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List Price: $139.99
Sale Price: $99.99
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I bought this guy as a nice emergency item and also for camping. I connected the panel to my HTC G2 Android phone while it was playing the radio out of the included Goal0 speakers. I had the panels positioned in a not-so-optimal way with only moderate sunlight and it charged my phone about 12% in an hour WHILE the radio was draining the battery and connected to the external speakers. That battery is rated at 1500mah for anyone who cares about the specifics. The other piece that I purchased alongside this kit was the Goal0 battery charging pod. You can place 4 AA size NIMH batteries in the pod for charging with the solar panel. When there is no sunlight around, you can use your available AA batteries to charge your USB devices. I used the charging pod to recharge my smartphone again at night as well as my Kindle. Honestly, if you have a lot of good quality low self discharge batteries around (Like Eneloops) you can pretty much get away with not buying the solar panel at all, the charging pod will pretty much do the job in the short term.
As far as the speaker goes, the sound is AWFUL out of the box. As others have mentioned in their reviews of these speakers, the cones are covered by a heavy cardboard material. I simply took a flathead screwdriver and used it to break the glue seal around the edge of speaker that adheres it to the case. After that, I used the flathead to pry out the speaker from the case. From there you can see the inside of the casing is lined with cardboard, and on that cardboard, there's a fine indentation where the speakers are. I used a boxcutter to cut circles out where the speaker cones are. Place the speakers back in the casing and you're good to go. One note about this modification is that obviously the speakers are more than likely no longer "water resistant" as originally advertised.
All in all, very happy with the purchase. I docked one star for the speakers being horrible as they were out of the box.
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I purchased the Nomad 7 / Rockout Combo from Amazon about one month ago and wanted to test it before commenting. It weighed 370 gms / 13.1 oz. on the kitchen scale without any cables. Just like the other Goal Zero products it is well designed and well made using quality materials. If taken care of should last decades (do not throw on the floor or drive the truck over it, like the You Tube videos). It is nice to see the solar panel can take the abuse if an accident happens.
The solar panels are mounted to a heavy plastic sheet which gives the rigidity needed to protect the thin brittle solar cells (think a thin potato chip strength). The fronts of the solar panels are covered with an unknown clear plastic reminiscent of Tedlar. The outer shell is covered in a material that looks and feels like Cordura, so it should wear very well, most quality backpacks are made of this material. The built-in pouch is a perfect size for the Guide 10 and all but the 12 volt car lighter adapter (which could be carried if you plug it in the regulator / converter and place the large end between the pouch and regulator. I find it is best to carry it externally if you need it. I fold the flap with the regulator / charger behind the solar panel when charging to keep the electronics in the shade. Eight loops (not bungee cord loops) all around the Nomad 7 allow many ways to attach the unit to a pack or sticks for charging. It was easy to attach to my Maxpedition pack with Paracord 550 and charge while I was walking.
How does it work? Surprisingly well! I did a lot tests in the Arizona sun in July and August it held up well to sun intensity and heat. This is our monsoon season which means clouds and rain once in a while (intermittent sunlight). The Nomad 7 charged 50 NiMH batteries in the Guide 10 very well under all kinds of sky conditions. Even an overcast sky where the panel did not cast a shadow it still recharged low NiMH batteries in about 6 hours. Using the USB adaptor charged low tech LG cellphone in an hour in normal sunlight (it also charged cellphone using 12V 4W lighter adaptor). So far I have been able to charge a digital camera, Kaito Voyager radio, VHF / UHF transceiver and the Guide 10 in reasonable times. It allows you to use your equipment more since you can now recharge in the field and not be so concerned with conserving battery power.
As far as the Rockout Speaker goes, for the size they sound very good with my player. They charge up in an hour with the Nomad 7 Solar Panel. If weight and volume are considerations in a backpack, then you might leave them behind and use earbuds. Otherwise, they are great to have along as a luxury item. If you are car camping, then they are a great asset to the camping experience, nice to listen to music without the earbuds.
I am delighted with the Nomad 7 / Rockout Speaker Combo. They are well engineered and perform very well. The Nomad 7 Solar Panel is perfect for light weight backpacking.
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Love this unit and the fact it cost the same even with speakers made it even sweeter. Easy to use, incredibly flexible, and worked great on all my apple products I travel with. Key to best use is direct sun. Worked fantastic by pool and when camping, on the windshield of the car. Charges quick in direct sun. Even charges my iPad, albeit a little slower. Love the speakers. Great sound from a small package and last forever.
Honest reviews on Goal Zero 19004 Nomad 7 / Rockout Combo
I was a bit nervous buying this thing due to the reviews but once I got It I'm extremely excited about it. I bought the rock out combo.. Nomad 7 and speaker kit.
Some of the people say the nomad 7 won't work with the iPhone 4, they must be re-traded or technology ignorant. I plugged in my phone and it's charging.. Simple as that. It seems very durable and well put together. I'm a rockclimber/ backpacker so in the summer of 2012 I'll put it to usefeild test it and write up a more in depth review. So far, I would recommend that everyone gets one or many for the 2012 zombie apocalypse!!
The speaks are very well put together as well, I plugged in my iphone and they actually are very loud.
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Although I purchased this on sale in a big box store, I wanted to write a review of it because I'm so impressed. I purchased this to charge my iPhone and iPod Touch. After purchasing several competing products which didn't quite work, this one has the best design, utility, and solar panel size of any I saw. Admittedly I don't really use the speaker very often, and when I do it's just for my own listening, so I don't have any complaints about it; the speaker is solidly designed also and volume is not my key criteria in judging it. One tip is to get a long USB charging cable, so that the USB device you are powering is not also sitting in the sun. You can't simply set your smart phone in the sun without overheating it. In the case of the iPhone, it will auto-shutoff until it cools down. Been there, done that.
Pros:
--Providing a powered USB port was pure genius that few other makers seem to understand
--Great folding design with 2 solar panels
--Sturdy canvas and velcro shell
--Utility pocket that fits an iPhone or other smart phone
--Great ease-of-use; nothing to setup, just place it in the sun and plug in your USB-powered device
Cons:
--USB port should be deeper; cables plugged into the USB port feel like they are hanging out too far, although the connection is solid
