Luggage Expertise

Solgaard Lifepack Review: A Solar-Powered and Anti-Theft Backpack for Digital Nomads

The Solgaard Lifepack is a solar-powered backpack will charge your phone, play your tunes, and be the perfect backpack for the digital nomad on the go.

See recent posts by Jamie Ditaranto

Solgaard Life Pack Review

For travelers, nothing has become more important in recent years than the ability to charge your phone on the go. We use our phones to check into flights, navigate new cities, and, of course, photograph our favorite travel moments. That’s why we spend so much time looking for a charge, which isn’t always easy to find. So forget about fumbling with foreign power adapters or your arsenal of external batteries, and get a phone charger that works anywhere the sun shines. And while you’re at it, why not have it double as a backpack?

The Solgaard Lifepack is a solar-powered backpack with anti-theft protection that’s ready for anything. Not only does it feature a solar-powered external battery (that doubles as a high-quality Bluetooth speaker), but it also comes equipped with plenty of compartments and special features, and is large enough to perform as a spacious carry-on. This backpack has a lot going on, so let’s break it down into the Lifepack’s core features.

The Solarbank

The Solarbank is the Lifepack’s main feature with its own special compartment that allows the battery’s solar panels to face the sun as you walk. On full power, it can hold up to six smartphone charges or play up to 96 hours of music. Whether you choose to carry it in the backpack or not, this is a pretty powerful piece of technology. With two USB ports you can charge two devices at the same time, all while listening to music, and continue charging it while in the sun. What I love about the Solarbank is that while I’m not using it as a part of the Lifepack, it has become a handy and good-quality Bluetooth speaker I can use outside or around the house, and I never have to worry about it dying. The solar-charging feature works well and is assured to charge your device even on a cloudy day. You can purchase the Solarbank separately on the Solgaard website for $129.

Anti-Theft Features

This Lifepack’s anti-theft features include an anti-cut plastic layer, a retractable combination lock, and four hidden external pockets, perfect for keeping important documents out of sight. The lock is easy to set and great for securing the backpack as seen in the video above. However, one thing to be wary of is that this will not prevent thieves from accessing the hidden pockets in the backpack straps and cushioning, should they know where to look.

The Backpack Itself

With one large and one medium-sized compartment, the Solgaard Lifepack has room for just about everything and is very comfortable to wear. It can easily hold a laptop up to 15 inches, as well as other devices, books, or clothes. It’s small enough to fit under your airplane seat, but large enough to hold plenty of essentials for a short trip.

Price and Where to Buy It: $200 on Amazon or Solgaard.co

How the Solgaard Lifepack Rates

Usefulness

10/10. With its many compartments and three-in-one phone charger and Bluetooth speaker, the Solgaard Lifepack is extremely useful for travelers.

Value

7/10. At $200, it’s definitely not a steal. However, when you consider that you’re not just buying a great backpack, but also a three-in-one Bluetooth speaker that charges your phone and can be powered by the sun, it’s a very good deal.

Portability

8/10. The Lifepack is a very comfortable backpack, but I was also surprised at just how big it is. This is great because it can hold a lot, but when you add that to the weight of the large solar battery, things add up quickly and it can become heavy.

Cool Factor

10/10. Always being the person ready to go with a solar-powered speaker that can charge two phones at the same time is definitely cool. The hidden pockets, combination lock, and other features, including a bottle opener, are great bonuses as well. Plus, I love the sleek look of this backpack—available in all black and titanium gray.

Final Verdict

This backpack has everything a traveler needs, whether you’re just trying to survive a long travel day or spending your time walking around a foreign city. The Solarbank is a fantastic feature that’ll not only make you the life of the party with a full phone charge wherever you go, but also makes a great at-home speaker as well.