No this isn’t a double post, it’s a tip. A globe-trotting friend of ours dropped in recently and she had one of these FreeLoader solar power chargers. She’s not really a gadget person so I quizzed her about why she bought it and how much she uses it and the answers surprised me.

While the fact that you can charge gadgets using solar power is pretty nifty, she bought it for the multitude of charging adapters that came with it. By using the FreeLoader she doesn’t need to carry 1) all the associated mains-power chargers for her gear, and thus 2) doesn’t need power adapters for different countries.

And again, because the FreeLoader has its own battery you can leave it on a window sill or dashboard in the sun while your gadget stays safe with you. FreeLoader sell second batteries so you can always have one on the charge and their products are pretty darn tough. The one above is made of aluminium and feels solid enough to get stuffed into a bag and bounced around the world a couple of times.

Goodness I sound like a salesman! Just thought it was too good a tip for tech hoarding world travellers looking to reduce clutter.

Freeloader is an advanced portable charging system that can power any hand held device anywhere, anytime. Supplied in a tough but stylish aluminium body, Freeloader can take the knocks of every day life whether on a business trip in New York, back packing in the Andes or chilling on a Caribbean beach.

Tags: gadget, freeloader, solar+recharging, freeloader