The Best Portable Chargers

Electronics are a big part of the outdoor experience for many users now, and without an outlet to plug into at the end of the day while on the trail portable chargers have become a necessity to keep all those gadgets going. While they are usually marketed as “travel chargers,” outdoor enthusiasts have adopted them for their off-grid use. Some companies have catered to this, like Goal Zero with their waterproof Venture 30 and 70, as has EcoXgear with the EcoCharge. While we’re not often plugging in to charge up in the middle of a rain storm, it’s nice knowing a little extra moisture in the air isn’t going to bother these units. For the non-waterproofed units, users must be sure to take good care of them by keeping them in plastic bags, dry bags or dry boxes.

Our portable chargers run the range from the very small for single person or one night use to the rather hefty for many users and/or for many nights on the trail.

With these come the possibility of using resources on the trail to keep these chargers topped off. Things like solar panels, dynamo cranks, thermocouples among others have gained popularity for these users.

Our tests below includ charge and discharge rates, actual battery capacity as well as durability and environmental tests to see which ones are the best for taking on your adventures be it in the heat or cold, rain or shine.

How we test portable chargers

by: Dave Thibodeau

To conduct our portable charger test we used these chargers in a variety of situations to compare their battery life, power efficiency, and durability.

All portable power banks were charged for 24 hours prior to tests and were tested on standardized android hardware and software platforms, running custom software to log and measure total charge capacity, discharge rate/time, and milliamp per cubic-inch/pound. All devices used their own cables during both charge and discharge tests. Devices were also retested for accuracy and impact of durability tests on battery life and performance.

All portable chargers were also subjected to standardized torsion and compression stresses and an array of drop and impact tests. More durable devices were also tested for temperature resistance. For low temperature tests, devices were placed in a sealed container to limit moisture exposure, and placed in a freezer for one hour. High temperature tests consisted of placing devices in an oven at 125F for 30 minutes. Devices that survived this without issue were then retested in an oven at 150F degrees for 30 minutes.

Each charger was rated on battery life, power/size, durability, features, and value. The Gear Institute Rating is the combined score across all categories, representing the highest overall level of performance.

