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Charmast 26,800mAH Extremely-Slim Energy Financial institution


Close up of the Charmast power bank charging a phone that is sitting on a backpack with a lake and mountain in the background.
the Charmast 26800 mAh Transportable Energy Financial institution. – Picture Credit score: Bailey Bremner (CleverHiker.com)

Backside Line

At 26,800 mAh, the Charmast is the most important capability energy financial institution we examined and considered one of our favorites. We had been pleasantly stunned to see it ceaselessly beat out smaller-capacity energy banks in areas equivalent to weight, effectivity, portability, and sturdiness. On backpacking journeys, we frequently discovered ourselves reaching for this financial institution over lots of the different high-capacity energy banks and are impressed by its skinny, glossy design. 

Some notable wins for this energy financial institution embrace its low weight and that it is likely one of the best battery packs we examined. The Charmast 26800 packs a number of energy in each ounce. Along with its base options, we discover it simple to make use of. It sports activities three enter and 4 output ports, permitting most flexibility. One of many output ports helps fast charging, and this energy financial institution routinely initiates trickle charging for small electronics. For backpackers on the lookout for probably the most energy in one of many best-designed banks, look no additional!

Fast Specs

Charmast 26800 mAH Transportable Charger

Greatest Giant-Capability Energy Financial institution


Rating:

72.5/100


Value:

$30


Weight:

12 oz.


mAh:

26,800


Time to full cost:

7 hrs (USB-C)

Execs

  • Glorious worth
  • Excessive charging capability
  • Prices a number of gadgets directly
  • A number of energy compared to weight

Cons

  • Loses capability in chilly temperatures
  • Takes longer to cost than some

Close up of the Charmast power bank charging a phone and the Garmin Inreach while sitting on some pine needles.
Charmast 26800 mAh Transportable Energy Financial institution can cost a telephone as much as 4 instances and a number of gadgets concurrently. – Picture Credit score: Bailey Bremner (CleverHiker.com)

Effectivity

Not solely is it the lightest large-capacity energy financial institution, however the Charmast can be probably the most environment friendly. This shouldn’t come as an enormous shock: being each the lightest and the very best capability in our lineup, it ought to supply loads of charging energy for each ounce of weight. Nonetheless, energy banks are infamous for having much less energy out there than is listed on the packaging, so we needed to ensure. To check this, we used a multimeter and dummy resistor load to empty the battery whereas concurrently recording the facility output. After a number of calculations, we confirmed that the Charmast is probably the most environment friendly large-capacity energy financial institution we examined.

Close up of the Charmast power bank sitting on a kitchen scale.
12.1 ounces is on par for all the fees you get. – Picture Credit score: Bailey Bremner (CleverHiker.com

Weight & Packability

Given the appreciable energy capability of the Charmast, it’s surprisingly light-weight. Don’t get us mistaken; it weighs greater than any of the small-capacity energy banks we examined. Nonetheless, when positioned on our scale, it was the lightest battery pack with over 20,000 mAh of energy. That is a powerful feat, significantly contemplating it beat out two energy banks that had been 6,800 mAh smaller. We additionally admire that it was lighter on our scale than the listed specification. Amazon lists the burden as 14.9 ounces, and different sources checklist it as 15.2, however our measurements confirmed it was round 12 ounces.

Huge batteries are inclined to take up plenty of house, however the skinny profile of the Charmast makes it simple to hold. We had been curious how the completely different shapes of the large-capacity energy banks we examined would influence portability. On one aspect, we’ve got the Charmast, which may be very skinny however compensates as a pancake would- by spreading out extra. Others are thicker however not so broad or are formed like bricks. To reply this query, we measured the size, width, and peak of each energy financial institution we examined to search out the whole quantity.

We found that the Charmast has one of many smallest complete volumes of our large-capacity battery packs. It feels extra streamlined, and the slimmer design provides an additional sense of being lighter than it’s. All of it comes right down to choice and the place a consumer needs to put the financial institution. The Charmast performs higher in skinny however vast areas equivalent to tent aspect pockets, whereas others match higher into pants pockets. Given its measurement, the Charmast did effectively on this class.

