In today’s age, our electronic devices are essential to everyday life. It is so frustrating when you run out of juice just when you need it most. This is accentuated further when you are backpacking or camping.
This is when your devices turn from essential to possibly life-saving. Having a power bank on your person at these times can make all the difference and give power back to your devices when you are far away from a plug socket.
You want something portable, something small, and something powerful. It does not have to stop there! Some models even have an inbuilt flashlight for your camping needs!
So what are you waiting for? Check out or top power banks for backpacking right now!
Best Power Bank for Backpacking
PD Power Bank 50000mAh- Portable Battery Pack Charger
The daddy of all power banks, this monster model from Crave does it all and does it well.
Coming in at a whopping 5000mAh, this bank can charge many devices at once while still being portable enough for backpacking trips. It only weighs a respectable 4.15 pounds, not bad for all that power. It has two fast-charging USB slots and a LED indicator to show power level.
We like the fact that this bank has no bells and whistles but does all the essentials well, which is great.
Solar Charger 26800mAh – Portable Solar Power Bank
If you are environmentally conscious, this model could be the best power bank for backpacking for you. It features fantastic solar panels on both sides that are able to convert the sun’s rays into energy that will then be able to charge your phone.
It also has the capability to charge from regular mains power too. The capacity is huge at 26000mAh and the design is super rugged making it excellent for outdoors and backpacking.
When you add the fact that it can charge multiple devices and has a flashlight, what more is there to want in an all-purpose backpack power bank!
AC Portable Power Bank
This neat little device is a real winner. It has the capability to connect with both USB chargers and AC adapters too. This means that you can charge your laptop on the go whether backpacking, camping, or working away from home.
As well as a very cool design, you also get a neat fabric carry case as well as a rubber protective case included. Add in the capability to super fast charge your devices and there is a lot to like about this power bank.
No matter what the device you need to power up, be it a drone, gaming device, batteries, or even a go pro camera, this bank will do it all.
RAVPower USB C Portable Power Bank
This is another powerful bank from Ravpower. This bank is fully customized to work well with USB-c type charging using a massive 45w output. It features parallel power and can charge up to two devices at once.
Not to mention the superfast rechargeability. This is an advanced technology that has been engineered with sophisticated safety systems such as short circuit protection, overvoltage protection, and safe current protection.
This model is fairly light as well, weighing in at 1.63punds so it is very portable while still having lots of power out in the wilderness.
Portable Charger – PD 3.0
This is a 15000mAh battery charger with up to 18W delivery and is compatible with all USB-C type devices.
It can charge your smartphone from 0% to 50% in only 30 minutes, one of the best power banks for backpacking in terms of speed. It has modern smart charging technology that detects and adjusts to the electrical current to get the best charge rate possible for the situation.
This model is able to charge three drives at the same time – great for family camping trips. All this in one of a relatively small package at just 0.6lbs and 5 inches in length. This means it can stay with you at all times so you don’t go without power at any second of the day.
It has a neat little digital display on the side that will keep you updated as to the level of charge at any given time.
TOZO WB1 Power Bank 10000mAh Portable Charger
This smaller power bank aims for the lightweight and super portable share of the market. It has a beautiful aluminum alloy shell that looks and feels great.
The case is a frosted metal that has a great texture as well as anti-fingerprint properties. It has 18w output as well as quick charging capabilities. The battery is made from Li-ion cells which are safe and reliable as well as being able to withstand thousands of charges.
When you add to this the security features that stop excessive power and overheating you are onto a real winner. This model is suitable for all USB charging devices.
Portable Charger Power Bank 26800mAh
This power bank stands out from the crowd for its pretty digital LED display. This display shows you information such as power remaining very clearly so there is no doubt about the level.
The capacity on this device is also massive at 26000mAh. It fits all USB types and has the ability to be able to charge two devices at once, which is nice. This model also has the extra feature of a flashlight that can be used at night to light your way in the dark when camping or backpacking.
It also takes advantage of smart protection technology that stops overcharging, overcurrent, high temperatures, and overvoltage too.
EASAY PD Portable Charger 10000mAh
This model by Easay is smaller and lighter than most of the competition and although it does not have the biggest battery capacity overall it does have a lot of other things going for it.
For starters, it looks fantastic and very sleek and modern in its design. It has high-speed charging capabilities and is fully compatible with all USB charging ports and connections.
All this makes this device a great option for the travel conscious backpacker who wants the convenience of a recharge power bank but doesn’t want the heavyweight to carry.
Buyers Guide for the Best Power Bank for Backpacking
Battery capacity – Obviously, the amount of power you can squeeze out of one of these power banks is high up on the list of the important features.
The range of power capacity available on the market is very varied. Generally, though, we advise having at least 10,000mAH capacity at least for backpacking use. If you are going to be away from a power source for longer, go for 20,000 mAH and above.
Size and weight
The size and weight of a power bank are also very variable. There are mainly two types, small and compact and heavy-duty. Which one suits you very much depends on her factors. In the end, it is a balancing act between size/power and portability.
Connections and ports
The most common connection type on your average power bank will be USB. This is great for providing charge for small devices that also use USB tech such as mobile phones, tablets, e-reader, etc.
All you would need to do is attach the USB end of your charge cable into the power bank just like in the plug socket at home. If, like me, you sometimes need to bring larger devices with you such ad laptops and drones or something similar, then the smaller power banks will not be compatible.
For this situation, you need to have a power bank that has AC support as well as DC. These will have special ports to attach plugs straight into the power bank.
Fast charge vs slow charge
In more recent times, the ability to fast charge your device has become more and more prevalent. Fast charge is basically a super speed charge burst that provides a lot of power in a short space of time.
This technology is highly recommended but does cost more. It is important to decide whether this added convenience is worth the cost for you.
The number of users
If you are planning on using the power bank just for yourself, then you can choose any with a few USB ports of more.
If however, there will be more than one person using the bank at one time, say for a family, then you need to get one that has a larger number of ports that can be used at the same time.
This also links into the actual battery capacity as well. If many people are using the bank at the same time then the battery will obviously drain faster.
The bigger the better in this case. But beware…the bigger the capacity the heavier the bank will be.
Extra features
Modern-day power banks might also come with a lot of different features and utilities that make them more functional.
These features can range from LED lights to see the charge levels, a compass to help you navigate in the wilderness, a carry case to protect from drops, solar panels for a recharge in the wild, as well as flashlights for being in the dark.
These features are non-essential, but still very nice to have.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I charge with a power bank?
The most common device compatibility with modern-day power banks is USB charging. This means that they are able to charge devices such as a smartphone, tablet, or E-reader very easily.
Less common but still available in paces are power banks that you can plug your AC adapter into and charge things such as your laptop and drone.
How long does a full charge last?
With modern devices, battery capacity can vary greatly. It is important to check the manufacturer’s website or your instruction manual for details.
For example, say your phone has a battery capacity of around 4,000mAh and your power bank is 15,000mAh, then you can fully charge the device almost four times.
This rule is applicable to all devices and power banks so just do a little math to get your answers.
What phones are compatible with a power bank?
This one is really simple to answer. As long as the mobile phone has a USB based charging adapter, then you can charge it with a power bank. So that includes USB-C devices such as newer smartphones, thunderbolt, and the older USB type adapters too.
The operating system also does not affect compatibility so no matter if you have android or IOS you are good to go.
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