Another CES, another opportunity for the tech industry to pour molten lead worth a fortune on the last vestiges of human dignity. This year, EcoFlow is showcasing this awesome sun hat that does more for the planet and your phone than it does for your personal brand. Of course, if you wear appropriate outdoor clothing, it won’t look too out of place, but its aesthetics are inferior to its function.
As the name suggests, the EcoFlow Power Hat has small solar panels built into the brim to help charge your portable devices when you’re outside. The fields are segmented, and each section has a small set of monocrystalline silicon cells with a rated efficiency of 24 percent.
On the underside of the field is a small plastic box with an LED indicator that shows the hat is generating a charge. Pull back the attached rubber tabs and you’ll see a USB-A and USB-C port, allowing you to charge one or two devices at once.
The EcoFlow puts out a maximum of 5V/2.4A, so you can count on it to keep your phone or tablet charged rather than producing anything too vital. Of course, there’s no battery on board, so you’ll need to have a long wire handy to run it from the cap to the pocket you keep your devices near.
The company claims that the device is quite durable, with each panel made up of individual segments that can be folded down to almost pocket size. It’s IP65-rated for water and dust ingress, but don’t immerse it in water or put it in the washing machine.
The EcoFlow Power Hat currently retails for $129, give or take the cost of your dignity.
