You're very welcome Adam, thanks so much for your support, and I'm glad the information helped guide you to the right decision for you! I think the Allspark's a great choice, if a little pricey, but its solid performance, SunPower cells, and 5 year warranty make it a really good product, plus Offroad Living's excellent customer service! Best wishes! Greg
Just have to say, one of the best comparison reviews (all 4 parts) I've seen. Can't imagine the effort that went into it. Well planned, real life tested and presented, thanks.
Thank you very much (again!), I really appreciate it! You're spot on, it's been very interesting to do but I'm glad the marathon is over! Now who were my family again? 😄
Thanks very much Jack, I really appreciate your support so I can keep making videos like this! Yeah I hope they make these sorts of improvements, it means we get products that work better, and they get a better rap from customers who use their products and like the fact they listen to feedback! Which blanket did you end up choosing yourself?
You’re welcome and thank you for making these videos, I think they will help many buyers and sellers. I already have a kings blanket, but I am realizing the cheap quality. I’m saving up and I will probably end up buying the Hard Korr.
My pleasure mate, and good choice on the Hard Korr! It's a great product! I just noticed Snowy's doesn't sell these anymore, but Outback Equipment does and they're cheaper than the ones on eBay, so I've just updated the affiliate link in the description if you decide to purchase from Outback Equipment - bit.ly/HardKorrSolarBlanket-OE
Thanks for mentioning the charge controllers. The MPPT is way better than a PWM in terms of charge provided to the batteries. But surprisingly they are only about $25 more than the PWM at retail price. I guess every dollar counts when putting a package deal together. Thanks for you exhaustive and well detailed review. I look forward to your next video.
No worries mate thanks for the suggestion! I had noted that at the beginning, but to be honest I had completely forgotten about it by the time I put the video together until your comment. I don't know if you noticed but I actually had uploaded this last night without commenting on the MPPT regulators, so this is an updated version done this morning thanks to your input! (You can probably pick my morning voice in the voice-overs on the MPPT section! 😄)
Thanks for the in-depth review. I was heading towards the 200W iTechworld. I'll give it a miss now. I'll have a closer look at the Companion. However, after seeing how poorly all of them performed compared to their rated wattage, I think I'd prefer a folding panel if I can squeeze one in somewhere.
Hey thanks very much for the tip Jack, I really appreciate it! Unfortunately pretty well all solar blankets or panels will struggle to produce much more than about 80% of their rating in the real world because of how how the testing standards work. They are tested under absolutely ideal lab conditions and don't allow for real world losses through the cabling and regulator. That's why real world testing like I do is so important for consumers. You might like to look at the Allspark review I posted ua-cam.com/video/L8mzNTfVS1Y/v-deo.html as that one gave about 80% of its rated capacity. I'm at a caravan show in Perth at the moment and they've got it on special here for $750, which is a brilliant buy. No adjustable legs, but it still works really well and has got Sunpower cells which help with the higher power output.
A very thorough unbiased review, thank you for your efforts. Covering a single section of panel at a time may help identify if there is an issue with your new 300w. Should be consistent loss on each panel.
Outstanding review in real world conditions. A big thank you for putting it together. I just bought the 300 watt itechworld blanket with your discount code ❤
My pleasure mate, well done for getting a good deal! I'm sure the 300W unit will serve you well! Did you use the affiliate link to go to iTechWorld's site, or did you just go to their site directly? I'm still working out how what info comes through at my end. Cheers!
@@TheMusingGreg Unfortunately I went direct after seeing your part 3 video. However I have just emailed iTechworld to tell them I only bought their solar blanket due to your review video. I asked that you get rewarded for this sale for all your hard work. Fingers crossed they come to the party.
Very well produced set of 4 videos. You obviously put a great deal of thought in to how you would present all this information. I have been considering the itech 300 for some time. Many of the videos (yours and others) focus on the watts that the blanket produces. I have focussed on the advertised number of amps the blanket produces. Itech state the 300 watt blanket will produce 16 amps.. Several videos demonstrate that this is the case. Would be interested in your views on this.
Thanks mate, I'm glad to hear you found it so helpful! That is one reason I include videos of the power meter so people can see more details if they want them. So for example at ua-cam.com/video/o8rLVv2oCnQ/v-deo.html you can see the 300W unit's putting out 16.47A. On other tests with lower power ua-cam.com/video/9ltBJX8ZVZ0/v-deo.html you can see I got around 12.5A, and this little series shows four tests of the 300W blanket with several different power outputs: ua-cam.com/video/o8rLVv2oCnQ/v-deo.html So my view is that yes the 300W iTechWorld blanket (at least the one the other guy had) is capable of producing over 16A in ideal conditions, however I have only seen about 12.8A max on mine.
What an amazing amount of effort you put in to this series Greg. By far the best real world comparison of these higher end blankets I’ve seen. Very long …. But it needed to be to cover what you did. Your delivery and presentation skills are exceptional. Can’t believe your subscription numbers aren’t way higher. Thank you for all the work.
@@rickmcewan6011 Thanks very much mate, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I think the big factor is getting more people to share the series on social media. The more that happens the more others will see it and hopefully those numbers will climb in time. So please share! The series was way much longer than I ever expected, but if it was shorter I would have had to cut content which I really felt was relevant to what people would want to know, and supported my overall view of which was best. Cheers!
