By Kyle MacNall

Every year after the ANME Trade Show, I like to walk the SHOT Show and look for new products that might fit in our readers’ stores. This year one of the companies that I met was Dark Energy and they had some cool power accessories for the outdoors. They sent out samples of their Poseidon Pro “Indestructible Charger “, the Dark Energy Plasma Lighter and a couple of USB-C to USB-C three-foot-long cables wrapped in paracord.

When I was growing up, going camping was time to unplug from the real world. Grab your sleeping bag, a tent, a propane lantern, tools to cut wood and some campfire cookware and say goodbye to modern technology. Nowadays the power accessories are endless. As a father of three I must make sure to remember extra flashlights, rechargeable lanterns, tent fans, head lamps, air pumps, coffee pot (I miss my old blue percolator sitting over the fire), cell phones, tablets, solar chargers, battery powered toys, extra batteries etc.

Backup power storage is always a must and many devices are not really made for the outdoor elements. Dark Energy hails the Poseidon Pro as the “Indestructible Charger.” One look at it and you can see this is not your average battery backup and charger. The Poseidon Pro measures at about six inches tall by three inches wide and only a half an inch thick. It is basically the same size and feel as my I- phone in my hand. The Poseidon pro is completely sealed making it waterproof and submersible up to six feet. This thing is fully armored, and designed to withstand up to 1,000 pounds of crushing force and or a drop, on concrete, from as high as 50 feet.

It can hold up to 10,200 MAH of electricity storage. This can power a smartphone for as long as 36 hours, a tablet for 10 hours or a laptop for five. You can also use Power Pulse feature to recharge any device that can plug into a USB or USB-C port.  The Poseidon Pro is built to hold a charge for up to three years. Customers can charge it, throw it in with their camping gear and know it will be ready to go when they need it.

Included in the package with the Poseidon Pro is a three foot “armored” USB-C to USB-C cable and a cable management pro strap. I was shocked to also find a Carabiner Multi-Tool inside. A happy little surprise for customers. I had to search for packaging to find a small mention of the tool in the bottom corner on the back. The “5-In-1 Multi-Tool Carabiner Pro” is heavy duty and includes a knife, glass breaker, Philips head and flathead head screwdrivers and a bottle opener.  The carabiner latch has a twist closer to keep it secure. The Poseidon Pro retails for $119.99

The Dark Energy Plasma lighters are probably the best thing that they sent us. Harnessing the power of Plasma energy, these lighters are weatherproof and rechargeable. Throw away the disposable matches, flint strikers, disposable lighters, and fluid. Plasma is the wave of the future. The Plasma lighters are waterproof and windproof, giving the user the ability to start a fire in almost any conditions. It has a Safety/Waterproof cap that latches securely with a built-in safety latch. There is also a flashlight with added strobe feature. The Dual Arch plasma lighter creates a small hot flame for quick ignition. With the built-in flashlight. Available in multiple colors the Dark Energy Plasma Lighter retails for just $29.99.

Lastly the USB-C to USB-C 3ft cable is a great add one or standalone item. Just about all stores carry some sort of charging cables near the counter. However, these cables are designed for the outdoors and survival in mind. They are built with durability in mind with six levels of reinforcement including Pivot-Protect neck protection, metal reinforced heads and Internal Armor-Flex reinforcement. The cables are wrapped in thirty feet of paracord making them a great survival accessory instead of just another cable.

Dark Energy has clearly put a lot of research and design into their products. The packaging is tip notch and it’s clear that these products were designed to be put to the test in some of the hardest conditions. To view their full line of products, visit www.darkenergy.com. For wholesale pricing and dealer inquiries, send an email to Bart Miller Bart@darkenergy.com and make sure to mention that you read this review in ST Magazine.