Monday, February 17, 2014

Enerplex Jumpr Max Power Bank and Kickr IV Portable Solar Charger Review

Going green is a huge topic. And it is a good thing. Fortunately, there are some manufacturers that make some great products to support that movements to provide clean energy. Enerplex provides a one/two punch in the Kicker IV and Jumper Max. They charge our portable devices, and do so with solar power.


Features and specs:

Kicker IV:
Power:
6.5 Watts Unregulated
6.0 Watt, 5 Volt System regulated
1.2 Amp Output (STC)
*STC- Standard Testing Conditions
Dimensions:
Product Open: 774mm (30.5˝ ) x 185mm (7.3” ) x 2mm (0.08” )
Product Folded Size: 225mm (8.8˝ ) x 185 mm (7.3” ) x 18mm (0.71” )
Product Packaging: 266.7mm (10.5˝ ) x 190.5 mm (7.5” ) x 50.8mm (2.0” )
Weight:
Product: 290.3g (0.64 lbs.)
Product with Packaging: 368.5g (0.81 lbs.)

Jumper Max:
-10,000 mAh battery capacity
-Input: DC 5V/1A Max (Micro-USB)
-Dual USB Outputs: DC 5V/1A, DC 5V/2A (USB-A)
-Can charge tablets such as the Kindle Fire HD, iPad 3, and iPad Mini
-Can charge multiple devices at the same time!
Jumpr Max Charging Capabilities:
  • Samsung Galaxy S4- 3.4 charges
  • iPhone 5/5S- 6.1 charges
  • Google Nexus 7- 2 charges
  • Kindle Fire HD- 2 charges
  • iPad 3- 1 charge
  • iPad Mini- 1.95 charges
Dimensions:
Product: 123.3mm (4.8˝) x 77.05mm (3.0˝ ) x 17.57mm (0.7˝ )
Product Packaging: 216mm (8.5˝) x 115.3mm (4.5˝) x 32.2mm (1.27˝)
Weight:
Product: 192g (0.42 lbs.)
Product with Packaging: 258g (0.57 lbs.)

Both products come in standard paper packaging and had a clear plastic window to see the product. The products were mostly plastic. Quality of components as well as fit and finish were good. Included with the power bank were manual, cable, and connectors. And the Kicker IV came with the cable, and cloth bands to hold it secure.

I really liked the large power bank. At 10,000 mah, it was good for about 3 charges to my HTC One cell phone, and almost a full charge for my Samsung Galaxy Note 10" tablet. And just bigger than a cell phone, it is not too big in size. It would be a tad bulky in a pants pocket. But it would store well in a purse or a car glove box.

The Kicker IV is an awesome portable solar panel! I really liked the way there were 4 panels. The way it is designed, they fold onto each other to make a more compact size. A single connection on the side is where you attach the cable. One end plugs into solar panel and the other end plugs into the portable device. The solar panel provides enough current that it charges your device as if it was plugged into a wall outlet, and it is enough for small devices such as a cell phone, Nintendo DS or Kindle.

The big one two green punch is using the two devices together. I plugged in the power bank into the solar panel to charge, and left it out in the sun to charge for a day. Once charged, I can use the power bank to charge my portable devices. After the power bank is depleted it is back onto the solar panel, and the cycle continues.  Here in Arizona, we get a lot of sun.  It is a perfect fit here.  I am also an avid camper as an Assistant Scoutmaster.  If you have a cell phone, camera, or GPS in the outdoors and no outlet nearby, the Kicker IV has you covered. And even with a nearby outlet, it's free clean power!

I was very impressed with the performance of both devices. They work absolutely great on their own. And together they provide on excellent portable green power solution! And they are fairly priced at $129.99 for the Kicker IV and a MSRP of $69.99 for the Jumpr Max. Based on their design, features, quality and performance, they have both earned our Highly Recommended award. For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.enerplex.biz.

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