Just a thought. For the Companion, you could string a line under the top of the legs and use that to hang the unit up. Secondary lines could be strung upward from this to give multiple hanging points along its length.
Hmm that's possible, good thought Peter. The legs are attached high enough that it wouldn't be top heavy. But I'm not sure about the horizontal centre of gravity, my feeling is they would rotate forwards due to the weight of the panels. Can't test now as the blanket went back under warranty but I'll try it out if I get another one.
That sounds good. I maxed at 140w but it was Feb/March so I'd expect them all to produce a bit more in Dec/Jan. That being the case, the Hard Korr and Companion would probably be giving you more like 150-160w if you had them there, as they consistently outgunned the iTechWorld.
Hi great review my only comment is the outputs you were getting from the ITEC world 200 . I have just been doing some testing on this particular blanket and found that with one panel covered on the blanket gave me the same which says that there may have been something wrong with the one in your test so far I have been getting up to 189 Watt's max that I have seen and has given a constant 9 to 11 amps output. A couple of other you tube tests show similar results to what I am getting. But anyway great 4 part comparison loved watching it
Thanks for the comment. Yeah I did wonder if the 200W version was faulty after I tried out the 300W version, and I discussed that during video 3. Based on that comparison, iTechWorld agreed it was probably faulty, but when I sent it back and they tested it they said it wasn't faulty and all was working as expected. So I can only take their decision that this is normal for a 200W blanket, even though I can't explain why it only produced 70% of its rated output when the 300W version managed 90% under identical conditions.
Maybe put it out in the sun and cover each panel individually and see if it changes the output and if you cover one and it doesn't change then you will know it's faulty.
It is somewhat irritating that the advertised wattage on most panels doesn't come anywhere near the reality. Redarc are simply too expensive for what they are and their lack of usability (lack of legs etc.) rules them out for me. They should sell these without the regulators too as I simply don't wand a cheap PWM reg, I have a few of them hanging around now and that could be $30 off the price. I don't know if I am any closer to selecting my next solar blanket or not. They just seem to be too expensive compared to fixed solar and as I still have roof space on all my 3 rigs, I might just give up the idea of another solar blanket and add another fixed panel.
Yeah it's annoying, and that's what got me started doing this sort of real world testing in the first place! Did you follow my explanation in Part 3 as to the cause and my suggested solution? Do you even need a blanket or would a folding panel do the job? Blankets are more complex than a fixed or folding panel but they take up less space which is the trade-off. So bang for buck a panel will generally be better value but you need room to store a big folding panel, or if you go with another fixed roof mount you're then stuck parking in the sun if you want to charge up. That's why I like a blanket - they're small enough to store easily but I can park in the shade while the blanket gets moved throughout the day to stay in full sun. If you can't make the economics of a blanket work, one folding panel which you can stick out in the sun when you want to be in shade might be an option. Just depends on your needs. What sort of power are you after? So far the Allspark and 300W iTechWorld look like the highest output blankets I've tested so far.
I just stumbled across this video so will have to go back and watch parts 1-3. Great honest review and very thorough. The biggest issue I see with most solar blankets is the actual output is well below the stated output. It makes selection difficult.
Glad you enjoyed it mate! Yes that is a big issue, and I discuss this exact point during Part 3, so you'll come to that shortly. But it's partly why I do these videos, so people know what to expect in the real world.
Thanks very much, I appreciate it! The best way to make that happen is if you can share it on your social media /relevant forums you're on etc. Personal recommendations from someone who's found it valuable are gold!
Awesome work, i eventually scraped my idea of getting a blanket and ended up with a 170w kickass fixed panel which I'm pretty happy with i think the uncertainty of if you're going to get anywhere near the rated output for blankets is still a major concern and then what the actual lifespan of these will be. I still don't really know who the perfect customer is for blankets because ideally it's for someone setting up camp and not moving for a while a caravan most likely then you're better off with folding panels if you want to park in the shade or fixed panels on the roof.
Glad you're happy with what you got mate. I'm not sure if panels are more realistic in their ratings or not, anecdotally it sounds a bit way but I've only tested one which wasn't any better and I can't see why the form factor would make any difference other than a few interconnecters. Lifespan possibly might be different, I can't say. I think the ideal buyer for a blanket is the same as that for a folding panel except when storage storage is more limited This is especially true as power outputs go up - panels only fold in half so a powerful panel is like a card table, whereas blankets fold multiple times so are much easier to store. If you were to compare the footprint of a 300W folding panel compared to the 300W itechworld blanket for example, you'd find a big difference. That might matter to some.
Glad you enjoyed it! I touched on this in Part 3 at ua-cam.com/video/o8rLVv2oCnQ/v-deo.htmlsi=SHyI0B8b2dL9TKIc&t=684 - unfortunately in partial shade the exact amount of cloud cover was always changing as the clouds moved, so the sunlight intensity constantly varied and power readings were all over the place. So I couldn't do any fair comparisions there. However I'll be trying to add in a 'shadecloth' test when I post the review on the 300W unit.
