![]() It delivers a potent blend of ruggedness, battery capacity and value that pushes it past the other devices I’ve reviewed for this column. The New Trent PowerPak Xtreme is the top portable power solution I have come across thus far. The charging times were noticeably faster than what I experienced with the Satechi and iBattz as well. While on my recent trip, I experienced roughly similar results as those predicted by New Trent. In effect, it will give you almost six times the smartphone life and double the tablet life (these times will differ depending on the device you use and your settings). ![]() You aren’t given a wall charger, so you will have to plug the PowerPak into a powered USB port or use a third-party wall charger to charge it.Īccording to New Trent, the 12,000 mAh lithium ion polymer battery in the PowerPak Xtreme will give you an additional 33 to 39 hours of iPhone 5 usage and an additional 10 hours of battery life with the 3rd generation iPad. The PowerPak Xtreme came almost fully charged, but when fully discharged it takes about 12 hours to completely recharge. The PowerPak Xtreme also comes with a micro-USB charger and a carabiner for attaching it to a backpack. The 2.1A port is a welcome addition, as it will speed up the charging of higher-capacity devices such as the 4th generation Apple iPad with Retina display. On the back of the PowerPak is a door that opens to reveal two 5V USB charging ports, one with 1A output and the other with 2.1A output. As someone who always travels with a laptop bag filled to capacity, I appreciate that the PowerPak Xtreme is highly portable and doesn’t take up much space. The enclosure makes it bigger than the iBattz BattStation, but it weighs about the same even though the PowerPak has a larger battery capacity. It measures 1.2 inches by 2.8 inches by 5.2 inches and weighs roughly 11 ounces. The PowerPak Extreme is designed to be drop-proof from up to one meter and water-resistant in up to three feet of water for up to an hour, so it has a thick, thermoplastic casing. This 12,000 mAh power pack offers one of the largest battery capacities I’ve seen in such a device and delivers it in a rugged, water-resistant case. This week I take a look at another offering in this segment: the New Trent PowerPak Xtreme. These portable battery packs allow you to top off your smartphone, tablet, or other mobile devices whenever a plug isn’t available. As a result, many companies are producing mobile power stations, such as the iBattz BattStation Tough Dual Pro and the Satechi Portable Energy Station. All of these electronics require power, something that is at a premium when stuck in a car for several hours or in a location with no power outlets. Oftentimes, my laptop bag weighs nearly as much as my luggage for even several days of travel, and the sad thing is my notebook PC only weighs about three pounds. Whenever I pack for these trips, I am amazed by the amount of electronics I end up taking with me. Recently I traveled west to speak at a couple of AAII Local Chapters. ![]() UL certified AC Wall Charger is included range (100V-240V) suitable for worldwide travelersĪt the moment, this unit is coming up on Amazon for $76.95 with free shipping.Rugged 12,000 mAh battery pack for smartphones and tablets.No iPhone iPad Adapters are included, but IMP1000 is compatible with original iPhone iPad USB white data cable.A nice small velvet pouch for holding adapters.MiniUSB and MicroUSB adapters are included for Blackberry (9630, 9700, 9550, 9800).A Regular USB cable for charging cell phone device.Over nearly a year of use, it generally rides either in a jacket pocket or outside pocket of my backpack so it’s seen a fair amount of abuse, sand and humidity… While I don’t suggest you actively put it through all that, mine has somehow managed to survive without a single problem and the battery life seems to be as good as the day I got it (still charges my iPhone 4 roughly 5-6 times). I’ve tried several types with varying degrees of success including the APC Universal Battery and Energizer Energi To Go, but none of these smaller units provided the amount of power I needed on my longer trips, which brings me to my current choice – the New Trent IMP1000. We do a whole lot of travel throughout the year and are fairly reliant on our iPhone for showing/watching videos, keeping up with communication, reading kite forums, playing games and everything else you’d expect to use regularly in a modern smart phone… But whether we’re out on the kite field or traveling across oceans, the battery life doesn’t quite seem to cover a full day so having a convenient external power source is pretty critical. ![]()
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