Fenix Intl is a little company with a great solution for backcountry power. It’s the Fenix ReadySet: a mobile power source with a sleek design, which fits (along with its solar panel) in a backpack. It can also be charged with a bicycle generator or plugged into the power main, if that’s handy.

They are targeting it towards remote parts of Africa, where power is rare and sun is plentiful, but I’d use the ReadySet’s 5- and 12-volt outlets to finally rig my swamp fort with the Arduino-powered extras it clearly needs. In addition to the USB charging ports, it’s got cigar lighter adapters, so charging a phone and running a radio in the wilderness are options as well.

Sound good to you? Just yesterday, Fenix launched a Kickstarter campaign where pledgers are rewarded with discounted ReadySets and other Fenix gear. It runs until August 10th, though as of writing it looks like they’ll reach their goal by the end of the day! (Update: goal now reached. But you can still get the units at a discount!)

What’s more, our friends at Fenix have given us lots of units to play with and use as prizes. Thus, Instructables will be running an “Off the Grid” contest in early August-September, to be based on rural and mobile power sources, green charging, and renewable energy solutions. And we’ll be giving lots of ReadySets away.

What can you do? How could you make it even cooler with a Fenix ReadySet? Post your ideas below in the comments, and we'll look forward to seeing your Instructables in the contest!

-SelkeyMoonbeam