Question about power banks

[grayland]

One thing to keep in mind for those who are watching this excellent thread and thinking about adding a power bank to your kit. Some of the units are pretty heavy..usually the more powerful is heavier.
It may be good to do a bit of research and only get the lightest unit that suits your needs as you will be carrying it. "Stuff" adds up little by little in your pack.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Here's a detailed comparison of 83 power bank models that I just ran across.

Great. It explains the ranking, not just giving the ranks. That means you can compare batteries the author didn't rank with those he did.

For use on the camino I think the charge rate and the discharge rate should be ranked more equally as you have more time to charge your phone at your lodging than you may have at a pit stop during your backpack.

 

[peregrina2000]

Some of the units are pretty heavy

Totally agree. For me the need for a power bank for the phone came from my decision to leave my Garmin Dakota GPS (and the charger for its rechargeable batteries, and two sets of rechargeable batteries) at home and to use my phone as my GPS.

This was a great decision for me, and I decided I was way ahead in the weight category. My power bank is much lighter than the equipment I ditched.

But this is of course a personal opinion. The most highly rated bank is also very light but at least twice as expensive as my light but less powerful power bank.

 

[davebugg]

The biggest problem I have with the list is the admittedly subjective 'Weighted Ranking'. His rationale is based on what are mostly non-issues.

• Use determines need, and that distinction is missing. A casual user of a smart phone or tablet does not need the same level of power that a full blown videographer needs. That distinction will affect the number and sizes of a powerbank. The more aggressively a powerbank is used for carefully documented videography or Vlogging, for example, the more the issue of reliability and energy density takes precedent, while the weight of the powerbank becomes a secondary issue.
• Most devices can be recharged while hiking or walking, AND can be used while connected to the powerbank.
• As someone who has thru-hiked the PCT and Colorado Trail, the author's rationale for the need to quickly recharge the powerbank is puzzling. When backpacking on multi-week hikes, you are taking a zero day, or a long 'nero' (near zero) day to resupply. That is plenty of time to recharge a power bank(s). On Camino, a powerbank generally does not need to be quickly recharged between stages for the average user of smart phones and tablets.

The other problem is that at this point in time we are seeing fast-changing advances in both circuit designs and chemistries of batteries and battery banks. Nearly every month, significant changes are being seen that are incorporated into batteries.

Anker, for example, will often incorporate these changes into existing powerbank models between announcements of new 'upgraded' models. New model introduction frequently focuses on significant user interface changes, like changes to the technologies of usb ports, or adding types of ports. An article's information can be out of date even if it used testing information that was 3 months old. And that doesn't account for the time it takes for the article to be written and published.

I have done a lot of continuous, days-long shooting (10+ hours) of video with GoPros and DJI camera products. I am not a professional by any stretch of the imagination. But if the usability of a powerbank for that level of usage is sufficient, than it will cover the needs for the majority of Camino pilgrims.

The cost is also a factor. One model of Anker at 10,000 ma/h (not the one listed), is nearly 1/3rd the price of the Nitecore model mentioned in the article, which is a fine powerbank. The Anker is 1.5 ounces heavier, and the usable energy output is not significantly less in real world usage. There are also other major brands that also compete well on the cost issue.

Again, let me reiterate that the Nitecore powerbank is a great product and a good choice. My issue is not at all with that powerbank, it is with the article's methodology in assessing powerbanks.

I think that the 'weighted ranking' part of the scoring should be ignored.