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 They are supposed to be really rather good I hear, indeed! They sell them at Firebox too online, I think. One or two of the big outdoors retailers are stocking them for outdoors folks to buy as well, if I recall rightly at all now. Yep! Just been and checked, and it is a Firebox.com stock line. http://www.firebox.com/product/1796 More details of the gadget at the above link.
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| Edited: 25/04/08 15:46 |
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Was the link info at Firebox any help at all though there, Ades? That was all the reason I posted it really. As it does seem to give a good deal bit of detail there, even if they are often a most expensive site for shopping to my mind, at the Firebox! 
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| Edited: 25/04/08 16:31 |
I've had a poor experience with them personally, although it may have just been a faulty item, as opposed to poor product! Bought one from Cotswolds (other outdoor retailers available!) before going to Nepal in November. Charged it on USB at home, did a couple of trickle charges using the solar panel, then tried to use it to charge my phone / mp3 player - nothing! Tried a number of the adapters on a number of devices - still nothing. Therefore, wasn't sure if it was the cable or the battery inside. Suffice to say, Cotswolds were very good and gave me my money back - didn't get another one to try! As I said before, only my opinion about one item, as opposed to the brand...in theory, brilliant - just a shame mine didn't work!!!
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 The link did help Trevor so thanks for that. Thanks for the info Simon,if it perform's poorly i'll sent it back & get a refund.
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 I got one at the Outdoors Show on special offer with the Superloader large solar panel and all sorts of bits and pieces. I think I paid about £40 for the lot which seems a good deal. Ive not really used it in anger yet but have tried it our a few times at home and it seems to work well with the big panel but takes for ever with just the standard ones. The rechargeable AAs that came with it are only low power ones so I really need to see how it fares charging up the 2500 ones. I got the AA battery holder thing with it which suits me as my camera, GPS and headtorch all take AAs.
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Digging around I found this old post and have to say I'll be buying the PowerMonkey Explorer next time - I bought the freeloader and battery attachment and never could get it working with my Creative MP3 player despite the customer servoce bods at the makers saying it should work. Got nicked on the plane so claimed on insurance. Payout then sank without trace in my bank account so not replaced it yet.
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 My wife got me a powermonkey explorer last christmas, its solar panel is a seperate unit which is a bit fiddly but overall it works great, charges my ipod, runs my camera and charges my phone (as I lost the charger after having it for a week, DUH). More expensive than the Freeloader though at £65.
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 I've had a poor experience with them personally, although it may have just been a faulty item, as opposed to poor product! Bought one from Cotswolds (other outdoor retailers available!) before going to Nepal in November. Charged it on USB at home, did a couple of trickle charges using the solar panel, then tried to use it to charge my phone / mp3 player - nothing! Tried a number of the adapters on a number of devices - still nothing. Therefore, wasn't sure if it was the cable or the battery inside. Suffice to say, Cotswolds were very good and gave me my money back - didn't get another one to try! As I said before, only my opinion about one item, as opposed to the brand...in theory, brilliant - just a shame mine didn't work!!!
I bought a freeloader and it was crap....just didnt want to charge anything for more than a few seconds....waste of money <IMHO>
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 Another vote for the PowerMonkey Explorer. Great bit of kit.
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 Thanks for that Dave. Youve made my decision for me. I nearly went into the Cardiff Oxfam shop last week as they're on sale there together with the battery adapter. I have been mulling it over and had just about decided to get one from there this week. I should know better really, I should always come here first. Thanks for saving my dosh and also you Simon, of course. I bought a cheapo from Maplins about 6 years ago, opened like a book and was quite heavy but it worked well, in fact, it was the best £15 I've ever spent. It gave up the ghost about 6 months ago so I'm in the market for a replacement.
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| Edited: 13/05/08 21:56 |
no worries J concept is great its just the delivery completely lets it down maybe they had manufacturing problems but in a way i am glad that it wasnt just me who had a bad experience with them
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Well named piece of kit though but in a negative sense of course. 
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 I've got a Freeloader, but wish I'd gone for the PowerMonkey Explorer instead, more expensive but charges greater things. Plus the PowerMonkeys are really well made and the Freeloader feels very cheap in your hands. I took the Freeloader with us on the Cumbria Way at the beginning of the year, it works fine with Nickys older phone that has a small battery and little functions, but when charging my N95 it was absolutely rubbish. To be honest I've been pretty disappointed with it. It isn't the easiest thing to hang off a sack during the day either. They seem to design them for sitting on a table when they would be much better designed to hang off a rucksack. If you have the money then go for the PowerMonkey Explorer, but if you have a high spec phone then don't bother and go for some larger solar powering device if you want it when car camping, although when car camping a car charger is way more effective. There are a fantastic idea but like most solar and win up devices they aren't well made or designed which really fustrates me. Why on earth aren't companies like Petzl making decent wind up gear eh?!! Its about time we all bullied these big companies into making decent wind up devices that are well made and designed for outdoors use. Wind up is definitely good enough for full on outdoor use, but at the moment they are always in rubbish construction.
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If wind up offered more than a few minutes use (an hour on some I know) for one minutes winding then it might be worth it - but I'll always prefer solar - though may investigate a beefier model when it comes to purchase.
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Most things last a hell of a lot longer than a few minutes, I've not seen a device come out for over a year that doesn't give good time for the winds. Plus it works all the time, ie at night when its dark and is a lot more indestructable and cheaper than solar and totally free and cheaper to make.
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depends on what current the item draws when in use but you can get a good 20mins out of a wind up radio for a minutes winding......torches are not as good admitedly though.....
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good idea on the face of it but I would love to hear from someone using one of these first before rushing out to buy one.....
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