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48 BACKPACKER 03.2014 *mAh Milliampere-hour, a unit of electrical charge. Higher mAh means more juice to power your device. 1 [Compact] Mophie Powerstation Pro For its pocket-friendly size, this rugged, impact- and splash-resistant battery packs a punch, with 6,000 mAh* of juice that powered up an iPad Mini from 10 to 95 percent in three-and-a- half hours. “It slides into the smallest of pack pockets thanks to its smartphone- size dimensions,” says a tester. Critique: Testers wished they had two USB ports to charge multiple devices. Great for shorter trips, as it does not recharge in the field. $100; 12.7 oz.; mophie.com 2 [Weekend warrior] Solio Xcellerator + Hub Solio’s combo of the Xcellerator, a highly pack- able solar panel, and Hub, a 2,000 mAh lithium-ion battery, can keep any tab- let juiced up indefinitely. Colorado testers plugged the Asus directly into the Xcellerator and went from 30 percent to full in four hours (on a sunny day). The panel collected enough energy to fully recharge the Hub after five hours, giving testers plenty of power for camp. $100; 9.5 oz. (both devices); solio.com Backcountry Power Juice your tablet anywhere. Accessories Upgrade any tablet with these smart gadgets. 1 [Tablet harness] Otterbox Utility Series Latch II 7-8 inch Keep your tablet handy for on-the-go mapping and more with this dedicated carrier. Simply lock in your device via four rubberized corner hooks, and then you can choose your carrying method. Affix the strap to sling it over your shoulder for a messenger bag-like carry or clip it to your pack with the included Nite Ize S-Biner. The accessory pouch doubles as a handgrip and stand for viewing when you’re not in motion. One gripe from testers: The corner hook concealed the camera (it has to be removed to take a picture). The Latch II fits around 3 [Expedition power] Bushnell POWERSYNC SolarBook 850 For the long-haul hiker, this five-solar-panel, 2,200 mAh dual lithium-ion power pack helps reduce clutter by folding up into its own hardshell case, and the four-light display made for easy tracking of power consumption. Two USB ports let you charge two devices during breaks; our Colorado testers recorded a four-hour recharge for the power pack in direct sun. Once it was topped off, we were able to juice up our half-full Galaxy Note 8 in three hours, and then we netted two smartphone charges when they were at 25 percent power. Bonus: The case can double as a carrier for your tablet. Ding: price. $357; 24 oz.; bush- nell.com 3 1 2 1 3 2 4 Gear: Tablet upgrades Basecamp P H O T O S B Y B E N F U L L E R T O N the Otterbox and Lifeproof cases in this test, making it an ideal complement for a rugged case. $40 (with accessory kit); 2.7 oz.; otterbox.com 2 [Cable maintenance] Nite Ize Cable Organizers Gadgets mean cords, and cords mean tangles. These rubber-coated, bendable wires help corral stray cables and accessories and keep them from knotting while in your pack’s toplid. Testers found the 3-inch ties best for headphones, the 6-inch ties worked well with tablet chargers and GPS cables, and the 12-inch ties were ideal for laptop cords. 3” $5 for pack of 4 (.07 oz. each); 6” $5 for pack of 2 (.11 oz. each); 12” $5 for pack of 2 (.42 oz. each); niteize.com 3 [Budget sound boost] Amplifiear This hockey-puck-size plas- tic dish slides onto the cor- ner of a tablet and directs sound waves forward, boosting sound quality often drowned out by back- ground noise. It’s about as low-fi as it gets for a tech product, but the simplicity is a virtue. Just apply one of the included foam pads to give the concave dish some footing, and your tablet will be amplified up to 10 decibels without any battery drain or Bluetooth connectivity. $25; 3 oz.; theamplifiear.com 4 [Stylus] Cosmonaut This light-but-sturdy stylus not only helped ease cramped, tap- fatigued hands, but also allowed testers to draw freehand in apps like Evernote’s Penultimate and Samsung’s S Note. The soft-tipped pen also aided in swiping through menus and selecting buttons. $25; 2.1 oz; studioneat.com