Most people, at some point, have found themselves in need of a power bank. Whether it’s because your phone died on a flight or the power has gone out, having a readymade source of energy can mean the difference between smooth sailing and massive inconvenience.
If you spend a lot of time in the wilderness like I do, a waterproof power bank is even more necessary, especially when you’re in humid environments or back and forth to the ocean on dive and snorkel trips.
Quick Comparison Table
| Charger | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|
Best All Around: Techsmarter Rugged 30,000 45W   | - Compatible w/ most consumer electronics - 30,000 mAh - 45W | Check price on Amazon |
Best for Smaller Electronics: myCharge   | - Compatible w/ all standard consumer electronics - 15,000mAh - 12W | Check price on Amazon |
Best Multipurpose: MOSKIZ Portable Charger W/ Solar Backup  | - Compatible w/ all standard consumer electronics - 33,500mAh -18W | Check price on Amazon |
Best Emergency Powerbank: GOODaaa 36000mAh   | - Compatible w/ all standard consumer electronics - 36,000mAh - 15W | Check price on Amazon |
Table of Contents
Why The Techsmarter Rugged 30,000 45W Waterproof Power Bank is the Best
In a nutshell, because it’s the best combination of capacity (mAh) and power transfer (W). You can charge multiple devices quickly with this powerful, high-capacity waterproof power bank (faster than the other options on the list), which is what I want in a portable charger. It costs more, but you’re getting something that is significantly more powerful as well.
I’ve definitely been in a bind while traveling and in places with limited electricity where a waterproof, rugged powerbank has been a major help.
That said, there are plenty of rugged powerbanks on the market, at a variety of price points, and with additional features that add to the convenience of having one or more around. The 4 best are:
- Best Waterproof Power Bank: Techsmarter Rugged 30,000 45W
- Best Waterproof Power Bank for Smaller Electronics: myCharge
- Best Multipurpose Waterproof Power Bank: MOSKIZ Portable Charger W/ Solar Backup
- Best Emergency Waterproof Power Bank: GOODaaa 36000mAh Solar Power Ban
Best All Around Waterproof Power Bank: Techsmarter Rugged 30,000 45W
Specs
- Compatability: Most phones and standard consumer electronics
- mAh: 30,000
- Watts: 45
- Battery type: 3 Lithium Polymer (included)
This is the best waterproof power bank for the money for one two reasons: it is high capacity and charges electronics the quickest.
If you are traveling with a laptop, tablet, phone, cameras, flashlights etc., you are going to need something with substantial mAh to allow you to fully charge multiple items.
This rugged powerbank can half-charge a modern smartphone battery in 35, and it’s compatible with 2.0 and 3.0 rapid chargers. All in all, I think it’s a really good balance between high speed while minimizing extra weight.
45 watts is also quite powerful for a rugged powerbank, and you will notice your USB-C gear charges much faster.
Bear in mind, however, that if you try to charge this rugged powerbank with a standard cellphone charger (5W), it’s going to take you a LONG TIME (potentially a full day or more). If you plan on getting this, a special 45W charger is something you should also invest in.
Downsides
It’s more expensive; you really should have a special charger to get the most out of it, and it’s somewhat bulky compared to the other portable chargers on the list.
This is tied for the most expensive waterproof power bank on the list (but the other offers solar). It costs more because you are getting a much more substantial portable charger, but you are paying for it.
Best Waterproof Power Bank for Smaller Electronics: myCharge Portable Waterproof Powerbank
Specs
- Compatability: All smartphones and standard consumer electronics
- mAh: 15,000
- Watts: 12
- Battery type: 1 Lithium Polymer (included)
This 15,000 mAh, 12W charger from myCharge is a good alternative to the Techsmarter waterproof power bank above if you don’t need such a large capacity or the 45W power transfer.
For the price, it is a convenient little waterproof power bank to take on a trip or just have around the house if all you need to do is charge smaller consumer electronics.
Longer trips with less opportunities to charge gear might require something a little bulkier.
15,000 mAh will still let you charge multiple devices before having to recharge the battery (phones, wireless headphones, e-reader, bluetooth speakers etc.) and it only weighs 12 ounces (0.75 lbs).
It’s nice to have something this powerful and lightweight in your bag that you can rely on if and when you need some emergency power or you aren’t close to an outlet.
Downsides
It doesn’t have a USB C port. It has the input, but if you want to charge USB-C compatible devices, you’re SOL, unfortunately.
Also, the fact that it’s 12W means in order to charge it relatively quickly, you should be plugging it into a 12W charger, which is an additional cost. Still, the best waterproof power bank for smaller electronics.
Best Multipurpose Waterproof Power Bank: MOSKIZ Portable Charger W/ Solar Backup
Specs
- Compatability: All smartphones and standard consumer electronics
- mAh: 33,500
- Watts: 18
- Battery type: 1 Lithium Polymer (included)
This is the best multi-purpose rugged powerbank because it’s a nice mix of versatility and power. 33,500maH is, indeed, more capacity (3500 more) than the other big portable charger on this list (the Techsmarter) just with a lower wattage.
