Our Top 5 Power Banks

Our Top 5 Power Banks

We're increasingly using our smartphones to do more and more - and now they can help us navigate, plot courses, play podcasts and of course take damn good photos and videos whilst out on our walks. But this all has a big price in battery life. And with all phones now having non-removeable batteries, now you can't swap them either.

The answer? A power bank. In essence another battery which you charge up in advance (very important that bit) and then use to charge / power your phone. So here's our selection of the Top 5 Power Banks available now.

As we get to see new kit, we'll be updating this page, so keep popping back to stay up-to-date with our selection.

Anker Power Bank, PowerCore Slim 10000 Portable Charger

If you need a lot of power, than this Anker power bank should be on your list. Built for adventure with superior durability and scratch resistance, this bank is one of the slimmest and lightest 10,000mAh charges around.

It provides 2.25 charges for iPhone 12, 1.6 charges for Galaxy S20 and 1.2 charges for iPad mini 5, and the versatile charging system can deliver a tailored charge up to 12W, while the trickle-charging mode is the best way to charge low-power devices

There is a newer model available, but this is pretty perfect - and around a tenner cheaper.

£22.99 - Buy Now

Powermonkey Sport 25 power pack

If you need flexibility whilst on the hill, then the Powermonkey Sport 25 is difficult to beat. The unit houses a lightweight yet powerful 6700mAh lithium-ion battery, capable of recharging a GoPro Hero5 four times and a Garmin Edge 1000 four times. It is also compatible with a plethora of other 5V devices such as smartphones, tablets (including iPad), iPods, digital cameras, sat phones and more.

But what's makes it different is the Sport 25 is waterproof for 30 minutes in up to 1 metre of water - and that's why it has an Ingress Protection (IP) rating of 67.

Also - and this could be a life-saver - the Sport 25 features a powerful integrated 150 Lumen torch which also has an SOS mode should you get caught in an emergency situation and at just 187g it's perfect to slip into your pack to keep your devices charged.

£45 - Buy Now

BioLite SolarPanel

How about a solar panel you can use either back at base or attached to your backpack whist walking?

Well, the BioLite SolarPanel is that unit. It has a 5 watts per hour output during peak sun, providing enough power to charge phones, tablets and wireless earbuds. Using the corner latches, you can attach the panel to your backpack and charge items while you are walking - or back at base, use the sun dial to perfectly align the panel using the sturdy 360 kickstand, to make sure you don't waste any of the sun's rays.

The on-board 2,200mAh battery stores energy for later, allowing you to charge devices when you need it most.

£68 - Buy Now

Solar Technology Freeloader iSIS

Once upon a time, solar charging was a bit of a joke... taking literally days to charge devices - especially here in Britain. But now solar technology is starting to be a serious option for charging walkers' devices. And leading the pack is the Freeloader iSIS.

Obviously, charging times depends on the sunlight available, but the solar cell on the iSIS is upto 50% more efficient than others, and can fully charge the average smart phone 3 times at full capacity. Thanks to its' built-in charging arms, it will happily charge either Lightning or Micro USB devices, and a built-in stand allows you to angle the iSIS at the sun at all times - or you can even attach it to your backpack.

And if you have no sunlight at all, the iSIS can be charged back at base in the usual fashion by plugging it into a Mains USB charger - and will still provide charging for devices whilst out on the hill.

£64.99 - Buy Now