BY DEREK ROSE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Monday, April 4th, 2005
The newest backpacks and jackets come with a plug - and can recharge your cell phone.
The geek-chic gear features lightweight solar panels and, in some cases, small batteries.
"They're stylish - a lot of people with iPods, MP3 players are buying them," said Kiho Shin, a partner with Compact Impact, a technology store on Avenue B. At $129-$229 for a solar-powered backpack and up to $535 for a solar jacket, the gear isn't cheap, but several entrepreneurs are betting it could be the next big thing.
"They're made for students, casual commuting," said Randolph Gray, president of Texas-based Eclipse Solar Gear, which makes solar-powered backpacks and messenger bags. "They can charge iPods, anything you can charge by plugging into your cigarette adapter. Just plug it in, and carry it around."
Eclipse's $129 backpacks provide up to 2.5 watts of electricity - on sunny days - enough to charge just about any portable device other than a laptop. Solar messenger bags should be available this week, with camera bags and coolers coming soon.
New York-based Voltaic Systems' bag is more expensive, at $229, but it comes with a backup battery, nearly double the charging power and adapters for various gizmos.
"The whole thing weighs in at 3.5 pounds, which is comparable to other hiking bags of the same size," company founder Shayne McQuade said in an E-mail from China, where he was meeting with suppliers. Then there's Idaho-based SCOTTeVEST's Solar SeV, a stylish 30-pocket jacket with solar panels in the back that sells from $425 to $535.
"It was really a challenge for us to make it appealing," said founder Scott Johnson. "We think we've accomplished our goals - most people who've seen it think it's futuristic without being geeky."
New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com
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