Power on the Go ~ Nomad 7 Solar Panel by Goal Zero Review + Mini Dock Giveaway!!

I bet you are like me. I am always scrambling to get power. Power for my phone, power for my laptop, net book and cameras.

It never fails when I am out traveling that my phone or camera will start dying and I start running around trying to find an outlet. My electronics have died on more than one occasion especially conferences and trips.

I recently got a Droid 4 and although I love it, I don't love that the battery life is shorter than I would like. If I leave it on too long, the battery drains quickly and I am out of luck. It is frustrating when you need to tweet out a picture or Facebook an adventure and you phone is dead and there is no outlet to be found!

When the people at Geekorize sent me the new Nomad 7 Solar Panel by Goal Zero to review, I was excited because this baby is power all the time and on the go. All you need is a little sunshine.

First let me give you a few specific about the Nomad 7 Solar Panel:

• Includes solar panel, DC adapter, USB cable, 12V Male cigarette adapter
• Solar charge cell phone in 1 to 2 hours via USB port
• Built-in pocket protects your device
• 30% smaller, 14 times more powerful than closest competitor
• Not compatible with tablet computers
• Foldable rugged design
• Weather resistant
• Measures 19” W x 9” H x 0.1” D, 13 oz.

I didn't have a chance to use my Nomad 7 charger until our trip to California and Nevada. I figured it was the perfect time to review a product that runs on the sun since we were going to be in Palm Springs and Las Vegas. And the week we were there, there was going to be a lot of sun and hot weather.

I have to admit that I wasn't convinced this would work. I am all about solar power but the Nomad 7 Solar Panel seemed pretty small and I had never used anything solar powered except a calculator.

The first day we were at the Renaissance Esmeralda resort, we decided to do nothing but sit at the pool all day. Of course, I was using my Sony Reader, tweeting, emailing and facebooking throughout the day. After a while I noticed that my phone was running at 60% and knew I had to charge it soon or else it was going to die before the day was over.

It was the perfect place to test out the Nomad 7. I pulled it out, placed it on the lounge chair next to us and plugged in my phone. It was easy to use. The nomad is like a tablet or a book. You unfold it and make sure it is getting sun.

I loved that it has a convenient pocket where you can slip in your device. This is great if you have to move around and even better to help keep your device out of the sun. While the solar panels must be in a sunny place, your device should not. So the pocket keeps it safe from overheating.

I was able to use my USB cord with the Nomad 7. I plugged in my phone and plugged it onto the Nomad's 12 volt adapter, that is attached to the panels. I immediately saw that my phone was charging. After half and hour I went to check on the charge and realized that it was not charging.

Luckily, Tom was there and he asked if I had left my phone on. I had. There were all sorts of programs running as well. He suggested that I either stop all the programs or turn off the phone and then charge it. I took his advice and turned off the phone. Then I left the Nomad 7 in full sun. Yes, I am sort of techie challenged.

After swimming, sunning and having lunch, I went to check on the phone. It had been about 2 hours and when I turned on the phone, it had charged 30% and was up to 90%! It had worked. This was handy because I was then able to start using my phone again. When I was done, I plugged it back into the Nomad and let it get fully charged. All this while I was relaxing by the pool, in the shade.

It did charge slowly but that is because the solar panels do not have the power of an outlet. But if you are traveling this is actually a great product. I think this device would be best for hikers or campers. Can you imagine not needing to find electricity and still being able to charge your devices? It's great. I know I will always slip the Nomad 7 into my luggage when traveling. It is not always easy to find an outlet when you need it.

Plus the Nomad is lightweight and skinny enough to slip into a purse or backpack. It can be easily attached to a backpack because it has reflective nylon cords all around. The Velcro closure keeps it closed tight and safe if you decide to keep your device in the pocket inside.

It was the perfect charger for being poolside as well. I not only used it at the Renaissance Esmeralda resort but also used it when we stayed at the Hotel California! I was able to charge my phone and my sister's phone at the same time while we were lounging by the pool.

Would I recommend this product? Yes. I think if you need easy charging, this is a great product to have. All you need is the sun. If you love hiking and doing outdoor stuff, this is the product for you as well. I am thrilled to have been able to indulge my geekiness with this product. I am usually not that techie but I am a geek for these products!

Thanks to the great peeps at Geekorize, I also have 2 cool gadgets to give away for you iPhone users. I have 2 mini docks for the iPhone or iPod. The Mini Dock allows you to keep your device off the floor and upright while charging. If you hate dealing with cords, this is the perfect charger because it plugs into your existing iPhone or iPod wall charger through the USB port. It is tiny and light and helps save you space!

I have two to giveaway because one was for me to review but then hubby got the new iPhone 5 and we couldn't review it because the new iPhone 5 needs a whole new charger. But it does work with the older iPhone and all iPods.

All you have to do to win one of the Mini Dock chargers is to enter on the Rafflecopter widget below!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Disclosure: I received a sample product for review purposes. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the product. Sponsors are responsible for shipping prizes unless otherwise stated. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of any prizes.