Hikers Are Buying the WRONG Battery Banks
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- Опубліковано 18 жов 2024
- Generally on a backpacking day I will use between 30-40% battery while using my phone for music, GPS, and cell service.
My current QQC set up is:
10,000 mAh Battery: amzn.to/2Eysayp
QQC Wall charger: amzn.to/2sr4ffk
Using the included usb cable the battery charged in 3 hours 8 minutes, which is a very reasonable length for a trail town stop.
All in one (Non QQC for iPhone) battery bank: amzn.to/2EmMWlh
my smaller (Non QQC) Battery: amzn.to/2G3GGLS
Want a single port QQC wall charger? amzn.to/2BSwS9b
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to figure out what size battery you should buy is to check out the size of your phone battery and multiply that by 3 or 4. then add any additional batteries like your camera or flashlight. (if they're USB rechargeable)
A few popular battery sizes are:
iPhone 6s - 1715 mAh
iPhone 6+ - 2915 mAh
iPhone 7 - 1,960 mAh
iPhone 7+ - 2,900mAh
iPhone 8 - 1,821 mAh
Most android phones pack a much larger battery
Galaxy Note 8 - 3,300mAh
Galaxy S8 - 2,800 mAh
Google Pixel - 2,770 mAh
Sony RX100 1,240 mAh
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My current quick charging set up:
10,000 mAh Battery: amzn.to/2Eysayp
QQC Wall charger: amzn.to/2sr4ffk
I use the included usb cable and the battery charged in 3 hours 8 minutes, which is a very reasonable length for a trail town stop.
I hope this video was helpful for you guys!
Neemor's World have you tried a graphene battery pack like this? There are some other brands that sell on Amazon too www.olightstore.com/power-bank-30min-fastrecharge-9000mah. I haven't bought one yet but they are supposed to be faster.
Kelton Johnson no, I haven't! If you end getting one let me know what you think about it.
Thanks Neemor, Ive been looking since 2 hours it so to find the best Powerbank and was confused with missing loading times for the bank itself all the time and remembered your video! It helped me really a lot and saved me another hour to, in the end end up with the one youve piecked too :)
Thanks for all this good content !
I carried an iPad mini 4 on the Pacific Crest trail to edit videos and for the guthook app. The battery in the iPad is considerably larger than a phone so a charge can last 5-6 sometimes 8 days depending on how you use it.
I carried my old 12,000mAh battery and never ran out. even on my longest stretch of 8 days. (i also charged my camera and headlamp with the battery)
There is a charging protocol that is quicker than QC 3.0 now. That is Power Delivery. It will charge about 30-50% faster than QC 3.0. Power Delivery is only supported by USB C as it the only plug capable of handling that high of an amount of watts. On most devices that support Power Delivery, it will be input and output. The Power Delivery setup will charge a 20,000 mAh pack in about 3 hours as well so it is like getting a free 10k mAh capacity boost. As a bonus, if your computer supports USB C for charging the Power Delivery can easily charge your computer as well.
Look up the Anker PowerCore Speed 20000 PD on Amazon. Make sure it is the PD model. You can get it with 30W Power Delivery Wall Charger as a bundle. The weight of the battery pack is only about 3 oz more than the one that you posted in your current setup at 12.6oz. Total weight with the battery charger, cable and battery pack will be about 16oz.
The other big ticket that is hard to find is thru charging. This allows you to plug the battery into the wall, and then your phone into the battery and charge both at the same time. This allows the wall charger to be much simpler and lighter as it only needs 1 port to charge the battery. If thru charging is not supported, you can slowly damage the battery pack over time buy charging a phone off of the battery while charging the battery at the same time.
The RAVPower 20100 Power Bank 20100mAh 30W (Max.) Type C supports Power Delivery and Thru charging. I am unsure about the weight of the battery pack alone. It is likely about the weight of the Anker. You need to buy a 30W Wall Charger as this pack doesn't include one.
Why does he seem so sad about charging batteries?
😭
He just killed himself over batteries. r.i.p. 😥
That's just Neemor
The emo card is a lady slayer.
I guess it's about asymmetric moustache.
This seems like an anti-tobacco campaign video.
The video looks like a weird mix between ahearth warming documentary and a kickstarter promo video lol
But you are right tho
What? Kickstarter? He doesnt seem to be selling anything.
That's a bit of an illogical assumption. All the time he took to research and produce this video? There would certainly be easier ways to earn a few clicks. Give the guy a break! The hiking community is filled with people like this that simply share their research. We help each out because it takes forever to figure this stuff out, and I am thankful for his info. Perhaps you need to be a little more trusting.
why does it matter? unless he is "selling" you something because he is being paid by the company, then who cares? you are not forced to buy through the links, however if you do it will help him out, which will support his passion for hiking and help compensate for the time it took him to make this video, at no extra cost to you. He is not being pushy about using the links, simply added them to the description/captions, which is helpful anyway because it can shorten the time it takes to go find the products if you are looking into them yourself. People who get so negative and angry for no reason at all really irritate me
Yeah, it kind of feels like an intervention video documentary of some kind lol
I think all these replies missed the point. Never said he was selling anything. It just seems like a kickstarter video. Explain a problem with some upbeat music and offer a solution. It's cut for cut the same as any startup's video.
there's nothing wrong with being over equipped on the trail. If you have the bag space and want to be well equipped then go ahead and get what you want. I've been out on the trail for a day or so and i've charged my Flashlight 400 lumens, cell phone and camera without any worries about not having enough battery. Using this advice i'd have to seriously pick and choose. I'd rather not do that. But to each their own it's a personal preference. the higher end battery banks can also charge more than one thing at a time.
