Regardless of whether youre going camping or to one of the finest hotels on the planet, your smartphone is likely the first thing you packed. In fact, the odds are that it is such a natural thing to bring with you that you dont even think of packing it. Its an automatic, like your wallet and your keys. So the last thing you want to have happen is to run out of charge and be stuck for hours without it. When you head out the door, a travel battery pack can easily become your best friend.
Its not difficult to understand why everything from a 5000 mAh mobile charger to a 10400 travel battery pack have become tremendously hot gadgets for all cell phone users. It isnt even unheard of for people to carry a 20,000 mAh battery bank with them if theyre headed somewhere very remote or off the beaten track. If youve never brought a travel battery pack with you before, its a good idea to learn a bit about these mobile gadgets before buying one. That way, youll know you have the right one with you.
The first thing you should know about how to use a power bank is that it is pretty much a very large rechargeable battery. By plugging it into the wall and charging it up, you can carry enough power with you that you can use it to recharge a smartphone, camera, tablet, GPS, GoPro, MP3 player, or even a tablet. Many of those devices can be recharged several times depending on the power bank capacity.
To use a power bank, you just need to plug the micro USB end of the cable into the gadget and the standard USB end into a wall socket adapter. Good quality battery banks will provide an indicator light that lets you see how much charge it has and that tells you when its full. Once its full, its ready to charge your mobile devices whenever you want. In that case, just turn the cable around, with the standard USB end plugged into the power bank and the micro USB end into the device to be charged.
How much capacity do you need? That all depends on what you need to charge and how often you want to be able to use it before you recharge it. Consider the following options:
– A 5000 mAh portable charger this is a great size for everyday use. Good quality ones are slim and light and will fit in a pocket or handbag. Theyll typically give your smartphone around three charges, depending on the model.
– The 10,400 mAh travel battery pack this is often considered to be a travelers best friend. Still slim and light enough to easily take with you, but with a large enough capacity to recharge your cell phone several times, or your phone, tablet and camera if you have multiple devices that need more juice.
– Also a 20,000 mAh battery bank this certainly has a huge capacity, but this is typically seen as practical only when size and weight doesnt matter. If youre going camping and wont be carrying the power bank on a hike with you, this might be a good option, especially if you choose a very durable, rugged and waterproof model.
