Keeping the Juice with Revision NervCentr

Revision is mostly known for such protective products as helmets and eye pro, but they've actually got a whole lot more going on. It was announced last fall that Revision acquired the talent and technology to bring new bombproof batteries into the field, and I got to handle some this year at SOFIC. The goal of NervCentr is to eliminate the logistical pain in the ass of batteries. Unless everything is spot-on, all too often it seems like either you're not getting enough juice to run your gear, or worse, getting the wrong kind.

Revision set out to solve the problems of obtaining and carrying loose batteries by centralizing power into something portable and stupid-easy to use. The idea is to treat electricity like any other consumable such as water, chow, or ammunition. Think of the electricity in the NervCentr system like jugs of water–you drink it, consolidate it, and refill it as needed.

First we'll talk about the SoloPack. It's a basic lithium battery that weighs in at around a pound and is tailor made to fit into a single M4 magazine pouch. It's a plug-and-play device that's compatable with existing chargers, Nett Warrior, and sports a Glenair port. It can be recharged through almost any source and packs 96 watt hours, which Revision says is enough to make it through a 12 hour mission depending on your power requirements.

The SharePack is the big brother to the SoloPack. It weighs just over two pounds and is about the size of a side SAPI plate–and that's no accident. It can ride comfortably inside or outside a plate pouch. If the SoloPack is a canteen, then the SharePack is bigassed bladder that can be programmed. Featuring dual ports (as well as a standard USB, as you can see), the SharePack can handle multiple devices at once. 

We're not talking about just powering multiple devices either. Batteries can be daisy chained together to increase output. The SharePack can charge from other batteries, recharge other batteries, do both at the same time, or you can set them up in a discharge sequence. You could keep the larger SharePack in a vehicle and plug your SoloPack into it. As you use juice, you can ensure the SoloPack stays full for when you dismount. Just unplug and go. The SharePack can also handle multiple voltages in each port, and automatically knows how much juice to give something. A single SharePack keeps up to 150 watt hours on board.

Both the SharePack and SoloPack have a wide operating range of temperatures (especially good for those in colder climates) and have overcurrent protection.

Programming is performed via a simple screen and large push buttons. Now, I'm not going to say that it's as simple as tossing some CR123's into something but if it performs as well as they say it has the potential to completely change how we manage power.

For more information, visit Revision's homepage here, or give them a follow on Facebook.