Having walked around NYC with one of these messenger bags I can only agree with Voltaic founder Shayne McQuade when he says that a solar bag is to the single woman what the puppy is for the single man. A great conversation-starter.
Voltaic bags all have solar panels on the front use fabrics made from recycled PET plastics, a lightweight fiber most commonly found in soda bottles. Each bag has a built in battery that charges when the solar panels are exposed to daylight. They all come with a variety of adapters and can be used to charge smaller, hand-held gadgets like phones, PDAs and MP3 players. Although the latest, greatest model, aptly named the Generator, is powerful enough to charge a laptop battery, which is groundbreaking in the solar bag category.
The Generator's battery pack will charge in about 5 hours and is removable.
The red light on the handle indicates that panels are generating a charge. Sturdy hardware keeps your laptop safe.
The Backpack (top middle) will set you back $249, the Messenger (top right) $229, and the Generator (top left) $499, which may seem expensive at first but is a small price to pay for getting to feel like a true renewable energy pioneer. As the technology becomes more common prices will also inevitably drop.
Take a look at Voltaic bags in action, and if you feel like joining the solar bag crew, find a store near you and pick one up. Get ready to talk to strangers.
January 26, 2009
