Get Off the Grid But Stay Powered On with the Best Portable Power Solutions
Sure, getting out into nature is as much about leaving the busyness of life behind as it is about embracing your wilderness environs, so going with as little technology as possible out there is always the way to go. But both for ideal enjoyment of and for safety in the backwoods, it’s important you have at least a few devices you can rely on, such as lighting, a phone or radio, and a camera, as the most basic pieces of hardware to consider.
Without power, those devices and all other electronics soon revert to being mere lumps of added gear weight. Which is why we have rounded up a few portable power solutions that, depending on your activities, will keep you powered up without slowing you down.
Smaller than most smartphones for which it was designed, this portable charger is lightweight and compact enough to bring on multi-day treks. It’s added half pound of weight will be more than worth the several charges it can provide for most iPhones or Android smartphones, keeping your all-important multifunction device at the ready even far afield.
Anker 325 PowerCore Power Bank
Though about 50% heavier than the TG90, at 12 ounces, this Anker power bank is still compact enough for backpacking or even some mountain expeditions, and it can fully power up most smartphones an impressive five times. It can also be used to charge tablets, cameras, or rechargeable lights, or to power small devices like a portable travel fan.
Hiluckey Portable Solar Power Bank
If you’re going to spend multiple days out there, pretty soon all your pre-charged devices are going to run out of juice. With this folding portable solar charger, you can make your own power, though. The four-part panel is designed to be hung off a backpack or laid out in the sun and charges the built-in power bank slowly but steadily during sunny hours.
BLUETTI EB3A Portable Power Station
At just over 10 pounds and a little bigger than a basketball (albeit a rectangular ball, granted), this power station from BLUETTI is a perfect choice for the car camper. It can power up small devices like phones or headlamps multiple times over and can be used with myriad larger AC plug-in devices, too, such as a hot water kettle, a speaker system, or even a mini fridge. The EB3A charges fully off a wall outlet in under an hour and can be outfitted with solar panels as well.
EF ECOFLOW Delta 2 Power Station
For those who want a fully-connected campsite or who want to be well-prepared for power outages and emergencies at home, it’s hard to beat the 15-outlet Delta 2 from ECOFLOW. Granted, this thing is a behemoth at 27 pounds, but we have used ours to keep a full-sized fridge and chest freezer running for two days during a power outage, not to mention using it to charge myriad small devices while camping, including fans and lights that ran for hours on end.