Great vid. How will these battery banks you suggest do with a newer Sony camera? Hunting in backcountry for 7 days. Trying to figure out how many power banks I’m gonna need
Battery life becomes important with any cell phone for hiking. Taking pictures , mapping or recording the hike, uses up a lot of battery. A phone with good battery life is a must.
Just check how many amps it puts out. It doesnt need to be Qualcomm, anything rated around 2.5 amps will quick charge it. If it is rate .5 to 1.5 amps it will charge slowly. The better options are powerbanks that take 18650 batteries and are removable. You can get flashlights/headlamps/small lanterns that also take 18650 so it can work as a battery case for extra light batteries. Or you can take batteries from your lights and put them in the power bank to charge your phone.
Hey Neemor, thank you so much for bringing this to light. I'm a section hiker, so I seldom spend much time in town, or near outlets. I ended up getting a power bank with two inputs, so it can suck up about 5A/Hr. A bit big, but you opened the door to this knowledge. Thanks! Love your videos.
Hey, cheer up, everything's gonna be ok 👌 🔋🔋🔋
you published this video about the time mine crapped out.... took your advice, after a couple weeks, I couldnt be happier. thanks
This is the most beautifully informative vide I've seen in a long time. Ive been debating doing this myself on rather specific issues. Wonderful exploration of the space (being battery banks, lol), cheers.
This guy has it right. Just bought a Jackery's Titan 20100mAh. Waaay more than what I need.. and very heavy. Quick-ish charging of my phone though... and great back-up for home power blackouts.
Maybe you can help with a solar panel question? I did a “rant”, I prefer to say I’m “passionate”, on camping limitations and lack of efficiency numbers on portable solar panels. Do you think you can help? I’m going to leave my “rant” up if you are interested. Thank you for your time and a solution if you have one- John
I am little different in what I do. I am a backpack hunter. I use a 26,000mah rav power battery bank. I needed a battery that can last me 10+ days in the field. With it I charge my phone, gps, head lamp, steripen, and my micro lantern. It's heavy, but way more reliable then solar and works for me
Please don't shoot my backpack! LOL!
Thanks for the advice on Qualcomm quick charge! I am a photographer, so I decided to opt for the 20100 mAh Ravpower bank, since I'll have my phone, camera, and Inreach mini device to keep charged. A lot of electronics, I know, but they're each important to me - primary nav, documenting the trip, and making sure mom and dad know I'm safe.
I know this video is almost 2 years old, so people should be looking for QC 3.0 (like you say) or the newest standard for recharging battery banks quickly....USB C PD. The "PD" stands for Power Delivery. Again, a compatible cable AND wall adapter are required for everything to work at the PD level.
Thanks for this video -- super helpful when I needed to sort out buying a battery bank for the trail. The whole Quick Charge issue is way more confusing than it should be. I'm not sure why so many commenters gave you a hard time, obviously some people need a different capacity but you stated up front what you were using this for. Anyway, your vids are awesome, keep it up.
Hey Neemor! Quick question and possible recommendation? I'll be NOBO on the AT next year, and taking the following electronics:
- iPhone 8
- Sony a7ii mirrorless camera (w/ 2 batteries, can charge battery through camera)
- Garmin inReach mini
- Petzl Bindi rechargeable headlamp
- Cheap bluetooth headphones
The camera eats batteries like a hiker eats, well you know. I'm more worried about charging them regularly than anything. I'm trying to be as lightweight as possible. Think the RAV battery you've mentioned here would work? Thanks!
Hey! I think with the setup you mentioned you would probably get 2.5 - 3 days of power. I’m assuming the garmin battery would last a long time?
But I would probably go for a little larger battery bank if you plan on shooting video with your Sony. They do go through them pretty fast.
I like multiple smaller batteries to one large battery. If I have to leave it plugged in someplace while I take care of other things, it’s not as great a loss if it disappears. I used to work construction and felt better about leaving a ten dollar charger unattended than a 800 dollar phone.
Good tip about quick charge capabilities, also, a power meeter of some kind is helpful.
Than you! The quick charge mumbo jumbo is a mystery to me.
Dude, not a boring topic at all! Thanks for clearing up the quick charge stuff. I was just thinking it must take forever to charge one of those 20000 mah batteries I see some other UA-cam hikers using
So many folks getting their backs up over this. Get what makes most sense for your type of hiking, people. If you're trying to use your phone to stream podcasts, go FB live, etc., and don't take opportunities to plug something in for more than a few days at a time, it probably makes more sense to get a 20K+ battery. If your power needs are less and/or you're making stops in towns every few days, go smaller and lighter. No one said there is one absolute answer (although the vid title was perhaps a little misleading).
