Your itinerary is set. It’s filled with outdoor activities and packed with a lot of fun. However, there’s one problem remains: your phone will not last all day to document the moments. That’s where these best portable chargers for travel come into play. Besides your passport and phone camera, they are your best travel buddies. Having one for backup is always useful!
How To Choose The Best Portable Chargers For Travel
Like buying your other gadgets, there are some things you need to consider before deciding which one of those best battery packs for travel should be your next travel buddy. Think about what you need and where you’re going to use the power bank more often. For movie time during transits, you want something lightweight and easy to carry. But for day hiking trips in Europe, you might want to consider a solar charger. The latter is an eco-friendly option, but not suitable for a cloudy day hike in Washington State, USA.
Capacity
There are so many options for power bank capacity available, commonly from 1000mAh to 25000mAh. The bigger the capacity, the more devices you can charge without having to recharge the battery. The question you need to ask yourself is: how long will you be away from the wall charger? If it’s only for one day, 4000mAh will suffice. For longer travels or more devices to charge, definitely get the biggest capacity available.
Weight
If there’s one with 25000mAh capacity, why go with 4000mAh? This section answers it. Keep in mind that the bigger the capacity, usually the heavier the battery is. However, some may weigh differently even with the same capacity. To travel light and easy, we suggest a power bank that weighs less than 1lb. Look for the weight on the product’s description before choosing.
Outputs
Like original phone chargers, portable chargers’ compatibility is something you should not overlook. You don’t want to buy one that is made for iPhone if you have Android phones. Pick the one that is compatible with your device. Check what your device’s charging input type is and make sure the product has the same type for its output. Is it USB-A, USB-C, Micro-USB, or lightning?
RUIPU Power Bank 24000mAh Portable Charger
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Our first product is so popular that there are naughty sellers out there offering their knock-off versions. So, make sure you only buy from RUIPU Direct store. Why is this power bank so popular? First of all, it offers a huge capacity of 24000mAh. Such power allows you to charge 5 smartphones! And with the LCD Power Technology, you no longer have to wonder how much capacity left. It’s right there on the screen!
With dual USD ports, you can charge two devices simultaneously. And it detects fast charging feature on each device. With the overcharge and over-discharge protection, you can leave it charging without having to worry. To fully charge RUIPU Power Bank 24000mAh, you need around 10 to 11 hours.
What we love
- This product offers a great value of money for the functions it features
Pros
- Overcharge and over-discharge protection
- Huge capacity (24000mAh)
Cons
- A little heavy to carry around, not the best battery packs for travel
2-Pack Miady 10000mAh Dual USB Portable Charger
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Traveling together with your special someone or buddy? Get this 2-Pack Miady 10000mAh Dual USB Portable Charger. Instead of fighting over one pack, share this to charge your devices wherever you go. With dual USB each, you can charge four devices simultaneously. Size-wise, it’s not much different from your smartphones. It’s slimmer than even the best battery packs for travel, so it can fit easily in your pocket, bag, or purse.
Miady designed this product to detect a device automatically. The power will turn on as soon as a device is connected and off after 30 seconds of unplugging. One pack can charge up to 4 phones. And it takes around 5 hours to recharge.
What we love
- With a slim design, compact size, and lightweight, it’s perfect for traveling light
Pros
- Dual USB
- Lightweight
- 2 power batteries instead of 1
Cons
- Only available in white and black
INIU Power Bank 10000mAh
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Even most of the best portable chargers for travel only offer around 2A output. But INIU Power Bank 10000mAh offers 3A on both of its USB ports. This lets you charge slightly faster compared to most of its kind. To fully charge one dead phone, it will take about 2 hours. And with 10000mAh capacity, it can charge up to 4 phones.
This battery pack offers a slim and sleek design, easy to carry in your pocket and purse. Instead of conventional style, the paw-print indicator light is a nice touch. There’s also an extra LED light you can use as a flashlight. Inside, it’s powered by a premium li-polymer battery. This can last on standby for 12 months. And it’s rechargeable up to 1000 times!
What we love
- Its sleek design offers a great alternative to conventional bulky power banks
Pros
- 3A output instead of 2A
- Premium li-polymer battery
- Extra LED light
Cons
- Not suitable for iPad
Sunnybag ICONIC solar portable backpack charger
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With Sunnybag ICONIC Solar Portable Backpack Charger, you get both backpack and charger. Let’s talk about the bag first. It’s made of weatherproof textiles called CORDURA. This 20-liter backpack has enough space for light travelers. There are separate compartments for tablet and laptop, both with cable channels to keep them charging. Plus, there’s another compartment to charge your devices wirelessly! All zippers are water-resistant. But even so, Sunnybag still comes with a rain cover.
Now, let’s talk about power. The solar panel is attached to the front of the backpack. With SUNPOWER cells, it offers 7 watts of power and 22.4% efficiency. To fully charge a dead phone, you will need around 1.5 to 3 hours.
What we love
- Stylish backpack with functional compartments
Pros
- Wireless charging
- Can charge many devices at once
- Solar panel seamlessly attached to the bag
Cons
- Low power (7 watts), it takes up to 3 hours to charge
Anker PowerCore 20100mAh Portable Charger
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Anker has produced millions of power banks. Among many of Anker products, this is one of the best portable chargers for travel. Besides its quality, we pick this one for its size and weight. It’s only a little taller than most smartphones and it’s lighter than a can of soup. Definitely pocket friendly! For a 20100mAh battery, it’s actually slim and not bulky. And the matte-finish exterior makes it easier to grip without leaving smudges all over it.
Anker PowerCore 20100mAh Portable Charger has the capacity to charge 5 to 7 phones. It also offers a high-speed charging feature for most devices. And with 4.8A output, it can charge at full speed. To recharge, it takes 10 hours.