Enjoyed the series. I picked up the HardKorr at my local Costco for 270 CAD which is a steal. Hopefully there are no compromises with this because of the price.
Glad you enjoyed it mate. That's a really good price, even accounting for $CAD vs $AUD! Are you sure it was the same type as I covered? Hard Korr does a cheaper range too, called the Lifestyle range, which is a 2x3 or 2x4 array. But if you got the crocskin one for that price you've done very well!
@@TheMusingGreg Oh I see. Then I only have the Lifestyle version. I could have sworn it was the same as yours as I remembered it being very bulky and heavy. Lol. I guess I got it the regular price then.
@@chrisbarbz9238 This is the LifeStyle version: hardkorr.com/au/product/lifestyle-200w-portable-solar-blanket/. If you got that for CAD270 it's still a pretty good price, so while I've not used it to know what it's like, I wouldn't be disappointed in the price you paid vs the retail price. Just it isn't the same unit as I reviewed here. Given the price point and the similarity to other units I've looked at, I expect the panel surfaces are flat with a PET coating which means they'll probably scratch like the Kings blankets I've reviewed I would expect the panel surface will scratch. Check out ua-cam.com/video/cfCM_p21cGs/v-deo.html and there should be some tips that will relate to yours and help you get best results from yours (e.g. keeping the panel surface clean - some people layer thin sheets of tissue paper or towel between the panels when they're folded to prevent scratching). Greetings from Australia! Cheers, Greg
@@TheMusingGreg Thanks Greg. I must say you really covered pretty much everything needed covering on these panels. It was organized, clear and concise. I was at a complete ignorance on what to get. Now I'm much much more informed in making a buying decision. I will definitely check out your other reviews. And this Lifestyle version is going back because I need a tougher and weatherproof setup. Greetings from Canada. More power to you (pun intended)!
Mate thank you very much! That's what I aim to do so I'm really glad to know it hit the mark for you. Please take a moment to share the series on your socials, so I can keep creating relevant related content. Happy shopping!
Thanks Greg for the great review, I don't mind spending a little more money for quality. Would you consider the Allspark blanket you previously reviewed, to be the best of all?
That's an excellent question and it's one I've been thinking a lot about. If it's not the best, it's certainly up there. Performance is very good though obviously lower than the iTechWorld 300W and it costs more, so it's not as good value. But you get some goodies for that extra price - the Allspark's SunPower cells and 5 year warranty probably make up for that and it's what you're probably paying for. I've not heard of anyone unhappy with an Allspark which can't be said for some other brands. I reckon if you're happy to spend the money for the Allspark you won't regret it. Whether it's the best for you might depend on other factors like size and weight, the cumbersome size (like the Hard Korr) and lack of an accessory pouch. But if those sorts of things aren't deal-breakers I reckon it's a very good blanket. Is that not sitting on the fence too much? 😄
I would love to hear your thoughts on these 4 vs the allsparks, as I know you have tested them already. I am thinking of 1 of these but don't know which 1 to get.
Excellent question! Think of the Allspark as a 225W version of the Redarc blanket, with the legs and eyelets of the Hard Korr, but with the length of the Companion (which makes the eyelets less useful) and no accessories other than a single cable. It has SunPower cells which should give it better performance, and as you saw in the Allspark test it produced about 78% of its rating (~180W) in full sun with the legs out, which is better than any of the blankets in this test. However it's more expensive than the other three legged versions, doesn't come with a regulator and the legs aren't really adjustable. If you wanted maximum power and are less fussed about price or its physical size, get the Allspark. If a small size is the main priority, get the Redarc. The other three legged blankets in this review sit between these two extremes as different points of compromise between price, size, power and accessories - Companion is better equipped but more expensive, iTechWorld wins on price, and Hard Korr sits between them as probably still the best all-rounder in my view. Hope this helps, feel free to comment back if you want any more specific insights. Cheers, Greg
My pleasure mate, hopefully you saw the community post I made a few days ago where you can get the Allspark on special with a MPPT regulator and clips included for the same price.
Hi mate, that's because this is a solar blanket comparison, not a hard mounted panel comparison. I didn't need hard mounted panels for my use so don't have those available for testing.
Could you clarify your question a bit? Are you asking if Companion is the best choice overall out of these four, or which product in the Companion range is the best?
Hi mate. Just finished watching your videos on the solar blankets. They were really good, we’ll done. Prices have changed since this video and so I wonder if this would change your verdict/recommendation. The hardkorr panel is about $560 including postage. The itech is $499 and offers free postage and the Companion is $565 inc postage. You seemed to like the companion but it may of been a bit expensive. I just wonder what your thoughts are with the current pricing? Cheers mate.
Hi mate, glad you found them helpful! Thanks for the question, very happy to answer it! At those prices, I would not consider the iTechWorld unless you really like orange or an extra kilo or two for the others is a deal-breaker. Personally I would choose the Companion over the Hard Korr, as I preferred the lighter and more compact form factor and the extra power of the Companion, and I didn't need its inferior accessories. As you saw it came in a very close second place when it was $100 more than the Hard Korr (I paid $689 for the Companion) so $565 is an excellent deal! However if you don't mind something a bit bigger and heavier and accessories are important to you, then go the Hard Korr. Good luck!
