red incites low battery.

Once fully charged, the Fatcat can be used to charge almost any small, portable device.  Fatcat’s advantage to that of many other travel chargers is that it allows for 4 different output voltages.  The user has the ability to choose between 4.5, 5, 6.3, and 9 volts.  It is very important to select the correct output for the device being charged.  Most cell phones and iPods require 5 volts.  If the voltage setting is too high, it has the potential to harm the device being charged.

To charge personal electronics, the Fatcat Solstice 2.5 Travel Battery Pack features 12 adapters—including, but not limited to, the iPod, Motorola, Samsung, LG, Sony Ericsson, and even the Sony PSP adapter.  Overall, I would recommend the Fatcat Solstice 2.5 Travel Battery Pack for travel to anywhere in the world.  I would not, however, recommend the Fatcat for long outdoor events where the device would be exposed to rain.  If you are seeking one that is water resistant, please refer to the Power Monkey Explorer, device review coming soon.  For further inquiry, please contact tim@thesolarangels.com.

This review is brought to you by Timothy Noordewier of The Solar Angels.

Product Summary

Pros:

• High capacity battery
• 12 adapters
• Travel carry case
• Built in LED indicator
• AC power cable in event sunlight is not available

Cons:

• Potential harm to device being charged, if used improperly
• Requires long time to fully charge via solar panel
• Not waterproof

You can get this unit for $10 cheaper than in this video, here, $89.95 + shipping.