Anker Battery Backups for Smartphones

I own this product too and love it. Since it is recharged with a microUSB connector (same as my smartphone) I only need to carry around a single 6in USB cable (I recommend finding one with a right-angle microusb head–it decreases stress while charging in pocket). Pair it with a simple USB wall brick and you're all set.

James and Matthew, thanks for this feedback. You were reading my mind as I have been looking at these on amazon for awhile. I have a charger now that i use on trips that works great, but i was thinking of replacing it for one that has the flashlight capability (multifunction rocks as you say!). How is the flashlight?

It's just a mediocre rounded LED… no beam focusing or anything. Imagine one of those photon micro lights, but a little less powerful.

thanks. that is what i expected, but was hoping I might be wrong. still, useful for basic stuff in the tent/tarp at no real weight penalty and it is nice to not have to worry about the battery really every running down (due to use of the light that is).

Hard to imagine taking something into the woods that rhymes with "anchor," but I like this for bike touring. Excellent find!

seems like just another run of the mill Li-ion power pack..they all use the same technology give or take – its just a game of price/size (i have some other make)

I would however consider a milspec type watertight one as a real bonus

oh – and I thought it had to do with Conrad Anker…that could have been interesting

oh, yes, there is nothing special here with this brand. just your run of the mill cheap China made Li-ion battery. It is just the simple integration of a small LED that makes it interesting (which is now common across many of these cheap brands). You can find many similar products online. It is just the category of products (battery with an integrated light) that is relatively new.

Can you recommend a better brand?
Anker batteries seem a bit lighter than other brands…

i simply went through what was on Amazon. compared weights and energy storage (mAh). I ignored models that did not publish their weight. and just picked one that seemed about the right capacity (5200 mAh in my case) for the weight. They are relatively cheap ($30) so I did not sweat it much. I already have one from another brand i carry in my briefcase that does not have the light. They all use the same batteries from just a couple different manufacturers and then just put on different housings. Some brands do get fancy with their cases, which tend to be heavy (more metal). The cheap plastic ones seem to be the lightest.