Interesting, I can't comment on those videos without seeing how they did the test setup - if you can share some I'd be interested to take a look. I would expect better results from bench tests, but my videos are all real-world tests, taking into account the losses you'll unavoidably get in the real world from cables, connectors, solder joints and so on. What I saw from the iTechWorld is broadly in line with what I've seen in all of my previous real-world solar blanket tests so I wasn't surprised it was around that 65% mark.
@@asshattery Possible, although the 300W version I bought in May 2023 was still PWM and they don't list a MPPT on their site. I asked them to upgrade this so I would think they'd make a song and a dance if they'd done this. It's possible people might be using their own regulators, however I tested this too - my tests were with my Redarc MPPT regulator, as well as testing the PWM regs they came with and that 65% was about the best I could reliably get.
@@asshattery You sure about that? I just checked itechworld.com.au/collections/solar-blankets/products/200w-solar-blanket-kit-panel-for-caravan-camping-boats-4wd-motorhome and it doesn't say it comes with a MPPT regulator. The one shown in the picture is the same PWM unit as in the one I reviewed.
Not particularly impressed with any of these panels. Have a Companion 200 watt panel and though the folding and storage options are very useful, performance is below par for the cost of this panel. I also own a Ecoflow BF 220 and these panels easily outperform Companion panels. Ecoflows are easy able to get very close to 200 watts in reasonable solar conditions and quite were showing almost 50% greater output than Companion. I'll say that the kickstand on the Ecoflow is just awful and it surprises me that such an innovative company could design such a substandard pack-away and stand arrangement. Seems they are upgrading with their Nextegen panels to a much improved stand system and that might address some of the issues with the current design.
Thanks for the info mate, I'll keep an eye out for the updated Ecoflow! In the big picture yeah I agree with you none are amazing relative to their specs, but in all the testing I've done I've not seen better than 80% of the rating. So that's the context in which my conclusions are drawn.
@@TheMusingGreg Interesting Greg. I'll continue to work my Companion panel and see if I can improve the output. I should add that I've been able to achieve 230 watts from the Ecoflow 220 Bifacial with a bit of rear light reflection without too much effort. Very much appreciate your comments and really enjoy your very well detailed tests. Cheers
That sounds very promising, thanks for the update. Look forward to hearing what other results you get from the Companion. Glad you're enjoying the channel cheers!
lets see itech world 200w pwm, $599 only performed at 60% of rated power/ Hard Corr $579 the best in your oppinion, 200W only got 120W, only 60% of manufacures claims, Companion $689 300W only got 65%, Redark 160W % $850 only got 100W 70%. why dont you people say how it is , these all performed very poorly, I wouldnt waste my money of any of these makes after watching this video, all have faults all have PWM controllers. If this was a car it would get taken straight back to where i bought it from, we campers expect these things to do what is on the box not to be lied to. I know these specs are done in a lab with so many lumens of light at 1 mtr, but its not the real world. We go camping and need things to be reliable not like this rubish, So when i next buy a solar panel i would have to half what the makers say. its not good enough, we are being lied to.
Hi mate, I completely agree with your frustrations and that's why I started doing these videos in the first place - the first Kings 120W blanket I got only produced about 40W! Did you check out the third video? Because I covered this issue in some detail ua-cam.com/video/o8rLVv2oCnQ/v-deo.html and I stated there that the advertised ratings are "definitely misleading". So I'm absolutely saying it how it is - the performance on all four is definitely less than advertised and I don't like that. So I'm on your side mate, that's why I'm doing these reviews. But this issue holds true for every solar blanket I've tested so far, and I presume every unit on the market too because they're all tested under the same standard. So you might say you wouldn't waste your money on any of them and - I don't blame you if you're expecting what it says on the box; but that means you'll never buy any solar blanket because they're all stuck with the same testing standard. Until the suggestions I made in Video 3 are actioned, the only reliable solution is to have real-world testing like I've done to tell you what to really expect. I'm a camper myself and I feel the frustration. But I can't change the standard or coerce the companies to work on a more reliable solution. So the best I can do is inform people what to expect. The Hard Korr is the best of the four in my opinion for most people, but that doesn't mean I'm happy with every aspect of its performance. Cheers, Greg
![[TESTED] KINGS vs REDARC solar blankets - shoot-out! 🤠](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/AActNzBZ9FA/mqdefault.jpg)
![[TESTED] KINGS vs REDARC solar blankets - shoot-out! 🤠](/img/tr.png)
Thanks! Greg, I ended up with the Allspark after considering all your reviews.
You're very welcome Adam, thanks so much for your support, and I'm glad the information helped guide you to the right decision for you! I think the Allspark's a great choice, if a little pricey, but its solid performance, SunPower cells, and 5 year warranty make it a really good product, plus Offroad Living's excellent customer service!
Best wishes!
Greg
Just have to say, one of the best comparison reviews (all 4 parts) I've seen. Can't imagine the effort that went into it. Well planned, real life tested and presented, thanks.
Thank you very much (again!), I really appreciate it! You're spot on, it's been very interesting to do but I'm glad the marathon is over! Now who were my family again? 😄
Great work!! I like how you give points for the companies to improve their product. Hopefully they take it seriously and make improvements.
