Another CES is another opportunity for the tech industry to drop a trebuchet’s worth of molten lead on the last vestiges of my dignity. This year, EcoFlow is unveiling this fun solar hat that helps the planet and your phone more than your personal brand. Sure, you won’t look too out of place if you’re wearing the right outdoor fit, but aesthetics is secondary to function.
As the name suggests, the EcoFlow Power Hat has a small solar panel embedded in the brim to help charge your portable devices when you’re on the go. The collar is segmented, and each section has a small set of monocrystalline silicon cells with a rated efficiency of 24%.
Photo credit: Daniel Cooper
On the underside of the brim is a small plastic box with an LED light to indicate when the hat is charging. Pull back the included rubber tab to reveal the USB-A and USB-C ports, allowing you to charge one or two devices at once.
According to EcoFlow, it outputs up to 5V/2.4A, so you can expect it to keep your phone or tablet charged without being too life-saving. Naturally, there’s no battery onboard, so you’ll need to have a long wire handy, running from your hat to the pocket you keep your device close to.
Photo credit: Daniel Cooper
The company says the product is sturdy enough that each panel is separated into individual segments so it can be folded down to near-pocket size. IP65 rated against water and dust ingress, but should not be submerged in water or placed in the washing machine.
The EcoFlow Power Hat currently retails for $129, plus or minus the cost of your dignity.
