Cooped Up? Get Uncooped.

French-based Millet will release their solar pad backpack cover in summer ‘08. Treehugger says ‘[i]t’s like the showercap-style rain cover that many people use to protect their packs from inclement weather, but with a twist. A flexible solar panel is fitted that attaches to a cigarette bayonet connector, such as you might use to charge electrical gadgets via your car. Connect up a mobile phone and they reckon you’ll be charged in one hour, a global positioning system (GPS) in two and a camcorder in four. The weight penalty is 600 gm (21 oz) but you might save that in batteries. Plus, if you combine two of the panels, while in camp, charge times are said to halve.'

• solar
• backpack