Charge your own charge, people.
Nitecore F1 or F2. I use the F2 with 2x 26650 batteries (5000mah each battery) as I use these batteries in a Klarus G20 flashlight as well. With the F2 you get a quick charge if only one device is being charged out of the usb slot 1. Now you can use whatever rechargeable batteries you want in the F1 or F2 . The F1 and F2 are both battery chargers and device chargers off of the power in the rechargeable battery(s) .
So here's the thing, a battery bank with quick charge 3.0 is good and all, but it will have awful efficiency when using it.
My new Anker 10k has quick charge 3.0 and gives 1.5 charges to my Xperia-XZ, if I use the normal 2amp output it gives 2.7 charges to my phone. That's 80% efficiency compared to using the quick charge 3.0 port which only gives around 50% efficiency.
Know your load. Add up the Mah of the devices you will potentially charge. Figure in how often the devices discharge and how often you can recharge your battery. For example, if a phone battery of 3000mah takes a day to discharge under full use. At 3000mah a day for 4 days use, you will need 9000mah for that device, assuming the phone is charged for the first day.
Bought this on your recommendation. Been completely satisfied. Thanks!
Ohh this stuff is soo much more complicated than just 'QuickCharge'. It's crazy complicated. Basically it boils down to the fact that 'QuickCharge' is a proprietary technology of Qualcomm, the company that makes the processor chip of phones. There are also many phones that uses different processors (like Mediatek brand, Apple makes their own processors, etc.) and so these use different and incompatible types of 'fast' charging (!!!) and will only charge at a very slow rate if used with an incompatible (fast charging technology) charger... Then to make it more complicated, the group of companies in charge (pun intended :P) of USB decided all this is madness, and came up with their OWN 'fast charging' protocol to be used with their new 'USB-C' connectors that is becoming common with new phones. This is called USB-PD ('Power distribution') and does something similar as 'QuickCharge'. So you'd think everything be solved when USB-C becomes common? Nah-uh. Some phone brands decide to use USB-C connectors without supporting USB-PD (which is mandatory actually, but they don't). Many phones even do the actual (Qualcomm) QuickCharge OVER the USB-C connector, two things that should be mutually exclusive (and actually is completely out-of the USB specifications). So, yeah, except using the charger that came with your phone, or having a PhD in USB-charging and knowing all this stuff, you have NO guarantee of any 'fast' charging.
The average phone battery is 4thousand mah, meaning a 10thousand mah battery bank can only charge, the average phone, two and a half times, if you do videos/need cameras charged up, go pro, DSLR, speakers, if you like portable gaming/like a vita or something, at night, while camping, or even keeping things charged up while hiking, 10thousand mah, might not be enough, if your just charging your phone and its a short hike, you should be fine. I keep 1 10thousand mah battery bank, 4 22thousand mah battery banks, and a 6thousand mah battery bank, I don't mind carring things though/weight doesn't bother me, even on long distances, id rather have fun/also be safe/prepared vs bringing just a few things, I would be good for a month, out of my bag, then I would have to use my solar battery banks and hunt and use my bag/tools/equipment to keep living good, which wouldn't be an issue, but I like having things with me, tent, sleeping bag, pots pans, stove, ferrel rods, two metal containers to boil water, food for atleast a week, so I dont have to catch fish right away or kill a deer/squirl or something, first aid kit, tweezers, nail/toenail clippers, sun protection, sunglasses, hats net covers, I like bringing my enclosed hamock with me too, my vita, portable batteries, tablets, weather radio, with a crank and solar, lantern with a crank and solar, 4 led bright 8thousand lumen head lamps, which all charge with a USB cable, my electric tooth brush, which charges with a USB cable, flash lights, fire kit/fat wood,vasaleen cotton balls, dryer lint, extra lighters and weather proof matches, but like I said I do have a ferrel rod, machete,hatchet,foldable saw, gorilla tape, paracord, two tarps, I keep three fixed blade knives, 2 foldable knives, sling shot, fishing gear, snare wire, compass, map, water filters, for times when I don't want to boil water, I'm sure some other things too, but I don't mind carring weight, I prefer having what I need vs having to work harder trying to prepare.
Thanks for clearing this up! I was so confused.
Another way to go about it... Put your phone on ultra power saving mode. Go 5 days between charges. It allows you to carry a much smaller battery pack, or a small solar panel to stay charged due to a lack of drain on the phone.
Great vid and good advice! I am personally a fan of a small Powerbank + solar panel combo for long hikes. It's more or less the weight of a large Powerbank but gives you endless power.
I have several Anker PowerCore Fusion 5000s. Mostly use them for business travel. Love them because they have the wall adapter built in. Throw one of them in my pack when we hit the trail.
Thanks for pointing out QQC technology. I didn’t know about that. I have a 26800 Anker for family expeditions but am getting a 10500 QQC which weighs 10 oz less for most of my backpacking.
