I paid about $200 for a Tom Bihn brainbag on advice of the BBS commentariat. I recommend them to anyone who needs to rely on their backpack. No solar gimmicks, but a solid bag.
Here’s the thing about solar charging gadgets that gets me: If you’ve experimented at all with the prospect, you realize very quickly that it’s a pipe dream. Now, to be clear, I’m not talking about low power stuff like calculators that last for centuries or high power home installations to heat water or whatever, but all of these doodads that are basically peddling supposedly free, portable electricity on the go are all horseshit. At the price point, it’s better to buy a high quality bag and a portable battery power supply from Anker or Ravpower.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of solar power for all kinds of things, but it’s way overhyped as a gimmick. If you really want to try it, there are some stupid simple projects you can attempt at a fraction of the price.
Advice: Amorphous solar cells for low light applications, and crystalline solar cells for direct sunlight.
