Hi all,
I'm not a tech-heavy tripper, but there are a few rechargeable things I bring along ( https://www.ucogear.com/headlamps/air-lithium-ion-rechargeable-headlamp-hl--air?returnurl=%2fheadlamps%2f) and am looking for suggestions for a power pack that's relatively light but would be able to charge up my headlamp and a few smaller electronic gadgets, enough to get me by for a week to 10 days.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks.

I started using an Anker PowerCore 20100 last year and am impressed. It will re charge my Galaxy J3 5-7 times.

butthead

butthead: "I started using an Anker PowerCore 20100 last year and am impressed. It will re charge my Galaxy J3 5-7 times.

butthead"

That's what I use

I'm very pleased with our slightly smaller Anker PowerCore 10000 Redux which is plenty for our 3-night basecamps. Recharges/tops off devices 3-4 times.

Blatz: "

butthead: "I started using an Anker PowerCore 20100 last year and am impressed. It will re charge my Galaxy J3 5-7 times.

butthead"

That's what I use"

+3

very happy with the 20100 for trips in the 5-7 day range.

Picked this one up last summer and like it

Nimble, Anker, & Aukey are the best choices. What size depends on your needs, and you don't need to guess. The mAh of every device you plan to use should be pretty easy to find either on the device's battery, in its manual, or via a quick search. I quickly found that the capacity of the headlamp you linked is 170 mAh for example. Multiply each battery's mAh by the number of times you expect to have to charge it. Add the products of each device up, then round up to the nearest power bank size.

Example:
My Moto G5+ has a 3000 mAh battery.
My gf's Moto G6+ has a 3200 mAh battery.
Our two headlamps run on AA, and we use Panasonic Eneloop Pro to power them which have 2500-2600 (but we'll say 2500) mAh.
We also use a 10 ft Luminoodle which doesn't have a battery, but knowing its wattage (5), voltage (5), and estimated time in use (2 hr per night; 5 nights) gives an estimate of 10,000 mAh.

On my last trip, I used my phone as a gps and for a few photos. I kept in in airplane mode and turned it off at night and anytime I wouldn't be using for an extended period of time. I went into the park at 100% and when we exited the park six days later, I still had something like 10-20% of the usable battery life left. So my phone required 0 mAh of power bank.

My girlfriend used her phone similarly, but instead of using gps, she just took more photos. Her phone also never needed a recharge during the whole week. 0 mAh required from a power bank.

While Eneloop batteries are rechargeable, we do not recharge them in the field. We just bring multiple batteries. By not using brighter modes than necessary and turning them off when not needed, I don't think we even had to change the batteries in our headlamps once all week, but let's say we each would have had to swap once (if we had gone on night paddles/hikes, this would have been likely). Still no power bank necessary as we'd just have brought a total of 4 AA Eneloops.

The Luminoodle runs directly off of a power bank. I have a very small 7500 mAh power bank that I use just for it, and I've never sucked it dry, so clearly the reality is that we didn't even use the Luminoodle as much as 2 hr per day.
If we leave the Luminoodle (I love that name) home, we wouldn't need a single power bank for that entire 6-day trip, and that's with using phones for photos and gps.

The gist of all of that is that tons of power is rarely necessary with the right tools and habits.

--------

But just for the heck of it, let's pretend we burned the crap out of our phone batteries, used the Luminoodle a ton, and had a GoPro HERO7 that we used a bunch (1220 mAh battery).

2 recharges of my G5+ (counting the full batt going in, that's 3 full discharges)= 6000 mAh
2 recharges of the G6+ = 6400 mAh
6 recharges of the GoPro = 7320 mAh
3 hours of Luminoodle running every night = 15,000 mAh

Total of 34,720 mAh required. An Anker 20000 and 15000 would do the job, but you could go with two 20000 units in this hypothetical situation if you're paranoid. Take away my Luminoodle from the equation which is a unique piece of gear, and then all that would be needed for 4 phone recharges and 6 GoPro recharges would be a 20000 mAh bank.

I also used an Anker 20100 and was very pleased. I can’t see a situation in the BW where I would need more. However I only charge an iPhone and GoPro with light use.

Keep in mind that according to specialists power banks real capacity is about 60-70% of its nominal capacity (see for instance here) . Accordingly 20,000 mah bank will charge devices with total capacity around12,000+ mah. In my experience this math is correct.