Spot on. I have a 10,000 MAH battery that has 2 outputs, one being QC 3.0 and the other 2.1A and includes a digital readout showing power balance and charging voltage. It's also QC 3.0 input via either micro USB or USB C. My Axon 7 is QC 3.0 so everything charges faster all around. With towns available every 3-4 days on most trails, even 10,000 MAH might be a bit of overkill but I wanted the charging options for only a couple ounces more. Everyone remember, there is usually significant power loss when charging devices. A 10,000 MAH bank may provide about 7,000 actual MAH in charged battery. My phone has a 3250 MAH battery so I only count on 2 full phone charges and maybe another 1 or 2 charges of my small MP3 player per full power bank charge.
Ha. I actually have the giant 26,800 anker. Weighs just over a pound. However, I film with my phone, charge my headlamp and camera light with it. The thing is a beast, but I use it. Wonder if I could still get by with half that...🤔
In general, it is not good to fast charge any battery because it will shorten the battery life. I have the Ancher 10,000 and use it to power my DSLR but it can be used to power my Galaxy Note 8. It does have two ports to charge two things at once which is not a bother. And the battery does weight but I am ok with that, better to have extra power and not need it than to need more power and not have it. And you never know when going hiking if you will encounter a problem and will be longer on the hike than planned. If you have a smaller battery pack it will run out! ALWAYS better to be prepared than to die due to no power.
Neemor. Quick/rapid charging increases cell degradation. Not that it will effect you much on a trip as long as you keep buying new banks more often. Something to keep in mind....so u aren't losing the banks effectiveness on trail.
+Minimal Nomad interesting. I hadn't heard that.
I'll have to put it through a years testing and see how it holds up.
My old batteries seemed to hold less of a charge as time went on as well.
Thanks for the info.
The most important thing that you forgot is the phone needs to be quick charge too, allbe it 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0, and for the wall outlet, it's usually measured in Amps, 1, 2 or 5, rarely if ever is the quick charge icon, is displayed.
I been debating to either get a 50 or 100,000 mAh power bank, and this is saying 12,000 is extreme. How far time has changed. I'm investing in four 5,000 mAh powered flashlights and prefer to do hikes exclusively at night.
Be sure to check out the latest USB charging standard called "Power Delivery" or PD. This allows compatible wall chargers to charge a battery with 60W. This significantly reduces your charge times to like an hour or less for a 20k mAh sized battery.
Interesting! I will look into it!
@@NeemorsWorld My apologies - I just double checked the wattage - the best PD charge with 45W. QC3.0 is only 18W for example. The caveat to Power Direct is your device needs to have USB-C.
Some of the new phones have higher capacity as well. The 20000mAh charger I picked up only charges my phone 4 times via USB-C but it charges with power delivery in 3.5 hours and weights 12.9oz. You lose a lot of power on bigger chargers because of the USB voltage conversion. IE 20,000mAh you'd think a phone with a 3000mAh battery would get a full charge with that about 6.5 times but again only 4. Hopefully one day science will figure out how to make batteries not out of lithium ion but some better lighter and higher output solution as phone technology continues to get better and better.
I bought a Pocket Juice 20,000 mAh charger, it comes in at just under a pound. It was certainly overkill, however I do like that I can charge multiple devices at once. Two things that are bad about this model; you can't charge the charger and a device at the same time (which, makes sense) and 2 it takes a LONG time to charge. But I still love it.
Good video Neemore! Thank you, how do you like the 10000 mah battery so far?
So far I love it. no complaints.
Quick Charge 2/3 are not universal standard. A lot of phones use Power Delivery or Dash. Choose a charger with the quick charge technology that your phone actually uses.
I carried ankers 10500 mah power + wt 8 oz last year and it worked great with my Galaxy S7+. It charges both itself and phones fast!
As a videomaker myself, I really appreciated this video! Nice work man - thanks for all the info. It made sense
The average phone battery is 4thousand mah, meaning a 10thousand mah battery bank can only charge, the average phone, two and a half times, if you do videos/need cameras charged up, go pro, DSLR, speakers, if you like portable gaming/like a vita or something, at night, while camping, or even keeping things charged up while hiking, 10thousand mah, might not be enough, if your just charging your phone and its a short hike, you should be fine. I keep 1 10thousand mah battery bank, 4 22thousand mah battery banks, and a 6thousand mah battery bank, I don't mind carring things though/weight doesn't bother me, even on long distances, id rather have fun/also be safe/prepared vs bringing just a few things, I would be good for a month, out of my bag, then I would have to use my solar battery banks and hunt and use my bag/tools/equipment to keep living good, which wouldn't be an issue, but I like having things with me, tent, sleeping bag, pots pans, stove, ferrel rods, two metal containers to boil water, food for atleast a week, so I dont have to catch fish right away or kill a deer/squirl or something, first aid kit, tweezers, nail/toenail clippers, sun protection, sunglasses, hats net covers, I like bringing my enclosed hamock with me too, my vita, portable batteries, tablets, weather radio, with a crank and solar, lantern with a crank and solar, 4 led bright 8thousand lumen head lamps, which all charge with a USB cable, my electric tooth brush, which charges with a USB cable, flash lights, fire kit/fat wood,vasaleen cotton balls, dryer lint, extra lighters and weather proof matches, but like I said I do have a ferrel rod, machete,hatchet,foldable saw, gorilla tape, paracord, two tarps, I keep three fixed blade knives, 2 foldable knives, sling shot, fishing gear, snare wire, compass, map, water filters, for times when I don't want to boil water, I'm sure some other things too, but I don't mind carring weight, I prefer having what I need vs having to work harder trying to prepare.
