When the electricity cuts out, you need spare batteries for two things: keeping your flashlight on, and charging your smartphone. Now on Kickstarter, Shine is a clever gadget that consolidates the two types of battery into a solar-powered 5,000mAH USB battery pack that also doubles as a flashlight. But the killer design detail might just be the cord.
Solar-powered gadgets, battery packs, and flashlights aren't anything new. A few, combination battery pack/flashlights exist. (ZeroHour unveiled one earlier this year.) But we've never seen all three mixed together. And when your power is knocked out for days, having all three things is extremely helpful. Consolidating all these gadgets into one sleek design just makes survivalist sense.
Where Shine gets really clever, though, is through its coiled, waterproof pendant cable. When connected to the Shine, it can support the device's weight; coil it around a hook, from an overhead fixture, or with the included wall mounting bracket, and you can turn the Shine into a lamp, perfect for playing a game of cards or eating dinner when all other lights are off.
Designed by Brooklyn's Voltaic Systems, the Shine has enough juice to give off 30 hours of artificial light per charge, or juice up your iPhone three or four times. When it's out of power, you just hook it up to the solar panel and sit your Shine in the sun. The LED light comes with three adjustable brightness levels, too, allowing you to only wear down the battery according to how much light you need.
This seems like a great product to include in your bug-out kit. It's available for pre-order on Kickstarter now, with prices starting at $60.