Review Year

Best in Class

Overall Rating

Price

Name	Overall Rating	Ratings	The Good	The Bad	Price
iBattz BattStation Optimus 20400	85 Best in Class 2016	Battery Life 9 Power/Size 8 Durability 5 Features 6 Value 7	Outstanding battery life Outstanding power per size	Average durability Relatively slow discharge rate Pricy	MSRP $129.95 BEST DEAL N/A
Goal Zero Venture 30	84	Battery Life 6 Power/Size 6 Durability 8 Features 8	Highly durable & water resistant Integrated charging cables Charges devices quickly	Low overall battery life High cost per minute of power	MSRP $99.99 BEST DEAL N/A
OutdoorTech Kodiak Plus 10000	83 Best in Class 2016	Battery Life 7 Power/Size 6 Durability 8 Features 5	Excellent battery life Excellent durability & water resistance	Expensive	MSRP $99.99 BEST DEAL N/A
Zilu SafePower S5 smart battery pack	83	Battery Life 7 Power/Size 7 Durability 5 Features 6	Good battery life Excellent power-per-ounce	Average durability	MSRP $29.99 BEST DEAL N/A
Anker PowerCore+ 13400	82	Battery Life 7 Power/Size 7 Durability 5 Features 5 Value 8	Outstanding battery life Outstanding power-per-dollar Attractive design	Heavy for its size Average durability	MSRP $37.99 BEST DEAL N/A
Incipio offGRID 8000	82	Battery Life 7 Power/Size 8 Durability 5 Features 5 Value 7	Outstanding battery life Best-in-class power per cubic inch/ounce	Average durability	MSRP $49.99 BEST DEAL N/A
GoalZero Switch 10	82 Best in Class 2016	Battery Life 5 Power/Size 7 Durability 8 Features 7 Value 5	Excellent durability Excellent battery life Outstanding power per cubic inch and ounce	Relatively high cost per minute of power Questionable water resistance	MSRP $39.99 BEST DEAL $599.95 REI.com
Brunton Revolt 9000	82	Battery Life 7 Power/Size 7 Durability 7 Features 5 Value 6	Durable Water resistant Good overall battery life Charges devices quickly	Large compared to similar devices Low power:size and power:weight ratios	MSRP $99.99 BEST DEAL N/A
Kmashi 20,000	82	Battery Life 8 Power/Size 7 Durability 4 Features 5 Value 8	Outstanding battery life Outstanding power per inch/ounce Best-in-class value (power-per-dollar)	Limited durability Very heavy	MSRP $29.99 BEST DEAL N/A
Ventev PowerCell 3015c	81 Best in Class 2016	Battery Life 7 Power/Size 5 Durability 7 Features 6	Great battery life Integrated cables Excellent value Durable	Larger and heavier than competitors	MSRP $49.99 BEST DEAL N/A
Kmashi MP806	81	Battery Life 7 Power/Size 4 Durability 6 Features 6 Value 8	Outstanding battery life Integrated LED flashlight Good durability Outstanding value	Relatively large and heavy Relatively low power:size ratios Slow discharge rates	MSRP $15.98 BEST DEAL N/A
Brunton Resync 6000	80	Battery Life 5 Power/Size 5 Durability 6 Features 8 Value 6	Light weight .75 watt integrated solar panel IPX5 rated (debris and waterproofing)	Low overall battery life Low power per inch/ounce Relatively expensive	MSRP $79.99 BEST DEAL N/A
ChoeTech 3-in-1 Emergency Flashlight	80	Battery Life 4 Power/Size 4 Durability 8 Features 7	Outstanding durability Temperature and water resistance Powerful LED flashlight	Average battery life Low power for size	MSRP $23.99 BEST DEAL N/A
Scosche goBat 6000	80	Battery Life 5 Power/Size 5 Durability 9 Features 5	Outstanding durability Outstanding waterproofness Relatively lightweight	Low overall battery life Relatively expensive	MSRP $69.99 BEST DEAL N/A
Incipio offGRID 4000	80	Battery Life 7 Power/Size 5 Durability 5 Features 5	Excellent battery life Excellent value Cable management	Largest & heaviest in category Average durability	MSRP $29.99 BEST DEAL N/A
myCharge RazorPlus 3000	80	Battery Life 5 Power/Size 7 Durability 7 Features 6	Rugged durability Best power per ounce Best power per size	High cost per minute of power Low overall battery life	MSRP $49.99 BEST DEAL N/A
myCharge HubPlus	79	Battery Life 6 Power/Size 6 Durability 4 Features 8 Value 5	Fast 3.4 amp charging Integrated charging cables Integrated wall outlet plug Above-average power to size/weight ratios	Low overall battery life Average durability Average power per dollar spent	MSRP $99.99 BEST DEAL N/A
myCharge AllTerrain 3000	79	Battery Life 5 Power/Size 6 Durability 8 Features 5 Value 5	Lightweight Excellent water resistance Excellent battery life	Large in size & volume compared to competitors	MSRP $39.99 BEST DEAL N/A
iHome PowerClip 5200	78	Battery Life 5 Power/Size 7 Durability 3 Features 6	Relatively light weight Good battery life per ounce Integrated loop, carabiner, and LED lights	Poor durability Poor overall battery life Only one 1-amp USB port	MSRP $39.99 BEST DEAL N/A
Kmashi Victor K1	78	Battery Life 6 Power/Size 6 Durability 4 Features 5	Excellent battery life Low cost for its size Outstanding value	Relatively large and heavy Limited durability	MSRP $10.99 BEST DEAL N/A
Outdoor Tech Kodiak Mini	78	Battery Life 4 Power/Size 7 Durability 7 Features 5	Lightweight Good battery life Good impact resistance Excellent water resistance	Limited durability Slow discharge rates	MSRP $24.95 BEST DEAL N/A
Kmashi Arma 3-in-1 battery flashlight charger	77	Battery Life 4 Power/Size 4 Durability 6 Features 8 Value 5	Outstanding impact resistance Integrated LED flashlight Integrated bluetooth speakers	Low overall battery life Low power to size ratio Quality/reliability issues	MSRP $36.99 BEST DEAL N/A
LinearFlux LithiumCard Pro	77	Battery Life 6 Power/Size 4 Durability 5 Features 7	Excellent battery life Integrated charging cables Excellent value	Limited durability	MSRP $59.99 BEST DEAL N/A
Brunton Torpedo 2600	77	Battery Life 4 Power/Size 4 Durability 8 Features 7	Best-in-class durability Integrated car charger	Poor overall battery life Low power per cubic inch Low power per ounce High cost per minute of power	MSRP $39.99 BEST DEAL N/A
EcoXGear EcoCharge	77	Battery Life 4 Power/Size 4 Durability 8 Features 5 Value 6	Outstanding durability Outstanding water resistance (IP67) Good value	Relatively low overall battery life Relatively low power/size ratios	MSRP $19.99 BEST DEAL N/A
Motorola WPS-601/P893	72	Battery Life 3 Power/Size 3 Durability 4 Features 6	Low cost Integrated micro-USB cable Excellent value	Poor overall battery life Slow discharge rate Low power per cubic inch/ounce Suspect durability	MSRP $4.95 BEST DEAL N/A
iHome PowerClip 2600	71	Battery Life 4 Power/Size 4 Durability 3 Features 6 Value 4	Lightweight Integrated loop & carabiner LED lights	Poor durability Low overall battery life Slow discharge rates High cost per minute of power	MSRP $29.99 BEST DEAL N/A