Page 4: Use, Video Review, Conclusion
Use
Take a good look at this picture. What is shown is a Droid 4 being charged by the Jumpr that is being charged by the Kickr IV. Compared to competing solar solutions in the same category, you have a massive increase in surface area to collect more of the sun's rays. We found that using all four panels would put out about anywhere from about 700-850mA over 5V USB. All this depends on the incident angle of the sun and various other factors, but you will be able to charge your devices as quickly or quicker than if you plugged them into a computer.
The second benefit of using a battery this way allows you to not only charge a device, but to store the energy when you are using the device elsewhere. If you wanted to use your cellphone during the day, you would miss out on the power of the sun. This isn't a problem with a USB battery pack like the Jumpr.
We can't stress enough the importance of having something like this support pass-through charging. You wouldn't want to be fumbling around with plugging and unplugging devices or missing out on topping off your battery pack if you can't charge the battery pack and device at the same time. Cheaper systems leave out this important feature. You can see in the picture that the Jumpr has a single blue LED on which indicates its charge strength.
Even using the panels in indirect sunlight provided power. Any power you get is better than nothing. You would be surprised at how little direct sunlight you'll need to get usable power. With the surface area of the panels, even a modest amount of indirect light will give some needed juice to your portable devices. Any of the four panels exposed to light will get you power. You don't need all four to be in light for the system to work.
Video Review
The video review goes into how to use both devices. Please give it a watch and post a comment!
Conclusion
Solar panels are not cheap. When you want quality, you have to pay for it. The Kickr IV retails for about $130 which may seem like a lot of money, but not when you take into account the value you are getting. It isn't just a USB solar charging device. It is a durable, portable, and flexible solar panel system. It can take abuse and still work. If you are worried about power outages, there are some things that you buy and forget about until you need them. If you only buy this product for emergencies, would you want something cheap, or something that works? I know what I'd want.
The Jumpr 4400mAh retails for about $70. This is fairly expensive considering the market is saturated with products that compete with it. You could end up buying the Kickr IV without the Jumpr and probably be just as well off. That being said, the materials used and the quality of the products warrant the price and EnerPlex should come up with a bundle for USB battery pack solar charging. The Jumpr, while expensive, works well and gets the job done.
I've used USB solar systems in the past and nothing compares to this. Nothing. To really charge a device, you need surface area. Don't be fooled about a tiny solar panel charging a cell phone. It isn't going to happen. You'll end up running out of juice. With the Kickr IV, you will be able to charge and use your device and that's key during power outages and during field trips while camping.
ASE Publishing would like to thank EnerPlex for making this review possible.
Take a good look at this picture. What is shown is a Droid 4 being charged by the Jumpr that is being charged by the Kickr IV. Compared to competing solar solutions in the same category, you have a massive increase in surface area to collect more of the sun's rays. We found that using all four panels would put out about anywhere from about 700-850mA over 5V USB. All this depends on the incident angle of the sun and various other factors, but you will be able to charge your devices as quickly or quicker than if you plugged them into a computer.
The second benefit of using a battery this way allows you to not only charge a device, but to store the energy when you are using the device elsewhere. If you wanted to use your cellphone during the day, you would miss out on the power of the sun. This isn't a problem with a USB battery pack like the Jumpr.
We can't stress enough the importance of having something like this support pass-through charging. You wouldn't want to be fumbling around with plugging and unplugging devices or missing out on topping off your battery pack if you can't charge the battery pack and device at the same time. Cheaper systems leave out this important feature. You can see in the picture that the Jumpr has a single blue LED on which indicates its charge strength.
Even using the panels in indirect sunlight provided power. Any power you get is better than nothing. You would be surprised at how little direct sunlight you'll need to get usable power. With the surface area of the panels, even a modest amount of indirect light will give some needed juice to your portable devices. Any of the four panels exposed to light will get you power. You don't need all four to be in light for the system to work.
Video Review
The video review goes into how to use both devices. Please give it a watch and post a comment!
Conclusion
Solar panels are not cheap. When you want quality, you have to pay for it. The Kickr IV retails for about $130 which may seem like a lot of money, but not when you take into account the value you are getting. It isn't just a USB solar charging device. It is a durable, portable, and flexible solar panel system. It can take abuse and still work. If you are worried about power outages, there are some things that you buy and forget about until you need them. If you only buy this product for emergencies, would you want something cheap, or something that works? I know what I'd want.
The Jumpr 4400mAh retails for about $70. This is fairly expensive considering the market is saturated with products that compete with it. You could end up buying the Kickr IV without the Jumpr and probably be just as well off. That being said, the materials used and the quality of the products warrant the price and EnerPlex should come up with a bundle for USB battery pack solar charging. The Jumpr, while expensive, works well and gets the job done.
I've used USB solar systems in the past and nothing compares to this. Nothing. To really charge a device, you need surface area. Don't be fooled about a tiny solar panel charging a cell phone. It isn't going to happen. You'll end up running out of juice. With the Kickr IV, you will be able to charge and use your device and that's key during power outages and during field trips while camping.
ASE Publishing would like to thank EnerPlex for making this review possible.