What we love
- Its slim design and matte finish touch
Pros
- High-speed charging
- 4.8A output
- Lightweight for its capacity
Cons
- May not work win non-Anker USB cable
Jackery Power Outdoors Bolt 6000mAh Portable Charger
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Let see why this one is chosen as one of the best portable chargers for travel by Forbes. Jackery Power Outdoors Bolt 6000mAh Portable Charger may be small in capacity, but it offers better bigger things. One of them is the ability to charge two times faster than the original phone charger! However, it’s made only for iPhones.
The dual charging cables – one lightning and one USB – are attached to the side. Say goodbye to tangled-wire problems! The design is sleek and it will fit all kinds of pockets. It comes in two different colors: black and orange. And if 6000mAh is not enough for you, they have the 10050mAh option available as well.
What we love
- Can charge two times faster than the original phone charger
Pros
- Built-in cables
- Rocket fast iPhone charger
- Sleek and slim
Cons
- Only for iPhone devices
PowerGreen Solar Charger
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It’s lightweight, easy to store, and eco-friendly. These should be enough reason to make this one of, if not THE, best portable chargers for travel. PowerGreen Solar Charger lets you charge your phone anytime as long as there’s sunshine. Pick a nice spot at the park under the sun, plug your phone in, and the charging begins! It can also be attached to your backpack, so you can charge your phone during a walk or a hike throughout the day. The amount of power it can charge is unlimited, as long as it stays under the sun!
PowerGreen Solar Charger is equipped with a 21-watt solar panel. It offers 24% of efficiency, this is way better than common solar chargers. And it produces 2A (MAX) current through its 5V Dual-USB. Yep, you can charge two devices at a time! Users said it can charge two dead phones to full in 45 minutes. It’s slim, easy to fold, and water-resistant. Perfect for day traveling to remote places!
What we love
- Converts sunlight to power, the unlimited source for day travelers
Pros
- Lightweight
- Easy to attach and store
- 24% efficiency
Cons
- Does not store power, you need to be under direct sunlight to charge
Pocket Juice Endurance AC 12000
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Pocket Juice Endurance AC 12000 advertises as the perfect combination of style, functionality, and power. Let’s take a look at each aspect. Style-wise, it offers a sleek design, not bulky, and with a scratch-free finish. It’s also built to survive fast-paced lifestyles, making it perfect for digital nomads. Functionality-wise, it’s compatible with any smartphones or tablets.
Not let’s talk about power. 12000mAh can charge 6 phones. There are two high-speed USB ports with 3.4A output, which allow you to charge faster than most power banks. If 12000mAH is too big or too heavy, you can opt for the smaller ones. Pocket Juice Endurance also comes in 4000, 6000, and 8000mAH size. For the two smaller ones, the AC plug is built-in and tucked away neatly when not in use.
What we love
- Durable for a fast-paced lifestyle
Pros
- Scratch-free
- 3.4A output
- Sleek design
Cons
- Slightly too heavy
Hiluckey Outdoor Solar Charger 25000mAh
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The point of having a portable charger is to have the freedom of not being dependable on the wall charger. Any portable charger will give you this freedom. However, to recharge the charger itself, you still need the wall charger. So, why not breaking completely free by using a solar portable charger?
While the two solar chargers we had earlier on this list do not store power, this one does. It can store up to 25000mAh! That should charge up to 10 phones. Hiluckey Outdoor Solar Charger converts sunlight into power with its four solar panels. It may take a while to fully recharge it under the sun. But you can overcome this issue by recharging it through the wall charger. Charge two of your devices simultaneously with its dual USB outputs!
What we love
- Eco-friendly and compatible with all smartphones and tablets
Pros
- Can be recharged through solar charger and wall charger
- Store up to 25000mAh
- Easy to attach to most backpacks
Cons
- It takes more than a day under the sun to fully recharge
AUKEY USB C Power Bank
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AUKEY USB C Power Bank is so slim you wouldn’t believe it has 20000mAh capacity. That alone should be enough to convince you why it’s one of our best portable chargers for travel. And if that’s not good enough, how about its low-current charging mode? With this feature, you can safely charge small devices, such as your Bluetooth headphone! Without this feature, you’re taking a risk of damaging them.
The matte surface keeps the smudges away and makes it easier to carry it around. We mentioned its slim design before. That is a great addition to making this power bank more suitable for travel. Function-wise, it offers four different types of output. USB-A, USB-C, Lightning, and Micro-USB, you name it, this product has it!
What we love
- Big capacity with the best compatibility
Pros
- 4 different outputs: USB-A, USB-C, Lightning, Micro-USB
- Low-current charging mode available
- Compatible with all devices
Cons
- The matte surface makes it prone to scratches
Anker PowerCore 10000 Portable Charger
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If you’re looking for the smallest yet still one of the best portable chargers for travel, this is it. Size-wise, it’s almost as small as your credit card. That’s a lot smaller than most power banks, even for the same capacity. Not just size, Anker also boasts of being lighter than most. The design itself is simple and compact.
Quality-wise, we have no doubt. Like the other best battery packs for travel we’ve seen earlier, Anker delivers the best in its products. Anker PowerCore 10000 carries 10000mAh, which can charge two to three phones. It has its own high-speed charging feature for any device. To recharge, it only takes around 4-5 hours. Travelers should be happy to know that each purchase comes with an exclusive travel pouch. In addition, there’s an 18-month warranty!
What we love
- It’s small and compact, a perfect travel companion
Pros
- A popular product (sold over 50 million worldwide)
- 18-month warranty
Cons
- Qualcomm Quick Charge not supported