It also has a backup solar charger (300mAh, 1.65W) in the event that you don’t have access to an electrical power source, which is nice for anyone going into remote areas with patchy power supply.
I’ve been in places where you rely on a diesel generator for power, and if you run out of fuel for a day, it’s nice to know you can harness the power of the sun.
This rugged powerbank also has a 260-lumen flashlight built-in, which is a nice emergency feature should you need it.
Downsides
Despite the solar charging feature, the low capacity of the panel and the similarly low wattage of its output mean that you shouldn’t really expect amazing things from it.
It’s a handy thing to have for emergencies, but it will take a while to charge, and it won’t transfer a ton of energy.
It’s what you would expect from a consumer solar phone charger at the end of the day, but still the best multipurpose waterproof power bank out there.
Best Emergency Rugged Powerbank: GOODaaa 36000mAh Solar Power Bank
Specs
- Compatability: All smartphones and standard consumer electronics
- mAh: 36,000
- Watts: 15
- Battery type: 1 Lithium Polymer (included)
This waterproof rugged powerbank has the biggest capacity on the list, which means you can expect to charge multiple devices multiple times before having to recharge.
You also get dual, very bright LED flashlights built in which, on a full charge, will last you 100 hours.
This is a great device to have for either travel or emergency use at home if you live in a hurricane belt or somewhere prone to other kinds of natural disasters.
This is definitely something you could feel confident taking on a weekend-long camping or fishing trip. It also comes with 3 built-in output cables and one input and 5W wireless charging.
Downsides
A little bit on the heavy side (1.08 lbs) and not amazing wattage for such a large capacity device.
The Techsmarter device is 6,000 less mAh, but charges faster (both the battery itself and the speed at which it charges other devices) and is a similar weight.
As with most rugged powerbanks that advertise solar charging capabilities, don’t expect much from this one either. It works and, in a pinch, the solar backup is a nice feature to have, but don’t expect miracles.
Still, a nice piece of equipment to have in a pinch.
A Couple Words of Caution With Waterproof Power Banks
If you didn’t know, China is the world’s dominant producer of consumer electronics, and it certainly holds true when it comes to waterproof power banks.
While it doesn’t mean you can’t get something that works well and is worth the money and the reviews on the above products testify to this, it does mean there is a lot of crap to be wary of, a lot of the same factories supplying the same product to a dozen different smaller companies which then rebrand and resell it on Amazon, and a lot of untrustworthy companies selling inferior products.
You can get portable chargers for things like marine batteries that are made by reputable companies like DeWalt, but they aren’t meant for consumer electronics like computers, phones, drones, handheld video games, headphones etc.
It should also be noted that the solar charging technology on most of these consumer-grade portable chargers is kind of half-assed.
It’s nice peace of mind to know that should you need to give a phone a little bit of juice in an emergency, you can, but cutting-edge solar technology isn’t at the stage yet where we can cheaply and effectively put it into affordable consumer electronics, and it will perform like much more expensive stand-alone solar devices.
Is a Waterproof Power Bank Fully Waterproof?
Waterproof Power Banks are waterproof in the sense that they are designed to be used in humid environments and to withstand contact with water, even to be fully submerged for short periods, but they are not made for long-term submersion.
The vast majority of waterproof power banks are going to be rated IP 66 or 67 but not 68. An underwater camera will be rated IP 68, but not a rugged powerbank.
Terminology
A few pieces of terminology before you delve into the review, just in case you are unfamiliar with the various measurements used to describe portable chargers.
mAh (milliampere-hour)
Also sometimes shortened to milliamp hours, this refers to the charge that a battery will hold and how long it will last before it needs recharging.
Your average new smartphone has a battery capacity of around 4,000 mAh, so a 10,000 mAh charger (which probably has more like a 6-7,000 mAh capacity), would charge the phone 1.5 times. You’ll need around 20,000 mAh (or more) to charge an average laptop.
W (Watts)
Watts measures the power that flows through a charger and the higher wattage, the faster a device will typically charge. For high W rugged power banks, you will usually need to charge them with higher W-rated chargers if you want them to charge devices reasonably quickly.
IP
Refers to the level of waterproofing a device has.
Lumens (lm)
Lumens measure how much light you get from a bulb (with more lumens being more light and fewer lumens less light). It pertains to a couple of the waterproof power banks on the list that come with built-in flashlights.
Keep these measurements in mind when buying a rugged powerbank so that you have enough juice for your needs.
What to look for in the best power banks
There are a few things that I always look for when I’m evaluating a rugged power bank:
- Lightweight
- Multiple charging ports
- Solar panel (and quality)
- Mah
Lightweight
The best ultralight power bank will depend on what kind of electronics you plan on charging with it and how often, but lightweight is definitely something I pay close attention to.
