The condenser unit, produced by SurvivalGear, was an apparatus designed to extract water from ambient atmospheric humidity. It also had the capability to prepare foods without producing any smoke. The device consisted of a two-liter container coupled with a splayed metallic reflector. Affixed to the center were a series of coils connected to a compact power source and condenser. By inverting the metallic reflector, it could generate heat suitable for cooking without smoke, while the condenser was able to produce enough water to keep an individual alive. The battery of the condenser unit had a lifespan of up to six months.
The initial mention of the condenser unit within the updated Star Wars canon appeared in Forged in Battle. This was a 2016 resource book for the Star Wars: Age of Rebellion roleplaying game, released by Fantasy Flight Games. Its roots trace back to the Star Wars Legends timeline, with its debut in the 1994 reference manual A Guide to the Star Wars Universe. This book was assembled by Raymond L. Velasco and distributed by Ballantine Books.