Fenix Intl ReadySet 15-watt Solar Power System

I bought this directly from the Fenix International website since they were having an Earth Day special.Even at $250 (including shipping) it feels a bit overpriced. It's essentially a small car battery with a solar panel - that's all, nothing amazing.Also, for it's size it doesn't provide enough energy. I get around 12 hours of light with the LED bulb, which doesn't seem like enough since this thing is relatively large and heavy. I have a set of Fuel Tank Duo's that provide the same amount of energy on the go and are tinier and more portable.As for light, I have a WakaWaka light which yields 8 hours of light (at the highest setting) for each hour of solar charging (or 80 hours of light at the lowest setting) and weighs less than a pound. So many things on the market beat this item, and as an alternative energy product, it seems awkwardly positioned in the middle - more cumbersome than low end products (e.g., WakaWaka Light and Fuel Tank Duos) and obviously not at the level of a true off-grid solar panel system. Portability, yes, but you have other less expensive, just as effective options.It's not a bad item, there are just other more viable options than a small car battery with a solar panel.

Amazing quality. Easy to use. USB chargers and 12v 'cigarette lighter' adapters. Banana plugs connect to very good solar panel. This is not a cheap chinese fake solar power setup. It really works.

Get a more compact 14W panel like: http://www.amazon.com/X-DRAGON-Sunpower-Technology-Smartphones-Foldable/dp/B00NGD61GU and a 10000mah lipo battery like: http://www.amazon.com/Anker-10000mAh-Portable-Gerneration-Technology/dp/B009USAJCC and for a fraction of the case and 100X the portability, you have a complete off-grid (or whatever) solar charging station for $52, not $199.

First things first, I'm a gadget geek and have been looking for a renewable charging solution for my gadgets including my smartphones, tablets, cameras, and laptops. Up until this point, these type of off the grid solutions costed in the thousands if you wanted a quality kit and powerful enough solar panel.I originally purchased my ReadySet by being a Kickstarter backer last year and in turn received my unit ahead of the public release. I'm going to repost a review I did on a blog site I post at [...] since it makes no sense in rewriting the same review. :) [...]----------------------------Back around July 13th, I stumbled upon a very interesting Kickstarter project by Fenix International, the ReadySet Solar Kit. The purpose behind this project was to develop a quick, easy, and durable charging solution. Such a kit would be extremely useful during natural disasters when power is limited. I donated and helped fund the project; and thus, I have received early access to the kit.Being a tech geek, having an off-the-grid charging solution has been my holy grail. Solar technology up until the last 2 years was promising but lacking in efficiency rates. However, progress recently in solar cell technology has helped advance solar development tremendously in the portable realm and has sparked the recent rise of the social funded projects. Kickstarter is helping to crowdfund several of these projects.Contents, Packaging, and Build QualityI donated $225 for the project and therefore received the standard kit. My box contained the following items:ReadySet Intelligent Battery (12V, 9000mAh battery)15-watt Solar PanelAC Electric Wall Charger (USA plug)3-watt High Efficiency LED LightUSB Universal Clip ChargerUser ManualThe packaging is excellent and even sported a thoughtful handle. Everything is packaged securely. The solar panel has a peak rate of 15w. I have yet to fully test it since it has been cloudy this whole week. I will post an update to this when I get some sunny days. The ReadySet team says it takes 8-10 hours in direct sunlight which seems very acceptable. The panel is very solid feeling and a bit heavier than I expected. It has two power leads that easily connect to the main ReadySet battery unit.The ReadySet charging unit feels durable. It has 2 x 12 volt front car charging slots, 2 usb ports, several led lights, and a single button. The underside area has two leads that let you connect your AC charger which allows full traditional on-the-grid charging in 4-6 hours. Additionally, there is a Velo bike kit available that allows you to use a bike to recharge the unit's battery as well.Recharge Methods:1. On-the-grid via an AC Adapter2. Solar panel (included or other types)3. Velo bike recharge kit (not yet released but coming soon!)The device is not fancy, but I believe that is the way it should be. The device is no way unattractive, and all items feel solid and sturdy. The solar panel can be exposed to rain and water but should be stored in a dry area. The ReadySet unit itself appears to be rugged but should not be put in direct water or wet areas.ChargingThe ReadySet states that once charged it can charge an iPhone about 10 times. For my first test I charged an iPhone 4 from dead to 100%, and I was able to charge my Dell XT Laptop from dead to 50% before I depleted all the juice. I used a portable AC inverter to charge my laptop so that too would be drawing power. Getting a fully powered mobile phone and half charged computer from a solar charging system seems exceptional to me.There is also an included LED light bulb that plugs in and allows you use the ReadySet for 10 hours worth of light.ConclusionsHaving the three various charging methods make this kit powerfully useful. For example, I plan to use this kit next summer while camping to keep my mobile devices and radio powered. It will be an essential component of my emergency stores.Availability is still limited to early Kickstarter backers; however, availability should open up within the next few months to the public. Once it does, I believe this project will be very successful. If you have ever thought about having an off-the-grid charger or just an emergency portable charger, this is a great and versatile kit.I strongly recommend it!!

We used the ReadySet in a "pop up" business location without access to grid electricity. We used it to charge phones, iPads, and portable speakers. Alongside the ReadySet we had another solar panel connected to one of two Duracell 12V batteries. Why the ReadySet saved us:- Most importantly, battery did not degrade. After more than a year, the ReadySet showed no signs of battery degradation. Our Duracell 12V batteries lost their ability to hold a charge after a few months. Now we have 2 big non-functional Duracell batteries .. so wasteful. The 12V Duracells just can't take frequent, repeated charging. After they wore down, we became especially fond of the ReadySet - the little engine that could!- If we were ever in a pinch, we'd simply plug the ReadySet into the wall overnight (environmentally the best time use grid electricity). I think it only takes a couple hrs to charge up, so we'd have a fresh full battery waiting for us in the morning.- USB ports - key for charging phones and iPads- Nice light display telling you how much charge remains .. neither display on our Duracell's worked - go figure.We now have a permanent space with grid-connected electricity, but I am amazed that the ReadySet got us thru more than a year of business without electricity.

I live in NJ, and recently we've been losing power a lot. Rather than spend a fortune on a generator, I picked up a ReadySet for the important stuff- keeping our cell phones, hotspot, and iPad charged, and a light for the bathroom. Most often the outages last a day or so, but when they go for more than a week, it's great to have the solar panel to keep the battery topped off.I also keep the USB battery charger in my backpack at all times for charging my camera and phone batteries on the road without lugging around a bunch of extra chargers.For a fraction of the cost of a generator (and without the maintenance or hassle of dealing with gas cans) I can maintain my digital life, and more importantly my marriage (by not missing the toilet in the pitch black) when the power goes out. And it's "green" too!