Thanks very much Jack, I really appreciate your support so I can keep making videos like this! Yeah I hope they make these sorts of improvements, it means we get products that work better, and they get a better rap from customers who use their products and like the fact they listen to feedback! Which blanket did you end up choosing yourself?
You’re welcome and thank you for making these videos, I think they will help many buyers and sellers. I already have a kings blanket, but I am realizing the cheap quality. I’m saving up and I will probably end up buying the Hard Korr.
My pleasure mate, and good choice on the Hard Korr! It's a great product! I just noticed Snowy's doesn't sell these anymore, but Outback Equipment does and they're cheaper than the ones on eBay, so I've just updated the affiliate link in the description if you decide to purchase from Outback Equipment - bit.ly/HardKorrSolarBlanket-OE
What a comprehensive and thorough review, well done!
Thanks very much Andy, I'm delighted to hear you found it so helpful! Please share with your friends!
Thanks for mentioning the charge controllers. The MPPT is way better than a PWM in terms of charge provided to the batteries. But surprisingly they are only about $25 more than the PWM at retail price. I guess every dollar counts when putting a package deal together. Thanks for you exhaustive and well detailed review. I look forward to your next video.
No worries mate thanks for the suggestion! I had noted that at the beginning, but to be honest I had completely forgotten about it by the time I put the video together until your comment. I don't know if you noticed but I actually had uploaded this last night without commenting on the MPPT regulators, so this is an updated version done this morning thanks to your input! (You can probably pick my morning voice in the voice-overs on the MPPT section! 😄)
Thanks for the in-depth review. I was heading towards the 200W iTechworld. I'll give it a miss now. I'll have a closer look at the Companion. However, after seeing how poorly all of them performed compared to their rated wattage, I think I'd prefer a folding panel if I can squeeze one in somewhere.
Hey thanks very much for the tip Jack, I really appreciate it! Unfortunately pretty well all solar blankets or panels will struggle to produce much more than about 80% of their rating in the real world because of how how the testing standards work. They are tested under absolutely ideal lab conditions and don't allow for real world losses through the cabling and regulator. That's why real world testing like I do is so important for consumers. You might like to look at the Allspark review I posted ua-cam.com/video/L8mzNTfVS1Y/v-deo.html as that one gave about 80% of its rated capacity. I'm at a caravan show in Perth at the moment and they've got it on special here for $750, which is a brilliant buy. No adjustable legs, but it still works really well and has got Sunpower cells which help with the higher power output.
A very thorough unbiased review, thank you for your efforts.
Covering a single section of panel at a time may help identify if there is an issue with your new 300w. Should be consistent loss on each panel.
Good tip, I'll try that in the next review! Glad you found it helpful, please share on your socials! 🙂
Outstanding review in real world conditions. A big thank you for putting it together. I just bought the 300 watt itechworld blanket with your discount code ❤
My pleasure mate, well done for getting a good deal! I'm sure the 300W unit will serve you well! Did you use the affiliate link to go to iTechWorld's site, or did you just go to their site directly? I'm still working out how what info comes through at my end. Cheers!
@@TheMusingGreg Unfortunately I went direct after seeing your part 3 video. However I have just emailed iTechworld to tell them I only bought their solar blanket due to your review video. I asked that you get rewarded for this sale for all your hard work. Fingers crossed they come to the party.
Great thanks very much mate I appreciate it. Fingers crossed!
Very well produced set of 4 videos. You obviously put a great deal of thought in to how you would present all this information.
I have been considering the itech 300 for some time. Many of the videos (yours and others) focus on the watts that the blanket produces. I have focussed on the advertised number of amps the blanket produces. Itech state the 300 watt blanket will produce 16 amps.. Several videos demonstrate that this is the case. Would be interested in your views on this.
Thanks mate, I'm glad to hear you found it so helpful! That is one reason I include videos of the power meter so people can see more details if they want them. So for example at ua-cam.com/video/o8rLVv2oCnQ/v-deo.html you can see the 300W unit's putting out 16.47A. On other tests with lower power ua-cam.com/video/9ltBJX8ZVZ0/v-deo.html you can see I got around 12.5A, and this little series shows four tests of the 300W blanket with several different power outputs: ua-cam.com/video/o8rLVv2oCnQ/v-deo.html
So my view is that yes the 300W iTechWorld blanket (at least the one the other guy had) is capable of producing over 16A in ideal conditions, however I have only seen about 12.8A max on mine.
Top shelf review series
Glad your found it helpful mate, thanks for letting me know! Please share it with your friends!
What an amazing amount of effort you put in to this series Greg. By far the best real world comparison of these higher end blankets I’ve seen. Very long …. But it needed to be to cover what you did. Your delivery and presentation skills are exceptional. Can’t believe your subscription numbers aren’t way higher. Thank you for all the work.
@@rickmcewan6011 Thanks very much mate, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I think the big factor is getting more people to share the series on social media. The more that happens the more others will see it and hopefully those numbers will climb in time. So please share!
The series was way much longer than I ever expected, but if it was shorter I would have had to cut content which I really felt was relevant to what people would want to know, and supported my overall view of which was best. Cheers!
Amazing reviews! Thanks for taking the time👍🏻
No worries thanks! Please share them on your socials!
