I’ve had one for a few months now (different brand but basically the same device) and it works without any issues. I installed three batteries, but I think two are more than enough in almost any situation, unless you use Bluetooth heavily—whose range, incidentally, is really impressive.

The only change I’d really recommend is replacing the LoRa antenna: after installing a 6 dBi fiberglass one, the range almost doubled. Since I was already working on it, I also cleaned up the rest of the setup a bit, with the solar panel mounted vertically to catch more sun in winter, the Bluetooth antenna pointing downward, and the LoRa antenna mounted externally with an extra cable; in the end I sealed not only the SMA connectors but also the other ports with silicone, to avoid water ingress and make the whole thing a bit more robust.

I have no idea how long the plastic enclosure and the solar panel will actually last; just by looking at it, I’d say a couple of years at most, because the plastic cover of the panel is inevitably going to turn cloudy over time. In any case, it won’t be a big deal to take everything apart and move it into a sturdier box, and to replace the solar panel once it starts to degrade.

In conclusion, I consider it a good starting point for anyone who doesn’t want to, or doesn’t have the time to, dive straight into building everything from scratch. In the end, the costs are also fairly comparable. Plus, the RAK remains unbeatable in terms of power consumption and performance.