Review: Kogalla solar bank

I love my portable batteries. mostly because I love my power-hungry iDevices and not only go to a lot of long meetings, but also occasionally camping trips and other away-from-the wall outings! Having portable power not only extends my mobile browsing and picture snapping abilities, but also makes me a hero when someone else is trying the same and didn't think to prepare.

However, even battery packs like the hefty Limefuel Limeade with its 18000mah
are only as good as their capacity. Once dry, they're done, which is why I am also really keen on alternate power sources , especially in the event of a long term power outage. My favorite power source is solar, being free, non polluting and very sustainable.

I also love it when two great flavours like this mix, such as in the Kogalla solar storage bank. The SSB2210 Solar Storage Bank is a high-energy, ultra-slim power bank matched to a high-efficiency foldable solar panel housed in rugged, waterproof fabric body.

Unfolding exposes four solar panels each roughly the size of the iPad Air 22cm (8")x 13cm (5") x 3.5cm (1 1/4") compared to (24 cm (9.4") (h) 16.5 cm (6.67") (w) 7.5 cm (0.30") (d)) and when fully unfolded it stretches out to an overall 61cm (24") when fully deployed the SSB2210 offers a huge 22 W capture capacity s worth of panels which allows for fast charging times in full sunlight.  Matching the panels to the power bank allows for energy harvesting even in low-sun conditions. 920g (2lbs) n not bad at all, considering both the panels AND battery in one.

Not unfolding the panels limits the capacity but reduces the footprint required. given that the four panels fold nicely and will constantia a bit to allow it to stand up whilst exposing more panels to the sun. This is also important when it comes to getting a good angle to the sun.

Maximum possible solar generation at your location is possible by angling the panels to the angle of the latitude at which you are located. In Melbourne, that would be 38°. You would ideally want to angle your panels at a greater tilt for maximum exposure to the low winter sun. 

The general rule of thumb is that panels angled at the latitude angle, plus 15°, is best to maximise winter sun exposure. Obviously placing the panel in the line of the sunlight is the other part of this equation. Direct sunlight is best but even dappled or overcast  sunlight will generate power, slowly trickle changing the on-board battery. 

The 10,000 mAh power bank provides long battery life between charges. The power bank can also be charged through a micro-USB power input for charging during no-sun conditions. from a wall socket tor other alternate power source like

Dual high-current USB power ports (up to 12 W) lets you power lights, accessories, or fast-charge devices. The unit folds into a compact, ultra-portable kit that includes a zippered pouch for accessories. The kit also includes a flexible-neck USB light, micro-USB cable, and lightning cable. For the charging of all kinds of devices. I especially like charging my USB chargeable flashlights and phone in a modern "make hay whilst the sun shines" situation. I also charge up my other batteries for the same reasons.

I've found that I can charge either an iPad or an iPhone but not both simultaneously, now, doing some research i find that the  An iPhone charger delivers 5 Watts (5 volts at 1000 mA) and the Retina iPad mini charger delivers 10 watts (5.1 volts at 2100 mA). so its not unreasonable to see that 5W + 10W is more than the 12 W output of the  SSB2210. Bearing that in mind, just like the Apollo 13 Mission Control team, do the math and know how much draw your gear is going to make on your batteries. Matching the panels to the power bank allows for energy harvesting even in low-sun conditions, but they can only do so much. Luckily I also have a dedicated iPhone solar charger...

Another neat feature of the SSB2210 is the fabric eyelets sewn into the middle of the unit and the four corners. These loops allow the solar panels to be lashed down into optimum position or onto something either for stability or portability. I lashed it to the side of my rain-fly one day, and also to the back of my hiking pack, such that my daylight hike would serve double duty of also charging batteries on the bounce.

I used four mounting points to fix it to my pack here, but left the bottom panels free-hanging.

 I knew I would need to be mindful of the panels when I shucked my pack, but it wasn't any drama at all on an hour long hike.

I generally keep this unit folded up and in the hydration bladder pocket of my day to day pack, ready to charge up my devices on the go, or to pull out and make myself a hero during long meetings.

 I can highly recommend it, especially as an off-grid power source in a sunny environment to keep your vital gadgets alive. I would couple it with other power generation and storage items such as the Beacon or the like. Diversify and empower yourself!

Also check out sites like Solar Calculator to optimize your solar experience!

