Solar company Yolk have released their ‘solar paper’ mobile phone charger. This lightweight, portable solar charger pairs with mobile phones, tablets, and powerbanks with high efficiency and a reasonable price.
About Solar Paper
The Solar Paper product was launched via a successful Kickstarter in 2015 where they raised over $1 million – it’s now been brought to market and you’re able to purchase one from the official YOLK website.
The Solar Paper comes in four models (all prices are in USD):
- 5 Watts ($148)
- 7.5 Watts ($198)
- 10 Watts ($248)
- 15 Watts ($348)
It’s able to output 5V, with 500mA regulated output per panel. The device is modular (extra panels can be connected via magnets) and additional 2.5 watt solar panels are $60 each.
According to the official site, Solar Paper measures 9 x 19 x 1.1 cm when folded, and each panel weighs 65-75 grams (2.5 oz). Watt-for-watt, that makes it 70% smaller and lighter than competing products (no word on which products they’re speaking of, though). Solar Paper is 1.1 cm deep at its thickest point, making it suitable for a multitude of uses, like camping, hiking, or carrying around in backpacks/handbags.
It has auto reset technology – so you don’t have to unplug and replug the cable every time you step into the shade (usually a drop in voltage would cause your device to ‘uncouple’ from the charger, requiring manual repairing).
The product is IP54 water resistant and includes an LCD meter to show how well the panels are working. One thing to note is that it doesn’t have any sort of storage included – so you could couple it with an inexpensive power bank such as one of the Xiaomi models so you can charge that if your phone is full.
It won’t be able to charge something like a Macbook due to different voltages. You could, however, charge a power bank that’s suitable for Macbooks and then charge through that!
About YOLK
Korean based YOLK launched their first solar charger “Solarade” in 2014 via Kickstarter – it raised $72,000 and was moderately successful. Since then, they’ve been focusing on making solar power as portable and cheap as possible. The reviews on Amazon are good and the founding team (Sen Chang and Lim Sam) have since expanded rapidly. No word on their next product but hopefully it won’t be long!
Buy YOLK Solar Paper
The YOLK Station website has the Solar Paper + Pouch available for purchase worldwide – with a flat shipping fee of $22 USD. Cost ranges from $148 USD – $348 USD.
You can also purchase them on Amazon by clicking here.
If you want a cheaper option, the Anker 21W solar charger is also available. We’ll do a review on them next!
