Most portable radios ask you to remember a charger. The Roberts SolarDAB 99 takes a different view: pack it, walk into the wilderness, and trust the sun (or your own forearm) to keep the music going. Roberts pitches it as “the ultimate outdoor radio for explorers,” and the spec sheet backs up the swagger.
At its core, this is a proper broadcast radio. You get DAB, DAB+ and FM reception, plus Bluetooth audio streaming for when you’d rather run your own playlist. There’s room for 40 presets — 20 for FM and 20 for DAB — so your favourite stations are one button away wherever you roam.
The interesting part is how it stays alive. The SolarDAB 99 packs a rechargeable battery good for 20 hours, topped up via built-in solar panels, USB-C charging, or — when all else fails — a hand-crank dynamo. Roberts reckons one minute of cranking buys you up to seven minutes of playback, which is a reassuring number to have in the back of your mind when you’re miles from a socket.
Then things get unexpectedly serious. This isn’t just a speaker with a tan; it’s kitted out with genuine emergency gear:
- An LED flashlight for the campsite or the trail after dark
- Alternating red and white lights that flash SOS in Morse code
- A built-in emergency siren to make yourself heard
It’s an unusually thoughtful combination — part boombox, part survival kit. If you spend your weekends far from mobile signal, the safety features arguably justify the purchase on their own.
Roberts hasn’t skimped on the build, either. The SolarDAB 99 carries an IP55 rating for water and dust resistance, so a sudden downpour or a dusty trail won’t kill it. At 837g it’s hardly featherweight, but it comes with an attachable carry strap to make hauling it up a hillside a little less awkward. That heft feels appropriate for something designed to take a knock rather than sit prettily on a kitchen shelf.
There’s a certain logic to the timing, too. A solar radio is exactly the kind of gadget you want to hand during a summer heatwave — sun to spare, festivals and campsites in full swing, and plenty of daylight to keep the panels busy. It’s the rare device that actively benefits from the weather forecast that’s making everyone else miserable.
The Roberts SolarDAB 99 is available to buy now, priced at £150. For a radio that streams your tunes, survives the elements and can flash an SOS when the fun turns serious, that reads like fair money for peace of mind with a soundtrack.
