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It only takes one dead phone battery to understand the importance of a camping power bank. Whether it’s photographing local flora and fauna, setting an alarm for your sunrise hike, or accessing driving directions home, it’s important to have enough energy to see you through the rest of your trip. To make sure you never run out of power outdoors again, I’ve tested some of the best camping batteries on the market today:
Best Portable Battery Power Pack
I have tested the best power banks for camping in several ways over several years. I took them camping in the car, exposed them to the sun and wind, while the night temperatures dropped to forty degrees. I have used the chargers for a number of purposes including charging my phone, laptop, and charging/powering pumps for the best camping mattresses for couples. During the test, I paid attention to which chargers I reach for most often and how long they last.
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I then tested the powerbanks to see how long they would charge and how long I could power various electronics with that charge. All the devices were tested to see how well they power my phone, the Google Pixel 4. In this review, I compared like with like as much as possible – in terms of price and milliamps.
This review focuses on portable power banks suitable for small electronics such as phones and laptops. If you’re looking for a more powerful setup that can power more electronics, including small refrigerators or electric stoves, check out our review of the best solar generators.
There can be a fine line with camping power. We’re trying to get off the grid, but we need some of the grid to take with us: for camping enthusiasts, air pumps, flashlights, and of course our phones. And when smaller smartphone-sized batteries stop working (try sharing one of those with a loved one for more than three days), it can be tempting to upgrade to a real beast — a power bank that might double as a home generator. Which can sometimes start to seem like it defeats the purpose of being offline at all.
The Anker 511 Portable Powerstation is the perfect environment for your power needs. There’s enough juice that you’ll never have to worry about charging your phone, but not enough that you’ll be tempted to stream the entirety of Grey’s Anatomy while sitting by the campfire. It’s big enough to include some extras like a flashlight (handy) and an AC outlet, which was a feature I didn’t even know I wanted until I got to camp. But even with all that, it’s still small enough that you don’t have to consider its size when you’re putting all your gear in your car. It would have been nice if the Anker 511 had included a digital display to show how much power it had left, rather than relying on an upgraded version of the light bars on the smaller power banks, but it still provided the information I needed – yes, this bank had enough left. of juice until the end of my journey.
Portable Chargers And Power Banks Worth Considering In 2022
This large power bank (or is it a small power bank?) has more uses in my arsenal than any other. It’s small and lightweight, making it extremely portable and easy to fit into tight corners of cluttered adventure gear. There’s a handy AC outlet that can handle almost any power need you’ll have in the countryside. And it pairs well with some of the best solar panels for camping, including one of my top picks, the Anker 625 Solar Panel.
If you’ve been curious about experimenting with using solar power while you’re out and about (as opposed to fully charging a larger plant and turning it off), then this combo is a great place to start. The Jackery Explorer 290 impressed me with its ability to draw power from a variety of solar panels even in low-light situations, slowly charging a few watts at a time, even when the sun is low on the horizon or behind clouds.
The more than impressive output power of the Anker 737 Power Bank combined with the best-in-class display provided an unusually impressive user experience. Unlike other power banks I’ve looked at, where I guess the actual power consumption based on how fast the flashing lights disappear, this one gives detailed information for each port, down to the tenth of a watt. It even provides information on battery life, including the total watt-hours you’ve put in and taken out (although, strangely, it doesn’t tell you the number of watt-hours left in the battery itself). Power output here is also fast: you’ll be limited more by the cables available than your power bank (thankfully, Anker offers a USB-C cable that can deliver up to 140W of power). You may also be limited by your devices. Even including two laptops and a smartphone in this setup, I didn’t get close to the 140W mark.
While I didn’t have any devices to test the Anker 737’s 140W capabilities, plugging in multiple devices that were supposed to add up to 140W proved unsuccessful: the device wouldn’t exceed 100W. Regardless, it would still be plenty of power for most devices folks, and this setup will still take down a fully charged Anker 737 in less than an hour.
Amazon.com: Portable Power Station 300w, 288wh, Ac/dc/usb/wireless Power Supply, 78000mah Lithium Battery, 110v Output, Emergency Light, Solar Charging Supported For Outdoors, Camping, Travel, Hunting
My only complaints about the Anker 737 are the screen. Although it is easy to read indoors, outdoors, even in low light, it can be difficult to read the screen. Also, if you leave the screen on for too long (it can be set to not turn off), it will drain your battery surprisingly quickly. And while I wish the Anker 737 had an AC port, I suspect the need for them will likely decline rapidly in the coming years. Probably even enough to push this power bank to the top.
The Scosche PowerUp 32K was just behind my top overall pick, the Anker 511 Portable Powerstation – if it could power two devices simultaneously during testing, it would have been the best. That’s because the PowerUp 32K’s specs were the most impressive of any power bank in my test. First, like the Anker 511, it had an AC outlet that was powered by a simple on/off button that was separate from the USB on/off switch. It also has a digital display that enables an even more accurate and intuitive reading of the remaining power.
But what really made this power bank stand out was the flashlight. While the other products in my test looked like batteries that someone added a flashlight to, the PowerUp 32K is more of one of the best flashlights that someone put a battery into – it was the brightest in my test, with a side handle that’s easy to carry while searching his tent after dusk.
Most campers will keep their power bank in their car or perhaps in their tent. But if you plan to take yours with you for a walk or keep it next to you while you cook dinner, then the GoalZero Venture 35 might be a better choice for you. In addition to the rubber case, it also has a silicone cap that closes three ports and four lights that show how much charge is left in the battery. I also liked that holding down the power button activates the flashlight, which is always handy when returning to the tent after putting out the evening campfire. While this one didn’t have as much of an impact as the BioLite Charge 40 PD or the Mophie Powerstation (even given its smaller internal battery), if you think there’s a chance your power bank will be exposed to the elements, then this is the over-the-top choice for you. (Those concerned about battery size also have the option to step up to the Venture 75’s 19,200 mAh).
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The silicone cap broke off the Venture 35 during testing, and while it still works, its waterproof capabilities will be greatly reduced if lost. Laura Lancaster
Despite this power bank’s more rugged bonafides, don’t be fooled into thinking it’s bombproof. The silicone plug is attached to the rest of the power supply with a relatively thin tape, which broke quite easily when pulled during testing. Although the case continues to work even when it is no longer connected to the power bank, its waterproof capabilities will be greatly reduced if it is lost or left unprotected.
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