Can you’re keen on and hate one thing equally? That’s the connection I’ve with Bluetti’s Handsfree 1 Backpack. For $349 you get a big 42L backpack and a thin 268.8Wh photo voltaic generator constructed round long-lasting LFP battery cells that may be recharged by as much as 200W of related photo voltaic panels. It options two USB-A and two 100W USB-C ports with a single 300W AC jack to energy modest gadgets like a Starlink terminal for a full work day.
I’ve been touring round Europe with it in my van for a number of weeks. On one hand, I really like that I can retailer all my gear inside a single big bag, together with my DSLR, lenses, Starlink Mini, a drone and controller, motion digital camera and equipment, laptop computer, a 45W EcoFlow photo voltaic panel AND that comparatively big energy station able to recharging my MacBook Professional about 3 times.
However, it’s an unsightly, overwrought backpack that appears prefer it was designed by {an electrical} engineer who dabbles in plumbing. Its brutal development lacks even an oz of finesse, regardless of weighing a really heavy 5kg / 11 kilos earlier than including any of my gear.
However there’s one thing to be stated about with the ability to energy and carry a whole distant workplace setup on my again, even when it’s just for brief distances due to the load.
Bluetti makes an excellent greater, even heavier, Handsfree 2 package that contains a 60L backpack, 512Wh photo voltaic generator, and 700W of AC output. I didn’t evaluation that one as a result of I’m not insane.
Each backpacks are lined in zippered pockets and Molle straps to connect absolutely anything, together with a photo voltaic panel if you happen to’re determined for energy en route. There’s even a GoPro mount baked proper into the shoulder strap. Digital camera gear is supposed to be stowed within the massive central part that includes foam dividers that may be shuffled round quite a lot of pre-defined velcro attachment factors. The bag is barely splash resistant, nevertheless, so Bluetti throws in a rain fly.
Vented panels on each side of the bag may be zipped again to disclose all of the inputs and outputs of the photo voltaic generator. That’s a pleasant contact — that huge battery by no means wants to go away the bag. Port exercise may also be managed and monitored over Bluetooth from the Bluetti app.
The bag helps a great deal of as much as 30kg (66 kilos). I’m off the grid in the meanwhile, so I can’t weigh my full pack, but it surely’s rattling near the restrict. Luckily, every thing on the backpack is adjustable so you’ll be able to dial in your most well-liked weight distribution throughout the shoulders, chest, and hips. However the gear extends up to now off the again that strolling with a fully-loaded bag requires a major ahead lean to counteract the pendulum impact.
Look, I hate the aesthetics of this Bluetti backpack however I can’t deny its purposeful attraction. It may be a boon to photographers or distant staff needing to remain powered and related whereas spending the day within the subject. As a cell workstation, it’s just like the evil twin of Peak Design’s new Curler Professional, solely Bluetti removes the wheels and throws in a photo voltaic generator for lots much less cash.
You should buy simply the 42L backpack for $169 if you happen to by no means learn this evaluation, or get a whole Bluetti Handsfree 1 package with the backpack, battery, and Bluetti’s very moveable 60W photo voltaic panel for $399.
Pictures by Thomas Ricker / The Verge
