The claim

A small generator, with electronic power regulation, charges a battery pack that has a USB port as you cycle. The generator fits in between the rear wheel and the bike frame and is easily fitted to bikes with quick-release wheels. A USB cable can be used to charge your electronic device while also charging the battery pack at the same time.

How does it work?

The revolutions of the rear wheel, caused when on a commute or longer weekend cycle rides, power a generator that provides charge to a separate battery pack. This battery pack has a USB port that allows you to plug in and charge your smart phone, camera or other electrical gadget on the go. Otherwise you can use the battery pack to charge your phone after you stop as the charge will remain.

How did it work for me?

Still in process, this product is certainly one to look out for as the potential positives are numerous.

The claim

Extreme and durable, this multi purpose tool includes a radio, torch, bottle opener and USB port for charging electrical devices. Through man power or simply the sun’s energy, charge is supplied to run the various functions of this product.

How does it work?

This product has an inbuilt rechargeable battery that can be charged through a solar panel or a fold out handle. A tough outer shell protects it from the rugged outdoors and makes it extremely durable while making it uncomfortable to carry or use. It also has an indicator that shows the level of battery available, allowing you to maintain power manually, using the hand cranked turbine, during periods of darkness.

How did it work for me?

Loving the outdoors often comes at a cost, not only do you get cold, wet, bitten and thoroughly miserable, but you often lose contact with the rest of the world, fall down holes and walk into rocks. All of this because the smart phone, battery powered torch and radio you purchased at great cost have all run out of battery. So when I came across the Eton Scorpion, I thought all of my dreams had come true.

This extremely durable beast not only charges your phone, plays the radio, lights the path and opens your refreshing beer at the end of the day, but does this without the need for batteries! The solar panel charges the inbuilt battery throughout the day effectively, although perhaps considering its size it feels like it should charge quicker than taking several hours. However any extra charge needed is easily added through the manual hand crank, which starts the radio in a little as two cranks, and held two hours charge after only a few minutes cranking!!!

The claim

This multipurpose solar charged torch is the perfect gadget for the environmentally conscious person. With an added bike clip and bell, it can also be used both on and off the bicycle and provides a powerful output lasting up to 4 hours and lighting a distance of 50 feet.

How does it work?

This torch uses the power of the sun to charge an internal rechargeable battery, which then can power the torch for up to 4 hours after the sun has gone down and a button on the back has been pressed. It also has an inbuilt bell for added safety on the road and a bike clip that allows a quick and firm installation onto the bike.

How did it work for me?

As a keen cyclist I am constantly trawling through gadgets to improve my bike. In terms of lights, I have recently been using a USB based number that requires charging every so often, annoying when on the road for long periods of time. Therefore when I saw the Solar Bike Light, I jumped in my saddle at the opportunity to try it out and I have to say I wasn’t disappointed.

The light itself is easily fixed on the bike and I haven’t, in the 500 or so miles I have ridden since I purchased it, had any difficulties with it falling off. The amount the internal battery charges throughout the day more than adequately accounts for any distance covered in dusk and dawn and the added bell feature increases the potential safety factor of the product.

The Claim?

This camping gadget has won awards, and its claims are pretty extraordinary. Effectively a combined heat and power wood burning stove, this product will let you cook and produce electricity off grid.

How does it work?

The BioLite runs on twigs, pine cones, and any other dry vegetation you may find on a trail, although you can also use wood pellets. You can use it as a normal stove to cook on, but it also has a USB port and generator attached where you can charge phones, plug in lamps or any other small electrical devices.

How did it work for me?

Let me start by saying that this is not a budget gadget. It looks really cool out of the box, and I’m sure those keen campers will be itching to get hold of something like this, but it doesn’t come cheap at around £150. But how well will it work?

I tried it in the back garden, collecting some dry twigs and few pine cones that were knocking around. Despite being a little tricky to light, once it got going it got very hot, and it wasn’t a problem to boil some water on.

It also threw off a fair bit of heat, and I can imagine that would be useful out on a trip. But the real thing that sets this product apart is the power generator, and it really does work. It charges a phone or powers a lamp pretty well, so with this gadget you never need to be stranded with a dead phone.

It weighs in at about a kilo, and it does seem a little bulky, but then most camping stoves are. If you are a frequent camper, or just love these sorts of gadgets it really is a cool addition to your gear. Is it the most cost effective way to charge your phone on your camping trip? Probably not, but it really is much cooler than carrying a battery pack with a charger around with you.

