Solar-powered travel gadgets

Whether you're sailing or scuba-diving, squeezing every last drop of juice from your chargable travel gear is essential. As it turns out, there aren't too many available electric sockets on sail boats, or, er, underwater.

It's for that reason that I'm thanking my lucky stars for solar-powered gadgetry like those shown below. Need to make a quick call when you've reached the summit of your mid-day hike? Or maybe you could really use that GPS unit as you cycle past the same fern... for the fifth time.

If you're a gear-toting globetrotter, you'll definitely want to check out these sunny options:

Universal portable cell phone charger
And that's not all... this sleek charger will power up your MP3 player, PDA, Gameboy or digital cam for a cool $100. (The pink charger is currently on sale for $80 at Target.com.) Granting the same charge-power as a wall adapter, the Solio "hybrid" charger stores energy for a full year before starting to fade. According to the site, one one of sunshine is equivalent to 20 minutes of talk time or 50 minutes of streaming tunes.

Backpack in solar style
Ideal for long hikes or winding, uphill biking, this lightweight backpack by Voltaic doubles as a four-watt charger for portable travel gear. Crafted of fabric made from recycled soda bottles (and currently available in a limited-edition tan shade). Packaged with 11 adaptors, this is one handy knapsack for carrying your precious, electronic cargo. You didn't think it was cheap, did you? Prices start at $199.

A flashlight that gives back
The BoGo flashlight is exactly what you'll need when the sun sets. Best of all, when you purchase one online for $25 (in orange or pink), another will be donated to an individual or family in need when you choose the charity of your choice. Details here.