A solar-powered sun hat was not on my bingo card for 2024, but it’s clear that EcoFlow has some cards up its sleeve — under its hat.
The EcoFlow Power Hat is a rigid wide-brimmed sun hat with a peak cap centre. The material for the centre of the hat is standard hat material, whereas the brim is closely related to their portable solar panels. Made with passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) monocrystalline silicon, the rigid brim houses the solar cells, capable of charging up to two devices at once. EcoFlow says it’s able to charge a 4000mAh mobile phone fully in 3-4 hours.
One of my biggest concerns was sweat resulting from a hike on a hot day. Thanks to this material, not only is the hat able to protect you against the sun, but it is also IP65 rated. This means it can handle light rain, be used safely near the sea or lake, and handle that hike up Table Mountain.
Offering close to 12-Watt charging via the USB-C and USB-A connectors on the underside of the brim, you have many options to charge both your phone and a neck fan for the trip. All of this is packaged in a product that weighs only 370g. The hat comes in two size ranges. The smaller one is adjustable between 56–58cm (22–22.8 inches), while the larger size is 59–61cm (23.2–24 inches).
At a price of R1499 and EcoFlow member price down to R1099, the Power Hat is the powerbank that never runs out of battery while also doing a whole lot more than sitting in your bag.
When you look at consumer technology today, you will be hard-pressed to find manufacturers pushing the envelope. Gone are the days when mobile phones like the LG Wing would astonish the tech world. Though foldable phones would be considered a new moment for mobile phones, it’s simply an extension of the device that has existed since the Apple iPhone 1 was launched.
EcoFlow seems to have a whiteboard in the office, a blank canvas to work from. Any and everything that could be powered by a battery, solar panels or both is an option. This is evident in their products such as the Glacier, a battery-powered coolbox that can also make ice, and the Wave, which is a portable air conditioning unit that runs on battery power. All of these devices are not only novel in approach but sensible in design.
The EcoFlow Power Hat is something you never thought you’d want or need until you have it. They continue to show us that they’re able to think outside the box while making a quality product at the same time. It has been some time since we’ve been surprised by a product that’s not only new but useful. Because of this, I am very excited for the future at EcoFlow, and I can’t wait to see what they have in store.
