For better or for worse, campers are taking an increasing number of electronic devices into the wilderness. A device known as the Hikerpower was designed with that trend in mind, as it’s a portable power station in backpack form.
Currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, the Hikerpower features a padded waist belt, padded shoulder straps, a padded mesh back and a hard-shell aluminum body, the latter of which houses a 600-Wh-capacity/1,000W-maximum-output lithium-ion battery pack.
Utilizing multiple output ports on top of the device, users can charge or directly power electronic devices such as drones, laptops, cameras, headlamps/flashlights, camp lights or smartphones. In fact, an integrated adjustable-angle LED panel allows the pack itself to serve as a light source – that panel can be set to three intensities, the highest of which is 350 lumens.
The Hikerpower gets charged either from an outlet or an optional 120W folding solar panel. Its charge level (and output wattage) can be viewed on a built-in LCD screen.
And yes, it is capable of carrying stuff – to a limited extent. An included soft-bodied nylon backpack can be detached from a cavity in the Hikerpower’s underside (the side against the user’s back), then used on its own as a daypack. Few details have been provided about that smaller pack, other than the fact that it features multiple pockets.
There’s also a zippered external pocket on the back of the Hikerpower, along with hooks for lashing on gear such as rolled-up tents or camping mattresses. Other features include four-color LED running lights for night-time visibility, and a pull-out rain cover.
The whole thing reportedly tips the scales at 18 lb (8 kg), and is IPX6 water-resistant – that means it can resist high-pressure water jets coming from any direction.
Pledges start at US$649, with the planned retail price sitting at $1,199. Assuming the Hikerpower reaches production, it should ship in September.
Hikerpower loads the voltage onto campers’ backs [New Atlas]