Portable Chargers for the Backcountry
Electronics in the backcountry are the norm. Apps like Gaia (GPS), Strava, Avenza and RidewithGPS turn our phones into worthy gps and navigation tools for adventure in any season. However, keeping electronics fully charged and ready to go on a multi-day backcountry trip requires back-up power options.
There are many portable chargers and storage batteries on the market that’ll keep your electronics charged. For true backcountry use, a rugged, waterproof design is your best bet. We’ve put the MyCharge AdventureMax portable charger and the Goal Zero Venture 30 backup battery to the test in summer and winter conditions. Both are lithium batteries encased in rugged plastic housings that you charge up when you have access to power and then use to charge phones, gps units and small electronics when away from power.
When deciding which portable charger to buy, you need to consider how many milliamps (mA) your device(s) require to charge. You can scale the portable battery capacity accordingly to offer the charge power you need. For example: an iPhone X battery is about 3,000mA. So, you need a battery with more than 6,000mA to get two charge cycles for the iPhone X. A quick search will get you the info on your device if you’re not sure of its battery size.
Of course, the more power you need, the bigger and heavier the portable charger. Fifty to a hundred bucks buys you a backup battery with 7,000-10,000mA capacity. Portable batteries of this scale are ideal for charging phones, cycling computers, gps units, etc, and they typically weigh about half a pound (250 grams).
Backcountry Charging Best Practices
A couple tips will help make for efficient charging and power management in the backcountry.
Number One: Temperature affects power capacity. Warm the battery (keep in a pocket) before use. A cold battery will not output its full potential.
Number Two: It’s best not to fully drain your device of power if at all possible. Charging is far more efficient from 50% battery to 100% than it is from 0% to 50%.
Number Three: A 10,000mAh battery will not necessarily charge a full 10,000mA. Be sure to estimate a 10-15% loss in mAh from the battery. So a 10,000mAh charger is best viewed as 8,500-9,000mA of usable power.
MyCharge AdventureMax Portable Charger
The MyCharge AdventureMax has a 10,500mAh capacity and two 2.4A USB outlets. The 10,500mAh capacity allows for three full charge cycles on most phones and even more on smaller gps units. The battery can be fully charged in about 4.5 hours and outputs at 2.4A/hour.
The MyCharge AdventureMax also allows inline charging. This means you can rechage the unit while charging a device. Inline charging is convenient when you have limited outlets (and time) and would like to charge both the batttery pack and your device simultaneously from a single USB wall plug. I’ve found this valuable in airports, hotel rooms or anytime I only have a single wall plug.
The unit is reasonably sized and weighs in at about a half pound. A built-in carabiner makes for secure connection to a pack. It also features an on/off button and an iluminated series of LED’s that indicate charge status. MyCharge makes a series of Adventure chargers in range of sizes to suit different charging needs.
MyCharge AdventureMax Portable Charger Specs
Capacity: 10,500mAh Lithium Ion
Dimensions: 4.4 in x 2.9 in x 1.0 in
Weight: 8 oz / 249 grams
USB port output: Two 2.4A outputs (2.4mA / hour output)
Cost: $50
Shop for the MyCharge AdventureMax and support Off-Piste Mag
Goal Zero Venture 35 Portable Charger
The second portable charger unit tested is the Goal Zero Venture 35.
The Venture 35 is a 9,600mAh lithium storage battery. Like the MyCharge unit, it’s designed to charge via a USB wall plug, but is also compatible with Goal Zero’s portable solar panels that are available separately. When paired with a Goal Zero Nomad 10 solar panel (a 10 watt panel), it can be recharged in 6-10 hours. Charging time from an outlet via USB-C is about 3 hours.
The Goal Zero Venture 35 includes multiple output ports: a USB-C (18W) and a USB-A (2.4A). The shockproof, weather-resistant unit is built for rugged outdoor use and has withstood many weeks of adventure. It has enough power to charge a phone or Garmin head unit 3-4 times.
The interface is simple and a bright LED light offers utility as a 50-Lumen light.
Goal Zero Venture 30 Portable Charger Specs
Capacity: 9,600 mAh
Dimensions: 4.4 x 2.7 x 1.1 in
Weight: 10 oz / 290 g
Cost: $69
Shop for the Goal Zero Venture 35 or the Full Goal Zero kit with battery and solar panel and support Off-Piste Mag
Need a portable solar panel? Read our review of the GoSun portable solar panel
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