The Claim

Wind-up lanterns have been around for a little while, but recently they have got a lot cheaper and brighter. There are no batteries, no electrical charging required and instant light on winding. There are 3 brightness levels to choose from, so winding the handle for 3 minutes will provide 20 minutes of light with all 12 LED bulbs on, 30 minutes when 8 of the LED bulbs are lit and 40 minutes if only 4 of the LEDs are on.

How does it work?

The lantern has 12 LED bulbs, with settings to use all 12, 8 or 4 for varying levels of light. It is charged by winding a handle, which drives a dynamo. There are therefore no batteries required, and no carbon emissions, other than the emissions in creating it.

How did it work for me?

Well it is camping season, the festivals are well underway, and that generally means stacks of batteries in the rucksack and a standard battery powered torch and lantern. After hearing about these LED wind-ups I really wanted to give them a try, so I packed my bags for Glastonbury and put in a couple of these lanterns for the tent.

After taking it out of the box, I wound the handle and got an instant white light. The settings do seem to make a difference, but even on the highest setting, it wasn’t overly bright. But with two of them I had ample light to see what I was doing in the tent and made it possible to get changed without falling over things, and under different circumstance (if I was on a camping trip for example) I am pretty sure I could have read a book, although the light is a little white for me – I miss the warm light that I get with my LEDs at home, but I appreciate this is a personal choice!

I also found there was an initial brightness that tends to wear off after a few minutes. So, despite lasting as it said it would for the 20 mins with all 12 bulbs illuminated, it was certainly brighter in the first 2-3 minutes, but if you were looking to read or something it would require you to wind repeatedly. The lantern would however be really useful in a power cut or when you need to get out of your tent to go to the toilet during the night though.

So the lantern is are a great little product if you need to do pretty simple tasks in the dark, like getting changed, or find the toilet, however for doing things like reading a book it works less well due to the continual winding to keep the optimum brightness. Perhaps one of the more expensive models has a better light and lasts longer, but that will need another review…

The Claim

The Eco Media Player claims to allow you to play music and videos on the go, without the need for a wall socket for charging. A wind up handle lets you charge up the device easily, and 1 minute of winding should provide about 45 minutes of playing time. Fully charged, the device is supposed to last 55 hours. There is also a connector which allows you to charge your mobile via the device.

How does it work?

Powered by neodymium magnets, the wind-up generator is twice as effective at charging than other budget windup radios for example. Other than that, it works like any other mp3 player, with USB compatibility to plug into your computer, 4GB of memory with an option to add a 16GB SD card to boost capacity. The lithium battery means that once charged, it will run for just as long as an iPod or equivalent.

How did it work for me?

The first thing to say is that this is not an iPod. If you think you are getting a state of the art mp3 player with all the bells and whistles, you’re not. The ‘Spin’ however, isn’t really meant to be that.

Out of the recycled packing the Spin comes in, you will find quite a bulky looking device (110 x 60 x 25 mm). The screen is only 2” in size, and the buttons are a bit unwieldy looking, but perhaps we have all been a bit spoiled by the iPod.

The good news is that there are some great features. There is a full range of compatibility that apple devices lack, so you can play MP3 / WMA / OGG / AAC / WAV audio files, plus AVI and WMV video files. It also comes with an FM radio and the ability to charge mobiles, which comes in really handy when you are using this when out hiking or away from civilisation.

For those who don’t want to bother with the winding up, there is the facility to charge conventionally and this means your battery will last up to 55 hours. It is only 4GB memory-wise, but you can add a 16GB SD card to increase the size.

So how to sum this up? It really is a bit of a love it or hate it kind of product. It is ideal for someone who is always on the move, and can’t be bothered to keep worrying about charging their player. If you do lots of camping trips, or long walks, this could be a good gadget. If you want to be really green and use less grid electricity, then this is also a good gadget, but there are a number of negatives that mean the average consumer is going to go for an iPod or other slimline modern mp3 player. This just isn’t stylish enough for many people I’m afraid. Having said that, it does have its charm, and I will happily keep using this when I’m away from home.

Unfortunately these gadgets are now about 4 years old, which makes them a dinosaur in computer years. They are still on the market, but the lack of any update or replacement means that these have obviously not sold particularly well. The future looks bleak for eco media players if this is anything to go by. It’s a shame because it is such a clever gadget.