Close up of the Charmast charging from an outlet and a cell phone charging from the power bank simultaneously.
The Charmast 26800 mAh Transportable Energy Financial institution has pass-through charging, which we love. – Picture Credit score: Bailey Bremner (CleverHiker.com)

Sturdiness

Except for some minor beauty injury, the Charmast stood up fantastically to the whole lot we threw at it, together with being dropped and jumbled within the backcountry. Like lots of the energy banks we examined, the Charmast has an outer coating that simply scratches. The abrasions on our mannequin occurred primarily from being carried free in a bag filled with different energy banks and from our drop take a look at. Customers must be conscious that sliding off of a rock or different common use will trigger some put on over time. Fortuitously, this didn’t have an effect on the integrity of the Charmast, and it nonetheless charged gadgets after passing our eight-foot drop take a look at.

The Charmast and a phone sit in front of a tent in the woods.
Keep out longer with a transportable charger. – Picture Credit score: Bailey Bremner (CleverHiker.com)

Charging Pace

The most important weak spot of the Charmast is the period of time it takes to recharge. Throughout our exams, it took longer than some other energy financial institution to recharge, simply shy of seven hours. Even different large-capacity energy banks carried out a lot better on this class – some ending half-hour earlier. That point can add up when resupplying in cities or attempting to get out the door on a last-minute journey.

The Charmast power bank and a phone sit on a map.
Should you depend on GPS for navigating, having a large-capacity battery financial institution in your telephone is nice insurance coverage. – Picture credit score: Bailey Bremner (CleverHiker.com)

Options

One of many nice issues a couple of bigger energy financial institution is room for extra options, which the Charmast has loads of. A function that units it aside is having three enter and 4 output ports. This supplies many choices must you lose a charging cable or have to cost a number of gadgets concurrently. Like most energy banks, the Charmast permits for pass-through charging, which implies that a tool might be charged off the facility financial institution whereas the financial institution itself is being charged. This energy financial institution additionally has a fast cost port to cost telephones quicker and may acknowledge when a low present is required for smaller electronics. All in all, there are many usable options!

The Charmast power bank is hooked up to a multimeter and dummy resistor load inside a refrigerator with food.
The Charmast 26800 mAh doesn’t just like the chilly. Maintain it in your physique, towards your again in your pack, or in your sleeping bag at evening and you ought to be superb. – Picture Credit score: Bailey Bremner (CleverHiker.com)

Chilly Charging

The Charmast has many strengths, however efficiency in chilly temperatures just isn’t considered one of them. As backpackers who hit the paths year-round, we all know how essential cold-weather efficiency is within the shoulder seasons and winter. When the times are brief and the nights are lengthy, it’s arduous to keep away from chilly temperatures when needing to recharge electronics. To check for this, we drained every take a look at financial institution once more utilizing our multimeter and dummy resistor load, however this time, we positioned the entire setup inside a fridge. We had been disenchanted to see that the Charmast misplaced 6.7% of its complete output in chilly temperatures in comparison with its efficiency at room temperature. It isn’t its most shining second, however it isn’t the whole finish of the world so long as some precautions are taken on the path.

Close up of a hand placing the Charmast into a fanny pack that the same person is wearing. There are trees and grass in the background.
If solely the Charmast doubled as a Kindle. Simply kidding, we will’t complain about this battery refueler. – Picture Credit score: Bailey Bremner (CleverHiker.com)

Ought to You Purchase the Charmast 26800 mAh?

Whereas we love the Charmast 26800, we acknowledge that this energy financial institution may not be your best option for everybody. Nonetheless, if you’re planning longer backpacking journeys or thru-hiker resupplies within the vary of every week or extra, then a higher-capacity energy financial institution such because the Charmast is an efficient match. We’ve got additionally discovered that people utilizing a number of battery whereas mountain climbing profit from an influence financial institution of over 20,000 mAh like this one. Actions that use a number of battery embrace taking photos and movies, listening to podcasts, or recording a monitor on a GPS app. Conversely, the typical backpacker who will solely be out for a number of days and restrict their telephone utilization throughout that point doubtless doesn’t require a big capability energy financial institution just like the Charmast.

What Different Energy Banks Ought to You Take into account?

UGREEN 145W: Within the over 20,000 mAh class, this financial institution is a wonderful alternative. Just like the Charmast, it additionally has a quick charging port, and the digital show makes it simpler to estimate how a lot battery is left. Utilizing the identical wall charger, it fees barely faster than the Charmast. With a specialised wall charger, that point might be vastly lowered, fixing one of many essential issues with the Charmast. 

INIU 20000 PD Overview: The INIU had many similarities to the Charmast general, with a smaller general capability of 20,000 mAh.

BioLite Cost 80 PD: One other stable alternative is BioLite, which gives elevated beauty sturdiness and higher cold-temperature efficiency.

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