From maps to emergency preparedness, a smartphone is an indispensable tool on the trail. However, the weaker you mobile signal gets (most urban trails have some but not great signal), the harder your phone has to work to stay connected to your carrier’s network, and that leads to much quicker power drain. Staying powered up can be critical to your ability to find your way in a pinch. That’s why I love my RAVPower 26800mAh Portable Charger.
RAVPower 26800mAh Portable Charger is hefty
I used to think that I was the only hiker on earth to use something like the RAVPower 26800mAh charger on the trail. Afterall, it’s a pretty hefty charger. Weighing in at 16.1oz, this isn’t the lightest item you can put in your pack. However, after chatting with longstride, a thru-hiker from the Hiking with Geeks community, I learned that he took a similar charger on his hike through the Appalachian Trail. Seems the charger might be worth it, and here’s why.
Why I love this charger
- The charger has enough capacity to charge an iPhone 10 times or an iPad Air 2 times.
- There are 3 USB charging ports (2 USB 2.0, 1 USB-C).
- The RAVPower 26800mAh Portable Charger is one of the fastest charging portable batteries on the market. Why? Because items with a USB-C port are capable of charging much quicker than their USB 2.0 cousins.
But here’s the best part… if you have a new Macbook with USB-C, you can use this charger to extend the battery life of your laptop as well. Pretty cool eh?
Not only is the charger great for day hikes and through hiking, it’s also totally practical for the mobile office.
The unit has is sleek (6.81 x 0.87 x 3.19 inch) and comes with a carrying bag (although I ditched the bag soon after purchasing the charger), and a quick wall-charger.
The RAVPower 26800mAh charger is a reliable way to make sure you’re powered up as you pack out for your next adventure.
Check out the RAVPower 26800mAh Portable Charger on Amazon
A note on the authenticity of this review
I love gear, and I love giving a good recommendation to a fellow geek just about as much. Each product I review I’ve used, love, and am passionate about recommending. In order to be super transparent, unless otherwise designated, I’ve purchased each item for my personal use and review. If you have a question, agree, or disagree with a review, please leave a comment and you’ll get a response. Lastly, if an affiliate link is available for the product, I’ll use it when linking to the item. They’re products I love, and running this site isn’t close to free, so purchasing using those links helps support Hiking with Geeks financially.