Harbor Freight's New $120 Solar Panel Rivals The $250 Goal Zero Version

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Goal Zero is a big name in the portable power market. Since its breakout on the market in 2009, the Goal Zero catalog has grown to include solar panels, generators, lights, and a variety that includes some of the best portable power stations. One of its most well-received products is its Goal Zero Boulder 100-Watt monocrystalline solar panel (product number 32407), which many owners praise for its portability, versatility, and effectiveness. However, the Boulder 100 has a new competitor on the block. Harbor Freight is now offering the Thunderbolt Solar 100-Watt monocrystalline solar panel, with a product listing imploring users to directly compare it to the  Goal Zero 32407. 

From a pricing perspective, the Thunderbolt Solar panel is indeed cheaper. Thunderbolt Solar is a Harbor Freight-exclusive, and, as such, its panels can only be purchased via Harbor Freight's online and in-person stores. Thus, the $120 price tag for the Thunderbolt Solar 100-Watt panel is the only price available.

However, the Boulder 100 is available on several sites at varying prices. On the Goal Zero home site and other retailer sites like ShopSolar, the price is set at $150, though this offering is often out of stock. You're more likely to find it in stock and marked up to $250 on Amazon, so the Boulder 100 is realistically anywhere from $30 to $130 more expensive than the Thunderbolt Solar version. But does the higher price of the Goal Zero panel reflect its higher quality?

Though they don't share the same price, the specs of the Goal Zero Boulder 100 and Harbor Freight's Thunderbolt Solar 100-Watt panel match up pretty closely. Both are 100-Watt panels, so they're best used for charging batteries or small devices like laptops. They're also both made of monocrystalline cells, giving them greater efficiency compared to polycrystalline cells. Even the two panels' dimensions are similar; the Boulder 100 panel measures 40.0″ x 26.75″ x 1.75″ while the Thunderbolt Solar panel measures 41.1″ x 22.6″ x 1.3″.

With so many similarities, the price difference is possibly due to the build quality. The Boulder 100 weighs 20.1 pounds, while the Thunderbolt Solar panel weighs 15 pounds. Those 5 pounds make a big difference for some customers. One reviewer of the Boulder 100 writes, "I was disconcerted about the weight... they were pretty heavy and I was expecting something, not really flimsy, but lighter." It's a fair critique of a solar panel built for portability, but that hefty build may give the Boulder 100 better durability. The reviewer goes on, "They are solidly built and if you take care of them... they will last you a long time."

Unfortunately, Harbor Freight's version was just released, so it's too soon to be able to compare user reviews relating to its durability. Still, its 25% lighter weight is likely to raise some eyebrows. Both products have aluminum frames, corner protectors, and tempered glass coverings. Most importantly, however, the cheaper panel comes with a shorter warranty window; the Thunderbolt Solar 100-Watt solar panel from Harbor Freight has a 90-day warranty that covers defects, while the Goal Zero Boulder 100 has a two-year warranty. Ultimately, the extra price is for extra peace of mind.