Power Output (rated) - 12 watts
Integrated Battery / Outputs - No / USB
Weight - 16.1 ounces
Dimensions (Folded/Open) - 7.6 x 10.1 x 0.8 / 21.8 x 10.1 x .25 inches
MSRP - $120
URL - http://www.strongvolt.com

A mid-line 12-watt unit, the Solar12 has a unique charge controller. It has three settings — for iPad, iPhone, and other — to ensure that the solar panels have sufficient output to charge such devices, as well as to automatically recover from drops in power. An LED glows red when there isn't enough, and won't output any power at all below a certain threshold. This guarantees that when there's enough power, devices will begin to charge again. As it turned out, with our winter sun, the Solar12 couldn't generate enough juice in iPad mode and the LED never turned green, so we weren't able to test for 2-amp output. In iPhone and “other” modes, we were able to put out 1 amp and 5 watts worth of power, and the automatic reconnection worked every time in our cloud cover tests. The power output did fluctuate up and down more during our testing than with other chargers. There are two rigid solar panels that fold closed with a Velcro enclosure. In a surprising omission, there's no pocket in the case, so you can't stash your device or battery while charging. There are four eyelets to hang your charger, and four small carabiners are included. The Solar12's controller provides peace of mind on power output levels to directly charge devices, but comes at a premium.