Just a thought. For the Companion, you could string a line under the top of the legs and use that to hang the unit up. Secondary lines could be strung upward from this to give multiple hanging points along its length.
Hmm that's possible, good thought Peter. The legs are attached high enough that it wouldn't be top heavy. But I'm not sure about the horizontal centre of gravity, my feeling is they would rotate forwards due to the weight of the panels. Can't test now as the blanket went back under warranty but I'll try it out if I get another one.
hi I get 150watts from my 200watt Itech and 11.3 amps aim in WA summer test
That sounds good. I maxed at 140w but it was Feb/March so I'd expect them all to produce a bit more in Dec/Jan. That being the case, the Hard Korr and Companion would probably be giving you more like 150-160w if you had them there, as they consistently outgunned the iTechWorld.
Hi great review my only comment is the outputs you were getting from the ITEC world 200 . I have just been doing some testing on this particular blanket and found that with one panel covered on the blanket gave me the same which says that there may have been something wrong with the one in your test so far I have been getting up to 189 Watt's max that I have seen and has given a constant 9 to 11 amps output. A couple of other you tube tests show similar results to what I am getting. But anyway great 4 part comparison loved watching it
Thanks for the comment. Yeah I did wonder if the 200W version was faulty after I tried out the 300W version, and I discussed that during video 3. Based on that comparison, iTechWorld agreed it was probably faulty, but when I sent it back and they tested it they said it wasn't faulty and all was working as expected. So I can only take their decision that this is normal for a 200W blanket, even though I can't explain why it only produced 70% of its rated output when the 300W version managed 90% under identical conditions.
Maybe put it out in the sun and cover each panel individually and see if it changes the output and if you cover one and it doesn't change then you will know it's faulty.
I could have, but as I said it got sent back and replaced with the 300w version. So I don't have it anymore.
It is somewhat irritating that the advertised wattage on most panels doesn't come anywhere near the reality. Redarc are simply too expensive for what they are and their lack of usability (lack of legs etc.) rules them out for me. They should sell these without the regulators too as I simply don't wand a cheap PWM reg, I have a few of them hanging around now and that could be $30 off the price. I don't know if I am any closer to selecting my next solar blanket or not. They just seem to be too expensive compared to fixed solar and as I still have roof space on all my 3 rigs, I might just give up the idea of another solar blanket and add another fixed panel.
Yeah it's annoying, and that's what got me started doing this sort of real world testing in the first place! Did you follow my explanation in Part 3 as to the cause and my suggested solution?
Do you even need a blanket or would a folding panel do the job? Blankets are more complex than a fixed or folding panel but they take up less space which is the trade-off. So bang for buck a panel will generally be better value but you need room to store a big folding panel, or if you go with another fixed roof mount you're then stuck parking in the sun if you want to charge up. That's why I like a blanket - they're small enough to store easily but I can park in the shade while the blanket gets moved throughout the day to stay in full sun. If you can't make the economics of a blanket work, one folding panel which you can stick out in the sun when you want to be in shade might be an option. Just depends on your needs.
What sort of power are you after? So far the Allspark and 300W iTechWorld look like the highest output blankets I've tested so far.
I just stumbled across this video so will have to go back and watch parts 1-3. Great honest review and very thorough.
The biggest issue I see with most solar blankets is the actual output is well below the stated output. It makes selection difficult.
Glad you enjoyed it mate! Yes that is a big issue, and I discuss this exact point during Part 3, so you'll come to that shortly. But it's partly why I do these videos, so people know what to expect in the real world.
@@TheMusingGreg thanks, people really need these honest reviews.
Thanks very much, I appreciate it! The best way to make that happen is if you can share it on your social media /relevant forums you're on etc. Personal recommendations from someone who's found it valuable are gold!
Awesome work, i eventually scraped my idea of getting a blanket and ended up with a 170w kickass fixed panel which I'm pretty happy with i think the uncertainty of if you're going to get anywhere near the rated output for blankets is still a major concern and then what the actual lifespan of these will be. I still don't really know who the perfect customer is for blankets because ideally it's for someone setting up camp and not moving for a while a caravan most likely then you're better off with folding panels if you want to park in the shade or fixed panels on the roof.
Glad you're happy with what you got mate. I'm not sure if panels are more realistic in their ratings or not, anecdotally it sounds a bit way but I've only tested one which wasn't any better and I can't see why the form factor would make any difference other than a few interconnecters. Lifespan possibly might be different, I can't say.
I think the ideal buyer for a blanket is the same as that for a folding panel except when storage storage is more limited
This is especially true as power outputs go up - panels only fold in half so a powerful panel is like a card table, whereas blankets fold multiple times so are much easier to store. If you were to compare the footprint of a 300W folding panel compared to the 300W itechworld blanket for example, you'd find a big difference. That might matter to some.
Thanks
You are very welcome! Thank you very much for your support! 👍👍
Great show, thankyou
Glad you enjoyed it Rod! Please share the series on your socials!
Fabulous review series. I think I missed one aspect. Did you test if blankets performed in partial shade versus full sun?
