Bluetti’s Handsfree 1 is the solar backpack I love hating

Can you love and hate something equally? That’s the relationship I have with Bluetti’s Handsfree 1 Backpack. For $349 you get a large 42L backpack and a skinny 268.8Wh solar generator built around long-lasting LFP battery cells that can be recharged by up to 200W of connected solar panels. It features two USB-A and two 100W USB-C ports with a single 300W AC jack to power modest devices like a Starlink terminal for a full work day.

I’ve been traveling around Europe with it in my van for several weeks. On one hand, I love that I can store all my gear inside a single giant bag, including my DSLR, lenses, Starlink Mini, a drone and controller, action camera and accessories, laptop, a 45W EcoFlow solar panel AND that relatively giant power station capable of recharging my MacBook Pro about three times.

On the other hand, it’s an ugly, overwrought backpack that looks like it was designed by an electrical engineer who dabbles in plumbing. Its brutal construction lacks even an ounce of finesse, despite weighing a very heavy 5kg / 11 pounds before adding any of my gear.

But there’s something to be said about being able to power and carry an entire remote office setup on my back, even if it’s only for short distances because of the weight.

Bluetti makes an even bigger, even heavier, Handsfree 2 kit that features a 60L backpack, 512Wh solar generator, and 700W of AC output. I didn’t review that one because I’m not insane.

Both backpacks are covered in zippered pockets and Molle straps to attach just about anything, including a solar panel if you’re desperate for power en route. There’s even a GoPro mount baked right into the shoulder strap. Camera gear is meant to be stowed in the large central section featuring foam dividers that can be shuffled around a variety of pre-defined velcro attachment points. The bag is only splash resistant, however, so Bluetti throws in a rain fly.

Vented panels on both sides of the bag can be zipped back to reveal all the inputs and outputs of the solar generator. That’s a nice touch — that big battery never needs to leave the bag. Port activity can also be managed and monitored over Bluetooth from the Bluetti app.

The bag supports loads of up to 30kg (66 pounds). I’m off the grid at the moment, so I can’t weigh my full pack, but it’s damn close to the limit. Fortunately, everything on the backpack is adjustable so you can dial in your preferred weight distribution across the shoulders, chest, and hips. But the gear extends so far off the back that walking with a fully-loaded bag requires a significant forward lean to counteract the pendulum effect.

Look, I hate the aesthetics of this Bluetti backpack but I can’t deny its functional appeal. It can be a boon to photographers or remote workers needing to stay powered and connected while spending the day in the field. As a mobile workstation, it’s like the evil twin of Peak Design’s new Roller Pro, only Bluetti removes the wheels and throws in a solar generator for a lot less money.

You can buy just the 42L backpack for $169 if you never read this review, or get a complete Bluetti’s Handsfree 1 kit with the backpack, battery, and Bluetti’s very portable 60W solar panel for $399.

Photography by Thomas Ricker / The Verge