EddyTurn: "Keep in mind that according to specialists power banks real capacity is about 60-70% of its nominal capacity (see for instance here) . Accordingly 20,000 mah bank will charge devices with total capacity around12,000+ mah. In my experience this math is correct. "

You are correct. So why do I make no mention of it in my post above you might ask? Similar rules apply to the batteries that power our devices, AND, most importantly we also just about NEVER actually discharge a battery completely to 0 before charging it, so our recharges are never actually charging the entire battery's capacity from literally 0% to 100%. Heck, most devices are actually designed in a way that when they show 0% battery and automatically shut off, there is actually still energy in the battery; they deny access to that reserve energy for the health of the battery as truly discharging a battery all the way is very bad for them.

For planning purposes, using the mAh specs of power banks and batteries not only remains effective but also likely results in having slightly more power in banks than your devices will actually consume through realistic use and charging which makes for a good, "hidden" safety cushion. No need to get excessively technical when people are just trying to plan for a camping trip.

I am also a fan of Anker products. I went with two Anker 10000 because then I can decide if I want to bring 1 or 2 depending on trip length and the charging needs of the trip.

Anker 10000

I settled on this product after reading a lot of ultralight backpacker info. I have been really happy with the product. It is light, compact, and seems very reliable.

No offense but that Anker thing is a toy, $20 is a great deal for a battery but you get what you pay for, a 10 day trip will push the limits of your gear and you'll for sure learn that saying on said trip. Cheap gear is popular, sure. But I prefer to buy gear that will last a minimum of 10 years, I do my research and I buy the best thing my money can buy. Then I never worry about that aspect of my camping gear again. Here's the best thing you're ever going to find.

This it the Bioenno 12 amp hour Power Pack

If you're looking for a solid week - 10 day power supply you absolutely will not get that with a tiny portable phone charger. If we compare the Anker 10000's stats for charging a phone, and the power pack, the Anker says it can charge a phone for "46+ hours". The power pack can charge a phone "Smartphone (4-7 Watt-Hours) 17 to 30 Charges!" which averages to 93.5 to 165 hours of charging depending on how long your phone needs to charge. Unfortunately there is no research available that shows how many times the Anker can be recharged, but the Power pack can be recharged aprox 2000 times according to the products manual. Even if you used the pack 20 times a year that's still theoretically gonna live longer than you. (more on this later). The Power pack is made of lithium iron phosphate, LiFEPO4. If you're not up to date on battery makin-materials this is one of the absolute best. It has crazy high recharge amounts, it maintains a charge in cold better than cheaper batteries, it gives you optimal power output throughout the majority of it's charge, until it's dead and then it's dead. Cheaper batteries will reduce output as they die, which will result in less actual charging of your phone. Okay so anyways that's the battery itself.

The build of the power pack is rugged, and tough, the plastic is thick and when you pick it up you know if you dropped it it it'd be fine. The handles on both sides make it super easy to carry around. It's about the size of a small dinner plate, 3.6 lbs. That sounds heavy, but before you judge let's finish talking about what it actually has built into it and what you're actually getting. It has an AC/DC power inverter and a 120 watt plugin in the back of it, the inverter can be turned on and off with a red switch in the back. Leaving it on obviously drains the battery a little more so keep that off. So yea if you have a biggooo 3 prong plugin, sure, go ahead. It has a 12VDC/5A (DC Plug) which is a simple barrel connector that you can buy at ACE hardware, and plug in any DIY project that uses 12v like a fish finder.......or custom lighting........It also has a standard USB port to plug in everything else. It also has a 15VDC, 3A (DC Plug) INPUT which lets you connect any type of solar charger you might have. Yea, you can charge your power pack, while you have your electronics with you during the day, come back, full power pack. 10 day trip? More like forever. So lets talk about what actually allows it to be charged with a solar charger. It has a built in solar controller, which is just a necessary component for anything if you want to charge something with solar power. Whatever solar panel you have, it'll likely plug in. Okay so it's a solid battery with a port for anything you could possibly think of connecting to it.

Now lemme yak about Bioenno Power. I have 2 different products from them, I bought a 15 amp hour naked LiFePO4 battery about 6 years ago. And I added the Power Pack to my gear a couple years ago when the wife needed that 120v plugin for her eciggy charger. I have had constant questions over the years about understanding what I can do with these batteries, how I can charge them with DIY solar panels, how long it would take, etc. Their customer service never fails to respond to me the next day if not same day, and it's always an engineer or someone that truly understands what their explaining to me, it's not a customer service rep, it's someone on the ground floor that gets it. They're patient and have never made me feel like I was asking too many questions. Okay so now I gotta get back to that part about how long the products last. The first battery I bought from these guys 6 years ago is a general use battery that I use here and there for general 12v needs. I recently used it for my vexilar. In December I found my battery to be dead. It wouldn't charge, it was crazy. I emailed Bioenno, I was really nice and just told them I was bummed it didn't last as long as they said it would. The guy asked for 1 thing, my address. Next day I get a confirmation email saying I have the newest version of that battery in the mail headed my way. No questions asked. It'd had been 5 ish years since I bought that battery, long since their 1 year warranty expired. That's a big deal in my opinion.