Anker updated their "fast charging protocol" to PowerIQ 2.0. And there is a test here on UA-cam which claims that PowerIQ 2.0 is as efficient as Qualcomm QC 3.0 and more compatible. And such chargers are smaller and cheaper. So new Anker with just PowerIQ 2.0 is a way to go. And iPhone doesn't support Qualcomm QC 3.0 anyway but PowerIQ 2.0 will charge iPhones 7 and newer a bit faster (not as fast as Qualcomm QC 3.0 phones however). This is what I have discovered today. :)
I suppose it depends on the charger, but when it comes to a charger with an integrated transformer, I don’t think you’d need to worry about QuickCharge compatibility since there’s no good reason for it to be using USB internally. It could just charge at whatever optimal rate was for the cells it used.
At least that makes sense to me. Please do correct me if I misunderstand.
I think a USB-C Power Delivery capable input would probably make the most sense if you had an external adapter though. My MPB is certainly capable of charging a much larger battery in less than 2 hours.
+Sam Smoot so the benefit for quick charge with hikers would be getting a full charge in the battery bank when you only spend a few hours in town. Not so much charging the phone quickly, but getting that bank charged up.
Yep! This young man is on to something important! Big batteries take a lot longer to charge! Batteries that are able to charge faster do so when you have the right adapter and power source. Make the right choices before you hike. Test your battery systems and see how long they actually take! Better safe than sorry.
This is all good advice, but only for day trips. If you're backpacking for 3-5 days a 10k battery will not suffice. if you also have a gopro, drone, bluetooth speaker 10k would just about cover a day or two. Also, I hike with other people who don't always have battery packs, or whose battery packs malfunction. Your argument isn't wrong, but it's so specified that it's only useful to people who aren't hiking and camping, who hit a town once every day or two, who hike alone or with friends with perfect equipment, and only have their phone with no other electronics.
I'm sharing my thoughts after backpacking 7,000+ miles including PCT and A.T. Thru-hikes.
If you're efficient with your electronics this setup will be good for 3-6 days on trail. If you know that you will be using more power, then add the appropriate amount of mAh.
Neemor's info is based on charging the battery pack once every 3 to 5 days, since thats what most resupplies are. 10,000 mah will last one person 5 days (or more) if you use your electronics sparingly, more if your phone is brand new and without battery issues. Occasionally you have longer times without a resupply, but you plan ahead and adjust your electronics use for that. Maybe your phone is dead on the last day when you get to town. Maybe you keep your phone off except for emergencies. Remember, you're out in nature and cell phones are still a pretty new technology that didn't even exist when we were kids. I turn off mobile data when I'm hiking or else my phone drains battery while searching for service. I turn it on occasionally as needed. Drones are another story. They are not ultralight and if you're bringing a drone, you're probably not thruhiking and you'll have extra batteries for that, or a bigger battery bank.
Yes people often put the focus on the wrong aspect.
Usually, QC for input is much more important than for output - means if you charge from wallplug you have to stay there and wait til your device is good but if you charge from power bank you don't have to wait but just go ahead plugged in.
And, secondly, most devices are not even capable of using QC standard of a power bank- e.g. my camera or torch don't use it.
Another important point may be charge through function - means whiles your powerbank is plugged in at the wall you can charge something plugged in the powerbank. That saves you the weight of a second wall plug charger but takes usually more time for charging everything. Alternatively you can carry a wall charger with several USB ports in order to charge your powerbank plus your devices at the same time.
What I strongly recommend is carrying whatever QC3 charged powerbank and using only USB-Charged equipment, no batteries at all - means check your cam and torch for working together with the powerbank. I use a small sony cam and nitecore tube torch, both can be charged by any power bank.
People buy bigger battery banks because they charge the first 70% or something much faster than the last 30% or something. Thats at least what I have heard.
So when people buy a 12Mah battery they are only charging it 70% cause it will only take 1 hour vs the last 30% taking 5 hours. *The numbers I described are purely for example. None are accurate.
To be clear, the cable you used to charge the power bank in 3 hours is is included when you power bank or the anker wall charger?
yup. It was.
Multiple charging ports aren't useless like you state. I never hike alone so being able to charge two phones at once is a MUST.
There is a charging protocol that is quicker than QC 3.0 now. That is Power Delivery. It will charge about 30-50% faster than QC 3.0. Power Delivery is only supported by USB C as it the only plug capable of handling that high of an amount of watts. On most devices that support Power Delivery, it will be input and output. The Power Delivery setup will charge a 20,000 mAh pack in about 3 hours as well so it is like getting a free 10k mAh capacity boost. As a bonus, if your computer supports USB C for charging the Power Delivery can easily charge your computer as well.
Look up the Anker PowerCore Speed 20000 PD on Amazon. Make sure it is the PD model. You can get it with 30W Power Delivery Wall Charger as a bundle. The weight of the battery pack is only about 3 oz more than the one that you posted in your current setup at 12.6oz. Total weight with the battery charger, cable and battery pack will be about 16oz.
