The FreeLoader Pro Solar Charger is advertised as the “ultimate solar charger” and can be purchased from solartechnology.co.uk for a price of £70…

The Solar Charger uses the finest micro solar cells and an advanced electrical management system which enables high performance even in bad weather and low light conditions. It’s capable of powering virtually every electrical device, anywhere in the world, whether on a beach, a mountain, jungle or the Polar ice caps.

Either the solar panels or USB can be used to quickly charge its internal battery which can take 7 – 9 hours in sunny conditions. The charger works by using solar power (as you tell by the name) and basically, solar power works by transforming the energy from the sun into a reusable form of electricity. The FreeLoader Pro actually transforms the energy from the sun, to charge a 1600mAh environmentally friendly Li-ion battery which has a lifespan of 2 years.

The CamCaddy also comes as standard with the product and on its own, it would cost £24.99. The CamCaddy works in conjunction with your FreeLoaderPro and accepts virtually every type of camera battery whether a simple compact digital camera, professional SLR or a video camera battery. It can take up to 2 hours for the CamCaddy to charge your camera.

So coming back to the freeloaderpro, you can see that it’s not huge but it’s not the smallest thing in the world either. The FreeLoader Pro has been constructed very well and the also features a tough, rust free aluminium casing for the likely knocks it may sustain and weights 174grams which is pretty light for a solar charger. It also comes with a carrying pouch to protect it whilst your on the go. It has a “piano-black” finish and this add to the sleek design. Here, you have the Power Halo button which will show you how much power is available. Each Quadrant represents 25% of full charge so as you see, I only have 25% charge.

To transform it into a fully working solar charger, all you do is remove this piece and place it like this, so that both solar panels are facing upwards. Here at the side, you have your ports and functions which include a DC-IN and DC OUT. Here is the Multi voltage switch and if you switch it to “9.5v”, Freeloader Pro is capable of charging power hungry, high voltage devices such as MP4 players and portable DVD players.

To begin charging, choose the adapter which is for your device. The FreeLoader Pro has adapters for the following devices:
iPods and iPhones, Blackberries, Sony Eriksson’s, Nokias, Samsungs, Motorolas and LG phones, Nintendo DS’s, SatNav’s and most GPS systems, Bluetooth headsets, PDA’s, Sony PSP, MP4 players, 2 way radios, portable DVD players, e-books and digital cameras.

You then need to take this cable and plug this end into the DC-OUT and this end into the adapter. You then need to plug the adapter, into your device (in my case, the ipod Touch).
The iPod Touch works with the 5.5 voltage. It will take between 5 – 10 hours to fully charge the lithium-ion battery in sunny conditions and it low-light it will take quite abit longer. The FreeLoader Pro will deliver the power within 1 and a half hours but the exact time depends on your device.

The FreeLoader will also work indoors if for example; the freeloader is placed on a window ledge. It is recommended that the FreeLoader is placed outside, facing south at a 45 degree angle.

FreeLoader Pro is ideal for people who explore the great outdoors as well as heavy-gadget users looking for extra charge whilst on the go. In most cases, this will not replace your USB or mains charger due to the practicality, but when you’re out and about and there’s no place to charge your device, then this thing will come in handy…

So overall, I think that the FreeLoader Pro Solar Charger is definitely one of the best portable solar chargers out there, in terms of looks, practicality, and power. It is pretty pricey but it’s definitely worth it if you see it coming into good use. Also, if you’ve got some spare cash and your abit of geek like me then this kind of gadget is definitely a must buy. After considering every aspect of this product, I give it a very respectable, 9/10…