TLDR: Bioenno Power Pack is technologically the best battery by far, it will last you a very long time, it's tough enough for the outdoors and is backed by a remarkable company that replaced one of their products 5 years after I bought it, no questions asked.

I also have two of the 20100mah Anker power packs. I've used it for a couple of years and have been very happy with it.
Prior to this virus thing I was planning on a summer long BWCA trip and spent quite a bit of time researching power options. I power my house with Renogy solar panels and for the money they have been great. They also make smaller Renogy 10 watt foldable panel that is very compact and lightweight. I have two of the panels and two of the Ankers. The panels won't even come close to charging the power pack in one day but unless you are using a ton of power the panel should keep your power pack close to charged if you have sunny days.

Have you considered building a power bank?

It would be more expensive to build it than buying one of those small power banks but I believe you would get quite a bit more usage out of it for a 10 day trip.

Here is a power box I built with two 12 amp lithium batteries to power my fish finder and charge up electronics.

It is the unfinished version since I added some on/off switches and an LED light but you get the idea.

It has a 3 amp USB charger and a cigarette lighter plug

GearGuy: "No offense but that Anker thing is a toy...[Bioenno info]"

That is all great info, but here's my take on it. I've had the same 8.6 oz 12000 mAh Aukey bank for many years. I'm sure its useful capacity has diminished, but not such that I've noticed. For my uses, it is still performing as well as it did many years ago. They don't make this one anymore of course, but a similar one runs about $30.

The Bioenno unit you shared is $200, weighs 3.6 lb (57.6 oz), is 108 cubic inches in volume, and has 120 watt hours.

Two modern Anker 15600s cost $60 total, weigh 26 oz total, are 27 cu in in total volume, and have 156 watt hours total.

Granted: the Bioenno is capable of 12 volts and 5 amps whereas the Anker is only capable of 5 volts and 4.8 amps (2.4 amps per port), but anyone who needs 12 volts and/or 5 amps for a device out in the BWCA is easily an exceptional case.

If one were to operate using two Anker 15600s at a time for 5 years at a time before recycling and replacing them, after 15 years, they'd have only spent $180 on banks. Realistically, though, within the span of 15 years, technology would likely progress, and replacement banks would likely get cheaper and/or better over time.

---

Bottom line: I am thankful that you shared the Bioenno unit with us as I have a new product and avenue to learn about now, but quite quickly I've concluded that for the vast majority of wilderness tripping I do and see most people doing, it is major overkill. Surely there are some people out there who'll absolutely benefit from it--immediately my mind begins to consider people who bring in a lot of camera equipment, lighting, navigation, fish/depth finders....

If I am gone for more than a few days and need power I bring solar panel, Anker 21W 2-Port USB Portable Solar Charger.

I use the Anker 2100 Powercore, but have since seen this conversation Power pack reviews . Gives you lots and lots of info from a random reddit user that looks legit. Here is the spreadsheet spreadsheet

Blatz: "

butthead: "I started using an Anker PowerCore 20100 last year and am impressed. It will re charge my Galaxy J3 5-7 times.

butthead"

That's what I use"

I have an Anker as well. I see no designation on it so I'm not sure what model it is. regardless - I'm extremely pleased with it. It keeps my GoPro happy all week.

straighthairedcurly: "I am also a fan of Anker products. I went with two Anker 10000 because then I can decide if I want to bring 1 or 2 depending on trip length and the charging needs of the trip.


Anker 10000


I settled on this product after reading a lot of ultralight backpacker info. I have been really happy with the product. It is light, compact, and seems very reliable."

That looks like the one I have. I love it. Well - I really like it.

GearGuy: "No offense but that Anker thing is a toy, $20 is a great deal for a battery but you get what you pay for, a 10 day trip will push the limits of your gear and you'll for sure learn that saying on said trip. Cheap gear is popular, sure. But I prefer to buy gear that will last a minimum of 10 years, I do my research and I buy the best thing my money can buy. Then I never worry about that aspect of my camping gear again. Here's the best thing you're ever going to find.


