PowerMonkey - Worthwhile or Not?

[Firmo]

I noticed the PowerMonkey eXplorer Solar Bundle on Amazon is now just shy of £27 with free delivery...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008 ... rd_i=typ01

Has anyone got any experience of using these over week-long trips? If so, would you recommend?

[composite]

I borrowed one off a mate once for a weekend quite a while ago. It was rubbish.

EDIT: I should say it wasn't one of these ones specially that I borrowed, just solar panel, which I guess makes my contribution a bit pointless. Sorry.

Ian was selling one in the classifieds recently, might be worth a look.

[johnnystorm]

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I saw them in B&M for £12.99 a week or two ago.

[ctznsmith]

Might take the one that is in my possession currently out with me next week so will give some feedback on whether it's worth it or not.

[rufus748]

I used the Powermonkey Explorer for the first time on last years WRT. I was using a Garmin 800 which I recharged at the end of the first day from the battery pack. I the recharged the battery pack on day 2 from the solar panel strapped onto my bar bag (granted it was unusually sunny for Wales... )
It will be coming again this year, the battery pack is good for a recharge although you can also just use a Portapow which runs off AA's and is cheaper upfront.

[OMOB]

I used mine for two weeks when walking the Tour Du Mont Blanc last summer. It worked well for keeping my phone and Kindle charged; but the alpine sun was far stronger than one would expect in say mid Wales and it still took a full day to replenish the charge. I have only used it for long weekends in the UK re-charging via USB at home.

[Keiracon]

I like mine. Found it useful especially with the included adapters

[ScotRoutes]

I've used mine for touring around Scotland. It'll easily recharge my Garmin 705 after an average days daylight and still have enough left over for a wee kicker for the phone.

[johnnystorm]

Hmm, worth me chasing one up for £12.99 then..

[composite]

Hmm, worth me chasing one up for £12.99 then..

Not when you already have a SP hub. :)

[drain]

The B&M deal seems to have timed out when I had a scan around. Might be wrong though!

I've not used the solar power for the PowerMonkeys, Lee, but the PMs themselves came in really handy on the Camino. There were usually power points in the albergues if you looked around to recharge them and any other gadgets.

Oh so tempted by one of those dynamo hubs that Sinewave do... out of major organs though...

[johnnystorm]

Hmm, worth me chasing one up for £12.99 then..

Not when you already have a SP hub. :)

Very true, but one of those usb voltage regulators is about 5x the price!

[composite]

You are over halfway there now though may as well just finish it off.

I had been uming and arring over getting one as well. Flatfishy txt me to say he had ordered his and ten minutes later I had ordered mine.