Glad you enjoyed it! I touched on this in Part 3 at ua-cam.com/video/o8rLVv2oCnQ/v-deo.htmlsi=SHyI0B8b2dL9TKIc&t=684 - unfortunately in partial shade the exact amount of cloud cover was always changing as the clouds moved, so the sunlight intensity constantly varied and power readings were all over the place. So I couldn't do any fair comparisions there. However I'll be trying to add in a 'shadecloth' test when I post the review on the 300W unit.
Enjoyed the series. I picked up the HardKorr at my local Costco for 270 CAD which is a steal. Hopefully there are no compromises with this because of the price.
Glad you enjoyed it mate. That's a really good price, even accounting for $CAD vs $AUD! Are you sure it was the same type as I covered? Hard Korr does a cheaper range too, called the Lifestyle range, which is a 2x3 or 2x4 array. But if you got the crocskin one for that price you've done very well!
@@TheMusingGreg Oh I see. Then I only have the Lifestyle version. I could have sworn it was the same as yours as I remembered it being very bulky and heavy. Lol. I guess I got it the regular price then.
@@chrisbarbz9238 This is the LifeStyle version: hardkorr.com/au/product/lifestyle-200w-portable-solar-blanket/. If you got that for CAD270 it's still a pretty good price, so while I've not used it to know what it's like, I wouldn't be disappointed in the price you paid vs the retail price. Just it isn't the same unit as I reviewed here. Given the price point and the similarity to other units I've looked at, I expect the panel surfaces are flat with a PET coating which means they'll probably scratch like the Kings blankets I've reviewed I would expect the panel surface will scratch. Check out ua-cam.com/video/cfCM_p21cGs/v-deo.html and there should be some tips that will relate to yours and help you get best results from yours (e.g. keeping the panel surface clean - some people layer thin sheets of tissue paper or towel between the panels when they're folded to prevent scratching).
Greetings from Australia!
Cheers,
Greg
@@TheMusingGreg Thanks Greg. I must say you really covered pretty much everything needed covering on these panels. It was organized, clear and concise. I was at a complete ignorance on what to get. Now I'm much much more informed in making a buying decision. I will definitely check out your other reviews.
And this Lifestyle version is going back because I need a tougher and weatherproof setup.
Greetings from Canada. More power to you (pun intended)!
Mate thank you very much! That's what I aim to do so I'm really glad to know it hit the mark for you. Please take a moment to share the series on your socials, so I can keep creating relevant related content. Happy shopping!
Thanks Greg for the great review, I don't mind spending a little more money for quality. Would you consider the Allspark blanket you previously reviewed, to be the best of all?
That's an excellent question and it's one I've been thinking a lot about. If it's not the best, it's certainly up there. Performance is very good though obviously lower than the iTechWorld 300W and it costs more, so it's not as good value. But you get some goodies for that extra price - the Allspark's SunPower cells and 5 year warranty probably make up for that and it's what you're probably paying for. I've not heard of anyone unhappy with an Allspark which can't be said for some other brands. I reckon if you're happy to spend the money for the Allspark you won't regret it. Whether it's the best for you might depend on other factors like size and weight, the cumbersome size (like the Hard Korr) and lack of an accessory pouch. But if those sorts of things aren't deal-breakers I reckon it's a very good blanket. Is that not sitting on the fence too much? 😄
I would love to hear your thoughts on these 4 vs the allsparks, as I know you have tested them already. I am thinking of 1 of these but don't know which 1 to get.
Excellent question! Think of the Allspark as a 225W version of the Redarc blanket, with the legs and eyelets of the Hard Korr, but with the length of the Companion (which makes the eyelets less useful) and no accessories other than a single cable. It has SunPower cells which should give it better performance, and as you saw in the Allspark test it produced about 78% of its rating (~180W) in full sun with the legs out, which is better than any of the blankets in this test. However it's more expensive than the other three legged versions, doesn't come with a regulator and the legs aren't really adjustable.
If you wanted maximum power and are less fussed about price or its physical size, get the Allspark. If a small size is the main priority, get the Redarc. The other three legged blankets in this review sit between these two extremes as different points of compromise between price, size, power and accessories - Companion is better equipped but more expensive, iTechWorld wins on price, and Hard Korr sits between them as probably still the best all-rounder in my view.
Hope this helps, feel free to comment back if you want any more specific insights.
Cheers,
Greg
@@TheMusingGreg thank you for the very detailed answer. you have helped me out greatly.
My pleasure mate, hopefully you saw the community post I made a few days ago where you can get the Allspark on special with a MPPT regulator and clips included for the same price.
Ummm
Can I ask why I can’t see any hard mounted solar panels in your video selections?
Hi mate, that's because this is a solar blanket comparison, not a hard mounted panel comparison. I didn't need hard mounted panels for my use so don't have those available for testing.
😂😂😂 The answer is in the video title.
So what’s better companian solar overall?
Could you clarify your question a bit? Are you asking if Companion is the best choice overall out of these four, or which product in the Companion range is the best?
Hi mate.
Just finished watching your videos on the solar blankets. They were really good, we’ll done.
Prices have changed since this video and so I wonder if this would change your verdict/recommendation. The hardkorr panel is about $560 including postage.
The itech is $499 and offers free postage and the Companion is $565 inc postage.
