DISASTER PREP: So I ordered the Eton Boost Turbine 2000, which is a backup power source for cellphones, etc. It’s a 2000 mah battery pack with USB outlets, and a mini-USB input for charging. You can also charge it with the hand-crank dynamo, which is easy enough, but as the manual says, “It is not recommended to fully charge the Boost Turbine using only dynamo power due to the time required on the user’s part.” It says that one minute of charging should produce about one minute of talk time. I cranked for a couple of minutes, and it’s easy enough, but boring. Still, if you’re suffering from an extensive outage, it’s nice to have a way to charge your phone. And one minute of talk time supports a lot more texting, which is the best way to communicate in a diaster anyway.

I also ordered the Eton Boostbloc 6600, which is over three times as powerful, but can’t be recharged with a crank. It’s easy to use and actually takes up less space. Which is better? Depends on how long you expect to be without power.