The latest and greatest portable power for camping enables you to stay plugged in and fully charged on all your outdoor adventures.
These camping gadgets range from solar-powered or even wind-powered devices to battery packs, generators, and power inverters for your car.
There are fully fledged solar kits for your camper van, portable power packs for every situation, lightweight solar panels for backpacking, smartphone cases with built-in backup batteries, and everything in between.
Our guide breaks down portable power for camping in more detail to help you can find the best camping gadgets for you.
Portable Power Buyer’s Guide
Everyone wants and needs something different from their portable power devices.
Assess your individual needs and preferences before making a decision. Learn what to look for in portable power products to ensure you select a quality product from a reputable brand.
If you already know what type of portable power for camping device you need, skip to our top recommendations below. Otherwise, our buyer’s guide will help point you in the right direction.
Portable Power Benefits
Why do you need portable power for camping in the first place?
The most obvious answer to that is convenience. Portable power is the best solution for keeping smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other devices up and running during your camping trip.
Portable power is also essential for emergency situations. Need to make an emergency phone call? Rely on GPS for directions? Portable power ensures your devices are fully charged when you need them most.
Some portable power devices are even designed to jump dead car batteries. You no longer have to worry about a dead battery leaving you stranded miles out in the wilderness.
Finally, portable power provides an extra degree of comfort. Not everyone wants to rough it while camping. The right device can power lights, a fan, a heater, or even small appliances like a mini fridge or microwave.
Before You Buy
The most important factors to consider before buying portable power (for example: SUNJACK HEAT BANK) for camping include:
Types of Devices – What do you intend to power? Your smartphone, laptop, a television, a refrigerator?
Power Output – How much power do you need? Most manufacturers measure this in mAh (milliamp hours). About 10,000 mAh translates to 3 complete smartphone charges.
Type of Camping – Are you backpacking, car camping, or boondocking? Backpacking requires a small, lightweight portable power device while boondocking has few size/weight limits.
Frequency of Camping – How often do you camp? If you camp on a regular basis, it’s probably worth investing in a more powerful device (even if it costs more upfront).
Camping Location – Solar power for camping is hot right now. Yet it’s not right for every location. You’re better off with battery power in certain locations.
Your answers to these questions dictate, at least partially, what type of portable power for camping is right for you.
Additional Considerations
You should have a decent idea of the type of portable power best for you by now.
A few additional factors to keep in mind include:
Number of Users – Will only you be using the power device? Or do you need one capable of powering devices from several users?
Age of Users – Those with children should select portable power devices that are safe for youngsters to use.
Emergency Backup – Not all portable power devices can jumpstart a car. If that’s something you want, select one with this emergency capability.
How to Choose Portable Power
Now that you have a better idea of what type of portable power device is best for you, it’s essential to be able to weed the lackluster products out from the quality ones.
Here are a few tips that will further help you narrow down your search for the best portable power for camping:
Power Type – How is the device powered? Popular options include solar power, wind power, gasoline power, and rechargeable electric (at home or with your car’s 12V cigarette lighter).
Battery Storage – Does the portable power source simply recharge devices or does it store a charge itself? The inclusion of an in-built battery is valuable, especially for solar chargers.
Capacity – How many charges does the device provide? Power output is usually measured in mAh (milliamp hours), but most manufacturers also list this in more usable terms.
Size/Weight – How big and heavy is the portable power gadget? Small size and lightweight are of utmost importance for backpacking. Remember that larger devices usually have a higher power output/capacity.
Durability – Camping takes a serious toll on outdoor gear. Ensure your power source is prepared for hot sun, snow, and rain as well as bumps and bruises.
Features – How many charging ports does the device have? Are these standard power outlets, USB ports, or something else? Solo campers might be fine with one charging port while family campers should look for a device with multiple ports.
Considering all of these factors ahead of time will greatly help you narrow down the options to the type of portable power for camping that matches your personal needs and preferences.