You seemed to like the companion but it may of been a bit expensive. I just wonder what your thoughts are with the current pricing?
Cheers mate.
Hi mate, glad you found them helpful! Thanks for the question, very happy to answer it!
At those prices, I would not consider the iTechWorld unless you really like orange or an extra kilo or two for the others is a deal-breaker. Personally I would choose the Companion over the Hard Korr, as I preferred the lighter and more compact form factor and the extra power of the Companion, and I didn't need its inferior accessories. As you saw it came in a very close second place when it was $100 more than the Hard Korr (I paid $689 for the Companion) so $565 is an excellent deal! However if you don't mind something a bit bigger and heavier and accessories are important to you, then go the Hard Korr.
Good luck!
surprised at the itechworld output ive seen videos where they perform significantly better
Interesting, I can't comment on those videos without seeing how they did the test setup - if you can share some I'd be interested to take a look. I would expect better results from bench tests, but my videos are all real-world tests, taking into account the losses you'll unavoidably get in the real world from cables, connectors, solder joints and so on.
What I saw from the iTechWorld is broadly in line with what I've seen in all of my previous real-world solar blanket tests so I wasn't surprised it was around that 65% mark.
@@TheMusingGreg could be that they come with a MPPT controller now, or could be people using them with their own regs instead of the included PWM.
@@asshattery Possible, although the 300W version I bought in May 2023 was still PWM and they don't list a MPPT on their site. I asked them to upgrade this so I would think they'd make a song and a dance if they'd done this.
It's possible people might be using their own regulators, however I tested this too - my tests were with my Redarc MPPT regulator, as well as testing the PWM regs they came with and that 65% was about the best I could reliably get.
@@TheMusingGreg I'm in the market for a panel and saw they include MPPT with their 200w now, same $599 on sale price too!
@@asshattery You sure about that? I just checked itechworld.com.au/collections/solar-blankets/products/200w-solar-blanket-kit-panel-for-caravan-camping-boats-4wd-motorhome and it doesn't say it comes with a MPPT regulator. The one shown in the picture is the same PWM unit as in the one I reviewed.
Not particularly impressed with any of these panels. Have a Companion 200 watt panel and though the folding and storage options are very useful, performance is below par for the cost of this panel. I also own a Ecoflow BF 220 and these panels easily outperform Companion panels. Ecoflows are easy able to get very close to 200 watts in reasonable solar conditions and quite were showing almost 50% greater output than Companion. I'll say that the kickstand on the Ecoflow is just awful and it surprises me that such an innovative company could design such a substandard pack-away and stand arrangement. Seems they are upgrading with their Nextegen panels to a much improved stand system and that might address some of the issues with the current design.
Thanks for the info mate, I'll keep an eye out for the updated Ecoflow! In the big picture yeah I agree with you none are amazing relative to their specs, but in all the testing I've done I've not seen better than 80% of the rating. So that's the context in which my conclusions are drawn.
@@TheMusingGreg Interesting Greg. I'll continue to work my Companion panel and see if I can improve the output. I should add that I've been able to achieve 230 watts from the Ecoflow 220 Bifacial with a bit of rear light reflection without too much effort. Very much appreciate your comments and really enjoy your very well detailed tests. Cheers
That sounds very promising, thanks for the update. Look forward to hearing what other results you get from the Companion. Glad you're enjoying the channel cheers!
lets see itech world 200w pwm, $599 only performed at 60% of rated power/ Hard Corr $579 the best in your oppinion, 200W only got 120W, only 60% of manufacures claims, Companion $689 300W only got 65%, Redark 160W % $850 only got 100W 70%. why dont you people say how it is , these all performed very poorly, I wouldnt waste my money of any of these makes after watching this video, all have faults all have PWM controllers. If this was a car it would get taken straight back to where i bought it from, we campers expect these things to do what is on the box not to be lied to. I know these specs are done in a lab with so many lumens of light at 1 mtr, but its not the real world. We go camping and need things to be reliable not like this rubish, So when i next buy a solar panel i would have to half what the makers say. its not good enough, we are being lied to.
Hi mate,
I completely agree with your frustrations and that's why I started doing these videos in the first place - the first Kings 120W blanket I got only produced about 40W!
Did you check out the third video? Because I covered this issue in some detail ua-cam.com/video/o8rLVv2oCnQ/v-deo.html and I stated there that the advertised ratings are "definitely misleading". So I'm absolutely saying it how it is - the performance on all four is definitely less than advertised and I don't like that. So I'm on your side mate, that's why I'm doing these reviews. But this issue holds true for every solar blanket I've tested so far, and I presume every unit on the market too because they're all tested under the same standard. So you might say you wouldn't waste your money on any of them and - I don't blame you if you're expecting what it says on the box; but that means you'll never buy any solar blanket because they're all stuck with the same testing standard. Until the suggestions I made in Video 3 are actioned, the only reliable solution is to have real-world testing like I've done to tell you what to really expect.
I'm a camper myself and I feel the frustration. But I can't change the standard or coerce the companies to work on a more reliable solution. So the best I can do is inform people what to expect.
The Hard Korr is the best of the four in my opinion for most people, but that doesn't mean I'm happy with every aspect of its performance.
Cheers,
Greg