The other big ticket that is hard to find is thru charging. This allows you to plug the battery into the wall, and then your phone into the battery and charge both at the same time. This allows the wall charger to be much simpler and lighter as it only needs 1 port to charge the battery. If thru charging is not supported, you can slowly damage the battery pack over time buy charging a phone off of the battery while charging the battery at the same time.
The RAVPower 20100 Power Bank 20100mAh 30W (Max.) Type C supports Power Delivery and Thru charging. I am unsure about the weight of the battery pack alone. It is likely about the weight of the Anker. You need to buy a 30W Wall Charger as this pack doesn't include one.
Thanks Neemor. Much needed discussion. On the same note, can you discuss charging speed using the QC wall charger for charging 2 devices at same time? For ex. charging your battery bank in the QC 3.0 usb and your phone in the "IQ" usb? I'm wondering if individual chargers would be faster, since lots of people say that using the multi-output wall chargers will slow things down significantly. Thoughts? Can you test for us? Thanks for the vids, always great!
It depends on the wall charger. You could buy a QC 3.0 charger with four total ports that supports 30W total but if you are charging at full QC speeds your charger could be outputting 18W which only leaves 12W for the other three. Most phones will charge at least at 2.4A so at 12W. That would mean two devices plugged in at peak speeds will leave nothing for the other two or rather if you plug in other large devices in the other two it will slow down the other two port speeds. Not everything charges at 2.4A though so there isn't that much of a worry. I have a 4 port wall charger without QC that supports 40W total so it can support 4 devices at 2A each, although each port can push more. If you want to find a QC charger that supports more power it will get heavier so you'll have to find a balance.
Thanks Jay, that helps for sure. Thanks for not busting out Ohm's law math, I know you wanted to! Looks to me like two of the single usb port wall chargers actually provides more watts/weight than the dual usb QC/IQ. However it is bulkier and less convenient to carry two. For my case, I'd only have one QC device (battery bank), and maybe should look for a lighter single usb wall charger for my phone which isn't QC compatible anyway.
It is called Power Delivery if it charges faster than the normal rate, and Quick Charge is the fast solution for the devices (though most, if any apple products support the quick charge)
Never thought about charging time. Thanks for your tips 👍
No problem! Thanks for watching!
In trying to quit my battery addiction its so hard but one day at a time helps.
My charger is quick charge usb A, battery is usb C, i charge micro usb for a camera, mini usb for gopro. I have one, one foot usb C cable with a three tiny Lego adapters. It's kind of fun to piece together.
Have you considered using a portable solar panel to the top of your pack? I have only used on day hikes, but it has been pretty awesome so far.
I found a bigger battery was vital. I used it for my headlamp, camera and phone. I did need the extra charge because I like to night hike and needed to keep my lamp and phone on. On the PCT in 2015, I remember 9 PM in Baker Snoqualamie near Chinook Pass SoBo, I got to where my battery was dead, my phone was dead, and my headlamp was on red. It was snowing and I was at 9,000 feet wth one breakfast and two snickers bars left ot eat. If I had not had a big battery charged when I left Snoqualamie I would have had a very bad night.
Dude! Your editing is killer.
Reptar Hikes yes! I was thinking the same thing. Very high production quality.
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Have to agree!
So isn't his mother
Love your videos man! Started watching Darwin’s stuff and saw the Grand Canyon Hike video and been watching your stuff ever since. I’m from Texas and just moved to Reno when I was like, ‘I’m gonna start hiking’. Since then been collecting gear and researching weekend trips getting ready to take my vacation time and doing a big trip. Hope to cross paths with you one day man!
Thanks for this! I had a couple chargers in my amazon cart ready to buy but I wasn't exactly sure which one to buy, so you probably saved me a return!! THANK YOU!
Thank you Neemor, one of the most practical and informative hiking videos Ive seen yet.
I regret buying one of those 1.5 pound bricks of a battery. So I can charge my phone >10x? I had thought I'd be bringing other items that would need recharging but I eliminated them to get weight down but I can't just chop the battery in half. I agree with you that 10KmAh is more than enough for the A.T.
Great video. You might want to add something about the importance of short, high quality cables. Long cables incur large voltage losses and longer charging times.
Yet another concern... Most new phones are going to USB C inputs, but most batteries seem to be micro-usb. I'd like a battery with USB C input, to simplify my cable needs.
Extremely helpful video. I'm one of those 20100 mAh buyers. Wish I had seen this two years ago.
Goal Zero FLIP 30 (28.1Wh, 7800mAh (3.6V) Power Bank 6.9 oz)
The Flip 30 is great for all your smaller USB powered devices.
Smartphone 2-2.5 Recharges
POV Camera 5 Recharges
Headlamp 5-10 Recharges
Tablet 1 Recharge
Goal Zero NOMAD 7 Plus 1400 mAh Foldable Solar Panel 13.2oz (9.2 oz less accessory pouch)
TOTAL WT 20.1oz or 16.1 oz
Great information. So, what are your thoughts if someone is charging a camera or a GoPro plus a phone?
nice! i have an older 10,400 ravpower.. it doesnt charge fast but thats ok for me, it does haev 4.5 output smart etc..and it's just the right amount of power for 3 days in the woods... you're right, bigger is unnecessary and too much weight
I have a phone, kindle, camera and gps watch all running off a 20000mAh battery bank and I doubt I could get by on a 10000 especially since I go for up to 5 to 7 days between charges. However for 3 day trips it could well work.