This it the Bioenno 12 amp hour Power Pack


If you're looking for a solid week - 10 day power supply you absolutely will not get that with a tiny portable phone charger. If we compare the Anker 10000's stats for charging a phone, and the power pack, the Anker says it can charge a phone for "46+ hours". The power pack can charge a phone "Smartphone (4-7 Watt-Hours) 17 to 30 Charges!" which averages to 93.5 to 165 hours of charging depending on how long your phone needs to charge. Unfortunately there is no research available that shows how many times the Anker can be recharged, but the Power pack can be recharged aprox 2000 times according to the products manual. Even if you used the pack 20 times a year that's still theoretically gonna live longer than you. (more on this later). The Power pack is made of lithium iron phosphate, LiFEPO4. If you're not up to date on battery makin-materials this is one of the absolute best. It has crazy high recharge amounts, it maintains a charge in cold better than cheaper batteries, it gives you optimal power output throughout the majority of it's charge, until it's dead and then it's dead. Cheaper batteries will reduce output as they die, which will result in less actual charging of your phone. Okay so anyways that's the battery itself.


The build of the power pack is rugged, and tough, the plastic is thick and when you pick it up you know if you dropped it it it'd be fine. The handles on both sides make it super easy to carry around. It's about the size of a small dinner plate, 3.6 lbs. That sounds heavy, but before you judge let's finish talking about what it actually has built into it and what you're actually getting. It has an AC/DC power inverter and a 120 watt plugin in the back of it, the inverter can be turned on and off with a red switch in the back. Leaving it on obviously drains the battery a little more so keep that off. So yea if you have a biggooo 3 prong plugin, sure, go ahead. It has a 12VDC/5A (DC Plug) which is a simple barrel connector that you can buy at ACE hardware, and plug in any DIY project that uses 12v like a fish finder.......or custom lighting........It also has a standard USB port to plug in everything else. It also has a 15VDC, 3A (DC Plug) INPUT which lets you connect any type of solar charger you might have. Yea, you can charge your power pack, while you have your electronics with you during the day, come back, full power pack. 10 day trip? More like forever. So lets talk about what actually allows it to be charged with a solar charger. It has a built in solar controller, which is just a necessary component for anything if you want to charge something with solar power. Whatever solar panel you have, it'll likely plug in. Okay so it's a solid battery with a port for anything you could possibly think of connecting to it.


Now lemme yak about Bioenno Power. I have 2 different products from them, I bought a 15 amp hour naked LiFePO4 battery about 6 years ago. And I added the Power Pack to my gear a couple years ago when the wife needed that 120v plugin for her eciggy charger. I have had constant questions over the years about understanding what I can do with these batteries, how I can charge them with DIY solar panels, how long it would take, etc. Their customer service never fails to respond to me the next day if not same day, and it's always an engineer or someone that truly understands what their explaining to me, it's not a customer service rep, it's someone on the ground floor that gets it. They're patient and have never made me feel like I was asking too many questions. Okay so now I gotta get back to that part about how long the products last. The first battery I bought from these guys 6 years ago is a general use battery that I use here and there for general 12v needs. I recently used it for my vexilar. In December I found my battery to be dead. It wouldn't charge, it was crazy. I emailed Bioenno, I was really nice and just told them I was bummed it didn't last as long as they said it would. The guy asked for 1 thing, my address. Next day I get a confirmation email saying I have the newest version of that battery in the mail headed my way. No questions asked. It'd had been 5 ish years since I bought that battery, long since their 1 year warranty expired. That's a big deal in my opinion.


TLDR: Bioenno Power Pack is technologically the best battery by far, it will last you a very long time, it's tough enough for the outdoors and is backed by a remarkable company that replaced one of their products 5 years after I bought it, no questions asked. "

I really like my Anker "toy".

I’ve been happy with my Anker Astro E1 5200 mAh for the past few years. It’s only 4.2 ounces and about $14. Not a lot of juice, but it’s been more than I need for 10 days, summer and winter. My headlamp never seems to run out, but I do recharge my GoPro a couple times and maybe my iPhone once or so. Haven’t run out of juice yet.

I am a big fan of Anker products.

I use a 20100 Anker Power Bank and couple that with a 7 oz. Suntastics 5 Solar Charger. I take my IPhone that has Gaia Map App . I can download lake areas I will be paddling ON LINE on my IPhone at home before I go up north ... and then when I am up north I put the phone on Airplane mode and shutoff all Apps not needed to save battery life ... then I can use the Cell Phones built in GPS and pin point where I am on a lake ... because all the lakes were pre downloaded in my cell ON LINE and when I am up north I can use the lake maps OFF LINE to find out where I am using Gaia Mapping.

I still bring along either a Fisher or McKenzie map for routing.