Home Front: camp cooking staples

I took a solo camping trip a few weeks ago and in doing so got to try out some camp cooking without he worry of the fussy or more gourmet members of my household that I might have otherwise needed to cater for. Wanting to keep it simple and easy to pack I pre-packed some of my food, using the Dead Person Jar Pathopak's. My primary pre-packed meal I set up was porridge. I raided the baking shelves and made up a jar of rolled oats (for quick cooking) to which I added a handful of currants, almond slices and crystallized ginger. I also packed a jar of powdered milk and sugar for both my cups of tea and to add to my porridge. They worked out great. I used a cup of this mix, and made it up with a cup of boiling water, before adding a spoonful of my milk-sugar mix. Delicious, sustaining and warming on a cold damp morning.
My other campfire staple is chilli. This may provoke disputes among aficionados, some of whom insist that the word "chili" applies only to the basic dish, without beans and tomatoes but when i camp, I take cans of baked beans, chopped tomatoes and pre-mixed sachets of seasoning. A couple of onions in my cooler bag, and some frozen diced pork, this time. If I'd been camping longer I might have taken cured, dried sausage or salami as my meat component. Diced the onions and braised it in my cast iron pot over the coals, then the same for the pork. Seasoning went in next before adding the two cans of tomato and the three cans of baked beans. and some slow cooking with the lid on to reduce it all. I ate mine out of my Optimus-Terra solo cook set mug and shared my meal with a couple of friends who came up to join me in the evening. Five cans, one packet of frozen meat, a couple of seasoning sachets and two onions. Pretty simple. Not too heavy for a drive-in camp, and probably not that bad for a hike-in either, especially if those cans were shared around a little. We had plenty to eat with heavily seasoned leftovers I ate next next day too. After serving I added a dash of water, put he lid back on and put it back over the fire to heat up again to a low roil to kill off any germs introduced during serving up.
Porridge and beans make two excellent staples when camping, but some other items can find their way into your larder easily enough. Things that add both variety and value. Eggs. Eggs are great, self contained, long lasting and generally not requiring of refrigeration. In an austere setting, if you find yourself in an egg-glut, there are a number of traditional methods for preserving the quality of eggs. Packing in salt, wheat bran or cool clean ash. Eggs packed in box and buried in ash are reported as remaining fresh after 8 months in 80% of cases. Not only does it give the eggs shock and crush protection but having leftover wood-ash at a camping trip once you've eaten your food is no drama, just dump it into your fire pit and off you go. That said, cardboard egg cartons make good fire starters. When I pack eggs, its usually because I plan to make pancakes and then pack them in my flour mix, again, in a sealable jar. They stay safe, insulated and ready or when i'm ready to cook.

Not so much cooking as snacking, I also like to take hard cheese, like a block of Parmesan and salami  or slab of salt cured meat like Prosciutto. They keep well un-refrigerated and are a very tasty addition to an al fresco snack-plate after a hike or as an addition to most meals.

Review: Ikea - Grundtal S hooks

Here is  a piece of Swedish low-speed low-drag gear that  I like to throw into my camping gear that adds a bunch of utility for very little cost or weight.

This is the Ikea Grundtal S hook from their  kitchen range.

Formed from rectangular bar stock stainless steel, these come in two sizes:  11cm(4 3/8") and 7cm (2 3/4") and comes in sets of 5.

The set of 5 11cm hooks weigh 200g or 40g each. These hooks were originally intended to hang pots and pans from a rack in a kitchen, but  I have found they can serve a lot of number of helpful purposes around camp.

Analogous to kitchen use, I hang just washed pots an pans out to dry with them, as well as hooking through bags of food to hang them off the ground, because no one likes ants and dirt in their oatmeal!

I also used them to hang my mosquito-repelling citronella burner so it doesn't fall over and start a bushfire. One of my favorite uses is to add a sturdy hanging hook or my cook-fire. I also pack  length of light chain  to set up over my tripod to make a sturdy cooking spot. Especially important when I cook with a cast-iron pot which I do a fair bit when I camp. A tin billy for hot tea and coffee doesn't tax the Grundtal S hooks one bit, but on the other side, I don't need to worry about it giving way and dousing my fire. The trick is to ensure the hook is the right size for the chain links.

By putting two tripods with draped chain and Grundtal hooks on either side of the fire  I have gotten very good as a spit-roasted leg of ham, especially good 
over Easter, to fend off the hippies.

One last thing I like to do with the Grundtal S hooks are to hang up my personal kit. You can usually get away with draping kit over a branch but sometimes the perfect branch doesn't present itself next to your selected squat. That's where an S-hook comes into play, drape it over and hook your gear up! keeping it up off he ground gives items like a battle belt time to air out but also keeps it out of the dirt mud and bugs.

Keeping gear out of the mud and dry will improve hygiene and morale as well as extended the lifespan of both the gear and you on your adventure.   The same goes for clothes. Pants off for a shower? Sling them from a hook to keep it off the dirt,  you'll get fewer spiders and bugs that way.

If you're planning to catch prep and smoke game to make your own jerky or smoked salmon or what have you,  you might want to consider the spiked butchers hooks to pierce and hang your meat. Not as good for hanging gear  directly (use belt loops and such, obviously) but the principle is mostly the same.

Happy hiking!