Alternative power is important but we didn’t think we’d progressed to the point where wearable solar panels were a thing. Yet… EcoFlow has announced (and put on sale) its strangest product yet — the Power Hat.

Which is exactly what it claims to be. It’s a hat. That you wear. That can power your tech. If that sounds like something you want to don on your dome, it’s currently available for pre-order.

Go with the EcoFlow?

What can you expect to pay for an EcoFlow solar hat? It’ll usually set you back almost R2,500 ($130) but pre-orders peg the price at R1,500 ($80). If previous behaviour by the company is any indication, it’ll probably hover at the pre-order price for most of its lifespan. But what does your money buy you?

Well… it’s a hat. Appropriately enough, it’s a sun hat. You know, the large-brimmed floppy sort of thing you might picture a model or an annoyingly perfect mother wearing while working in a garden? The design is largely unisex, so men could also get away with wearing it on a hike, though they risk having to hold everyone’s smartphones in addition to carting around an extra 370 grams on their heads.

You’re supposed to (but are not obliged to) charge your mobile devices — the Power Hat has both USB-A and USB-C ports — while roaming around. It’ll top up the average 4,000mAh smartphone in three to four hours, according to EcoFlow, but this assumes direct sunlight for the whole time. If you’re taking advantage of the Power Hat’s IP65 waterproof rating (in other words, it’s raining), you’ll probably top up your device a little slower than that. There’s no mention of any storage capacity, so if you’re not actively using its 12W charge capability, you’re just wasting the weight on your noggin. Still, that’s a new one. Wearable solar panels. What will 2024 throw at us next?