As any person building a house knows, you can never have too many power points (the electric kind, not the ones from Microsoft that should be banned forever). Likewise, as hikers and other folk who “go bush” know access to power is a must these days, mainly for charging batteries.

You could drag around a portable generator of course, but what’s the fun in that when you could also use the Powertraveller PowerMonkey Xtreme, a waterproof and rugged solar powered charger?

The Extreme is two basic units; a flip open solar cell unit and the charger itself which has an AC in port (for charging it) and two out ports – one USB and one for a plugging in adaptors to your devices. A bag full of the most popular tips and plug types are supplied and the whole thing has a snazzy carry bag. PowerTraveller say that the Xtreme can be used out of the box in 150 countries.

As mentioned, the units are waterproof and all the ports have heavy duty sealed covers over them.

To initially charge the PowerMonkey Extreme took around 2 hours; the amount of time it will take the solar charger to fully recharge it depends on the amount of sunlight of course. For the technically minded, the USB port spouts 700mAh and the DC output is 2.1amps. The internal lithium is rated at 9000mAh

The RRP is $219.99, however we have seen it around the traps for as low as $169. I’ll be buying one.

By David Hague

David is the owner and publisher of AusCam Online. He has a background in media dating back to 1979 when he first got involved with photojournalism in motorsport, and went from there into technology via a 5 year stint with Tandy Computers. Following that, he ran a software distribution company on the Gold Coast and was one of the first to recognise the potential of Microsoft Windows.

Moving back to WA, David wrote scripts for Computer Television for video training for the just released Windows and Office 95 among others, and was then lured to Sydney to create web sites for the newly commercial Internet in 1995, building hundreds of sites under contract to OzEmail including Coates Hire, Hertz Queensland, John Williamson, the NSW Board of Studies and many, many more.

He went back into full time journalism as the Managing Editor for Channel 7's 'Gadget Guy', Peter Blasina's publications VideoCamera and Pixelmag, before starting Australasian Camcorder magazine when these publications were shelved. He lives at Sydney's Avalon Beaches nearly on the ocean front with dog Budweiser and in his spare time is a nut for motor sport, road safety, fishing, science fiction - especially Dr Who - and technology.

David can be contacted via david@auscamonline.com