Wellllll....its really all depending on your device. I bought iPhone 5 for backpacking because it has a 1440 mah battery and battery life is phenomenal when not being used. I've let it sit from full charge with little to no use and it last almost 4-5 days. A 1440mah battery and a 5000mah pack....do the math! This was the whole intent for even using an iPhone at all. Because frankly I'm an Android guy in particular a pixel / Nexus guy.
That being said my pixel 2 has a 2700 mah battery and doesn't get 5 days standby time. However it does support rapid charge. It dozes well, but not as deep of sleep as the iPhone.
The plus side is, it's nearly on par with a DSLR in terms of quality photos. So...I don't need a camera. The phone serves as my camera because it's that good. It's also pretty light. 5 oz with case. It's water proof. It's a good size for viewing and carrying. iPhone 5 design is really small and gives me eye strain.
People really need to take into account battery capacity, battery consumption, bank capacity, and factor in about a 15-20% loss in efficiency for charging. (Ie...you ain't getting 2 full charges on a 3k bank with a 1500mah battery...due to energy loss while charging). Use short cords...they are more efficient and reduce energy loss compared to longer cords.
Well put. I made a video about battery banks as well because I keep seeing people just say "Get an Anker" as if the brand is the only thing to think about.
There's more like a 40% - 60% loss in efficiency from the battery bank to the device being charged. For instance my Nitecore 18650 battery (3400 mAh) will only bring an iPhone X from a 20% charge to about about 85% charge. You can't "do the math" and equate a 3400 mAh battery bank will fully charge an iPhone X battery which has ~2700 mAh battery. BTW, a Nitecore F1 charger provides some good flexibility by allowing you to swap in/out multiple 18650 batteries so take one battery for a short trip or more for longer.
For your test did you conduct any measurements to confirm your Nitecore 3400mAh battery did indeed hold 3400mAh? Most often they never do. Also, was your phone off during the charge test? Even if it was off you'd have to deduct some for the drain from the boot up process. Also, it seems Apple rates their battery at 2716mAh but they use 3.8V so it holds 10.35Wh. Amp hours really means nothing without a measure of volts so watt hours is the number you really want. 18650 batteries as well as most legit battery pack makers will use 3.7V. I would say get a USB meter and measure the actual output of that 18650 battery. I have many batteries of various types, sizes, and manufacturers and a Nitecore and Thrunight battery charger/pack item and will say they aren't the most efficient but they are cheap. Personally I wouldn't take multiple batteries like that because if I stayed in a hostel overnight unless you wake up every few hours and swap out batteries you're only going to have one battery fully charged in the morning. I guess it's good for short trips though especially if you have an 18650 flashlight.
I did this test 4 times using two different 18650's. The batteries are rated at 12.6 Wh. I discharged the batteries and then re-charged. My charger has a mAh and voltage display, the batteries stopped charging once reaching 4.2V which I cross checked with a multimeter. The phone was on the entire time during the tests. In retrospect I should have shut it down but at least I was consistent with each test. Agree with you that charging with the F1 is just one battery at a time so not very practical if you have multiple batteries and need to do it overnight.
I also did 2 tests with a RavPower 3350 mAh and it actually produced slightly better results and is less expensive than the 18650's.
Nice. You sound a lot like me with these experiments. If you don't have one of those USB meters you should check them out. Here's what I use. smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01J7236K2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Some don't support higher voltages so if you pick one make sure it does. I have a separate one for USB type-c.
I like the Anker PowerCore Fusion a lot. Folding wall charger, 2 USB output with built in 5k mAh battery. Perfect for short trips, if I'm going on something longer I just add in my anker 10k. I can charge the 5k, 10k and my phone all at once using 1 wall charging port. It's not QC is the only disadvantage.
Excellent presentation!
I use a nitecore 18650 single battery charger that also works as a power bank by discharging the battery in it to a device via usb. Then i take six or seven 18650s with me which saves on weight
Brought myself a Xiaomi Powerbank (make sure it’s genuine one) they are thin at 10000mAH. Charges iPhone from 0% to 100 around 4 times.
Quick charge input and output, cost around 25 bucks.
Which is a great, reliable when I need it.
It's a trade off, like all things. Charge slowly and you get better battery life and capacity. Charge fast and you save time but loose battery life and capacity. Choose!
Your PHONE needs to be QuickCharge compatible too. Many newer phones are going with USC C's "power delivery" or PD quick charging standard instead and phones without a Qualcomm processor won't be compatible either.
Most phones aren't QC3 compatible, but this review is for the battery pack which is QC3 compatible.
Hey Neemor. Thanks for the run down. I've got a large phone and will be charging my camera ad head torch in the field as well on the PCT. By the math you suggested, I'm looking for something arouns 15 000mAH. Do you have ay suggestions for fast charging (3.0 input) battery packs in this size range? Cheers.
