The Brunton Restore Portable Power is a modern, stylish piece of kit that benefits from a durable casing to protect the battery and solar panels. When opened like a book the unit can easily be attached to a rucksack, thanks to the casing design that allows straps (not supplied) to be threaded through the casing. The device has an internal battery that takes 10 hours of sunlight to charge fully. There are then mini USB and USB 2.0 outlets that allow the internal battery to connect to other devices as well as a standard car charge adapter. With the addition of other adapters and devices this unit could be used to charge a wide range of batteries and devices. The Brunton Restore Portable Power is water-resistant and durable, and small enough to be attached to a rucksack and exposed to the sun while walking. But as with other panels, you need to work out what adapters you’ll need for your device, and for AA batteries you’d need to buy extra adapters too. It requires 10 hours of sun to charge the internal battery before that power can be discharged to a battery. You’ll then need more time to discharge the internal battery to your device. So it does not provide fast power.
Vital stats
Charging time to charge internal battery: 2 hours from mains, 4 hours from a computer, 10 hours of sun, 2 hours from car; 1 hour of sun provides 1 hour of mobile phone talk time; 3-4 hours required to charge AA batteries
Power output 5W, 5V, 1000mA max
Packed size 15x9x3cm
Weight 240g
Stores in the UK no info provided
Stockist details – tel. (023) 9252 8711; www.rosker.co.uk