I out my powerbank in my backpack, dive bag, a dry bag, or right in my pocket, depending on where I am and what I’m doing. If you want more power, you will need an larger internal battery, so you will have to make some weight compromises.
Multiple ports
A good power bank should have multiple outlets. It should have multiple USB port options–a micro USB input, a USB a port, USB C ports–and come with a USB cable and a USB c cable.
Solar panel
Some of the power banks I covered on the above list have solar panel charging capabilities, some don’t.
I don’t necessarily think the best power bank is going to be the one with solar panels because the technology tends to be kind of gimmicky a lot of the time.
We’re still not really at the point where the solar chargers on an affordable travel battery bank are really that helpful. If you look at the power banks I’ve chosen, none of them get glowing reviews for their solar panels.
They work, but they tend to take an exorbitantly long time to charge the battery.
You might be happy to have the solar charger in a pinch (10 percent phone battery in an emergency is better than none), but I never expect miracles with a built-in solar panel on a battery bank.
Mah
The milliampere hours, as mentioned above, refers to how much “juice” rechargeable batteries will hold and essentially how many devices (or how big) a battery bank can charge before it needs recharging itself.
As touched on, something with a max output of 20,000 mah is going to be able to charge your lap top one time or your average smartphone around four times.
Choose your power bank based on your charging needs, but I think a good powerbank (especially if you have larger consumer electronics and outdoor gear like Li-Ion flashlights etc.) should have at least a 20,000 mAh capacity.
The best power banks on my list have at least that (and more). Bear in mind that it will take a bigger battery to charger larger/more devices on a single charge, and a very lightweight power bank might only give you 15,000 mAh.
What do I do If My Powerbank is Fully Submerged But Not Rated for Full Submersion?
The best thing you can do is to dry it with a towel as thoroughly as you can and then leave it out to air dry for at least 24 hours (ideally longer).
Placing electronics in a bowl of rice, contrary to popular opinion, is NOT the right thing to do.
What’s more, if you do fear you’ve introduced more water into your power bank (or any electronic device, for that matter) than it can handle, DO NOT try to charge it or plug it in to see if it still works.
If the device is on, electricity will flow, it will make contact with the water and fry the circuit board.
Looking After Your Power Bank
Like portable battery pack (and battery powered devices in general), there are some things you should and shouldn’t do with your power bank if you want it to last a while.
They are:
- Fully charge your power bank before heading out
- Top your portable power cell up when it dips past 50% power
- Unplug your battery once it hits full charge
- Use the manufacturer’s charging cable
- Avoid using your devices when they are plugged into your power bank and charging
- Keep your power bank warm (not hot, but definitely not cold)
Fully charge your power bank before heading out
Whether your power bank is part of your everyday carry gear or something you take camping, hiking, fishing, diving or trekking, or longer backpacking trips, you want to have max charging power for when you need it.
Keep your power bank fully charged before you hit the trail so that you have full power when you need it.
Top your portable power cell up when it dips past 50% power
If you’ve been charging your devices for an extended period and you notice the power has dipped down below 50%, consider recharging your power bank back to 100%.
Letting battery banks (or any battery) drop down too low will reduce the battery capacity over time.
Unplug your battery once it hits full charge
Not only does letting a battery bank fully discharge hurt your battery capacity and reduce useful battery life over time, but allowing it to fully charge, dip down, and then recharge continuously will hurt battery capacity as well.
Keep a close eye on how much juice you have so that you can maintain your power bank at the optimal charge.
Most power banks have easy-to-read indicators that let you know how much power they have.
Use manufacturer cables
The cables that the manufacturer provides with your power bank are the ones you should use. The best power banks are going to provide good quality cables and these are what will charge your devices the fastest while protecting your battery life.
Cheap cables can increase resistance and and not only reduce charging speed but harm your battery pack.
If you need to replace the original manufacturer cable at some point, it pays to spring for decent replacement cables.
Avoid using your devices when they are plugged into your small power bank and charging
It just means it takes longer for your device to charge.
Keep your power bank warm (not hot, but definitely not cold)
Low temps can reduce charging speed, so if you are camping in cold weather, wrap your charger in your sleeping bag to keep in warm. If you live in a cold climate, store your power bank in something insulating.
Opt For Capacity and High Speed in a Waterproof Power Bank
I like a portable charger that not only has enough mAh capacity to charge multiple devices (either simultaneously or back-to-back) but one which will charge my stuff quickly.
A huge capacity is great, but if you’re not transferring energy very quickly, it ceases to be as convenient. That’s why I really like the Techsmarter Rugged 30,000 45W.
It’s got enough capacity for you to charge a variety of large and small devices; the battery itself charges fairly quickly for its size (provided you have a 45W charger), and can change things in a hurry if you need to.
Get the Techsmarter Rugged 30,000 45W here.
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