Perfectly awesome vid! I know next to nothing about this stuff but do want my phone available on the trail... For those of us who are a little less savvy, it would be awesome if you could do a followup in which you go through all the ways to save battery on a phone. Sounds pretty basic but some of us are behind the curve.
Turn it off when you’re not using it and cut down the brightness.
My phone has an ultra power saving mode that allow to enable only the apps I need like Whatsapp and the camera.
look into solar chargers that you attach to your pack while walking and charging at the same time
Great info and agree to stay away from large battery banks and QC 3.0 is fantastic. I go a slightly different route though. I ditch the in town charger for a Renogy e flex 5 W solar charger. It is a USB 5 V 1 amp out and maintains my GPS on the trail. Which saves me from dipping into my power bank reserves. Then can also slowly charge phone or my 10,000 ma bank with the QC 3.0 out on the trail as well. The power bank is my buffer extended cloudy and rainy days There's not much difference in weight since the e flex only weighs 5.6 oz which is not much heavier than a plug in charger. Plus no real estate lost in the pack since it will be on the outside to get sunlight.
So true...its funny how different batteries are good for different things. I made the mistake of getting a 20k mah for international travel but it takes like a whole day to charge. I gave it to my kid who uses it on long road trips to plug his tablet into, it lasted from California to Washington.
I read online that Apple products do not support QuickCharge 2.0 or 3.0. Is that correct? If so, then the quick charge versions will have not incremental benefit for IPhones.
Have you ever tried the solar panel chargers? I use them when on a week trail and they seem to work really well
Good info on the quick charging. I've got a pair of 10,000 mah dual ports (yes I use both) and I usually have to leave them plugged in over night to charge. I wouldn't mind a pair of 12,000-16,000 mah dual port packs that would charge in 2-3 hrs, that would be cool
Thanks for the great information. I didn't know that battery packs had quick charge capabilities yet like some of the high end phones do. I'm about to buy a couple battery packs and you just saved me many hours of downtime and waiting. Double thanks for mentioning the cables need upgraded to the new standard too.
I feel like one of the things that cause people to get over large battery banks might be hikers that do videos from the trail. This is not "hating" on them, but their battery use is very atypical. If you are using your phone for music with headphones and taking photos, you will not likely use more then 1,500 mah per day, which is most phones will last 2-3 days and a 5,000amh bank will last you an extra 3 or 4 days. But if you are taking an hour of video on a phone or camera, you can use 1,000 mah in that recording, so it might be entirely reasonable for a video blogger to have a very large battery bank on the trail because of their power usage, which is fine, but people see their gear reviews and think "they used a 20,000mah battery pack, so I will need that too"... not unless you are doing video blogging or are taking a TON of photos. For most people 10,000mah is more then enough and will generally allow for you to walk into town with charged electronics and a low power bank to charge.
The wall charger and cable are often over looked but are critical to getting a fast charge.
My 15000mah weighs 346 grams. It's charged via xgradon 20w solar panel in 6 hours.
That’s great.
Thanks for the great information man! Especially that dreaded charging speed.
That was probably the best/most informative video you’ve made. Thank you.
I wish that anker would come some rugged more sturdy series of b banks just for outdoor purpouse.
What cable(s) do you recommend or use with the battery and all charger you use? We use iPhones 6
I have a faulty 30000mAh bank. When fully charged, it heats up like a mini heater and warm up my chilly night.
That actually sounds amazing.
thank you this helped alot i jave been researching these for a while and had made my mind up on the Anker Autocore 26800.But i would be charging 2 phone multiple times before getting into a town.But why is chraging time your phone that important?i was planning on chraging mine at night while i was sleep
That would really be interesting if someone made a battery pack with the quick charge wall plug built in. I actually prefer to use slow charging myself because it can increase battery life. For those out on the trail and worried about battery life the Kingrow K1 smartphone might be a good idea. It uses an e-ink screen so actual battery life of the phone is hugely longer and visibility outside is much better. Downside being the screen doesn't look as good or have a high refresh rate but then again you aren't on the trail to play games and videos. Videos and photos taken on the phone will look choppy/pixelated when viewed on the K1 but they will look good when you transfer them to another device with a full color screen.
Agreed if you cannot get to a wall charger for 72 hours then you must be way out in the boonies my current pocket juice is only a 4000 milliamp hour charger and if I leave home with a full phone say on Monday I don't need to recharge anything until Thursday morning before my pocket juice and my phone battery are all completely dead otherwise I get three full Cycles out of my phone
This seems geared towards a typical hiker whose camera is their phone. If you are carrying a dedicated, presumably high quality camera, more is better (to a point).
Best advice I can give is this: There are so many companies out there selling battery banks, cables, and wall adapters that are complete junk. Seriously, mAH statements are usually exaggerated. Charging technology is often misrepresented. Shady dealers will type anything on Amazon or a box to sell something. Know what type of charging your devices need and work backwards from there. USB- C and Quickcharge are becoming more common but they need compatible devices, cords and wall adapters.
Haven Skye So true! Don't buy cheap crap from China! Sometimes those batteries are full of sand.
Hard to figure out what is good and what is bad on amazon since everyone has fake reviews etc