We’ve all experienced the burdens that come with long journeys, it doesn’t matter if you live as a digital nomad, tour in a band, fly for work or just take the occasional family holiday. It doesn’t even matter if you love travelling wholeheartedly, there are just certain things that are always a nuisance or constantly get forgotten.
With that in mind, over the next few posts we’re going to be taking a look at and comparing gadgets that will improve your travel experience and make your life that little bit easier. I’ve tried to give a few different examples of price points for each of these gadgets, because, regardless of how much I want the most expensive things on the market I can’t always afford it and I’m guessing that goes for a lot of you too.
Photo Credit: Ciprian Boiciuc @ Unsplash
The Mighty Power Bank
This might seem like an obvious gadget if you’re already in the know, but, if you’re anything like me, you were originally skeptical. Why on earth would I need extra power for my phone? Why wouldn’t I just find a plug socket and recharge? Or better yet, why wouldn’t I just wait until I get home? All those questions get thrown out the window the moment you REALLY need your phone and have just run out of battery; and let’s be honest; the word need can be extremely relative here. I needed my phone when I was catching a plane, had my ticket on my phone and a broken charger. I also felt like I needed my phone when I was hungover for the fourth day in a row on tour, stuck in a smelly van, needing my own space and to text my girlfriend. Basically, what I’m trying to say is, you will eventually wish you had followed suit and got yourself a power bank. These can range in price, anywhere from under £15 to over £150, so here’s a rundown of three I consider pretty good purchases.
Poweradd Pilot 2GS 10,000mAh – Under £15
For under £15 you really can’t go wrong. Enough power to charge a smartphone 3/4 times over, fits in your pocket and can charge two devices at once. It’s not the fastest charging device, but other than that, the only reason you should be cautious is if your planning on using it to charge tablets, it’s only enough power to charge them once over and if it’s a big tablet you probably won’t even get a full charge.
iMuto 30,000mAh – £49.99
Want something that will charge more devices, more times and way faster? In comes iMuto, this beast charges up to three devices at once, over and over and over and .. I think you get the point, it’s got enough power to last you over a week, if you’re going on tour or backpacking, this will be your lifesaver. It’s worth noting that it’s heavier than others, but for obvious reasons, it’s still perfect for carrying in your backpack or luggage. They also do a 20,000mAh model, it obviously has less power and it only has two ports, but only costs £21.99, so depending on your needs it may be ideal and cost you half the price.
MAXOAK 50,000mAh – £109.99
Need to work on your laptop whilst backpacking? Want to charge two laptops and four USB devices at the same time? Then this is the device for you! It might seem overkill, but I love it. Not only will it charge your phone for weeks on end, it will also charge your laptop, which for digital nomads planning on backpacking can be ideal. I shouldn’t have to tell you it’s big and heavy, it obviously is, but it serves a purpose and if you’re willing to get past the price point might just save your behind on more than one occasion.
You can continue going up in price range, there’s probably a gold plated powerbank out there somewhere, but I’m pretty sure there’s enough power in the ones mentioned above to keep most Farmville addicts powered up for a week.
Let us know which one you end up picking up and if there’s a powerbank you would recommend more give us a shout.
Co-founder @kitschinc and @wearefoodscouts. Musician and spoken word artist🎸@larkhilluk & Chicharrero. Podcast Host and Producer: Promote The Hell Out Of It!
