The ultimate portable charging device? Chris Kempster tests out Powertraveller’s latest object of desire…
When we reviewed Powertraveller’s Powermonkey Expedition two issues ago, we hailed it as the ‘ultimate portable power solution for expeditions’ and who could argue with that verdict? With its innovative design, durability and multiple charging options – which included mains, solar, handcrank and (in the future) wind and water turbine – there really wasn’t, and isn’t, anything on the market like it. Now the clever bods at Powertraveller have done it again; this time, they’ve produced a smaller version of the Expedition – which was primarily intended for group use – with the intention of satisfying the power needs of the individual trekker/mountaineer, yet still packing in many of the features seen on the Expedition.
WHAT YOU GET
Looking like a scale replica of its big brother, the Explorer 2 is beautifully finished in anodised aluminium and comes in four colours – silver, red, blue and black. The case isn’t designed just to look nice though; it is extremely strong too and (according to Powertraveller) will survive being driven over by a Land Rover Defender. The tough case makes it perhaps not the lightest 6000mAh charger on the market, but certainly the strongest – a big consideration when operating in tough environments. It’s durable qualities don’t end there though; the Explorer 2 can operate in a temperature range of -300C to 500C, and its clever connector system, which consists of a sealed hub that screws to the unit via the removable end piece – gives the unit an Ingress Protection rating of 67. What exactly does that mean? Well the first number refers to the unit’s resistance to foreign bodies such as dust, and 6 is the highest rating. The second number refers to the unit’s resistance to ingression from various forms of moisture (drips, spray, immersion etc) and the 7 rating means it can withstand ‘temporary submersion’ which, according to Powertraveller, is up to 30 minutes in 1m of water.
IN USE
At the heart of the Explorer 2 is a 6000mAh Lithium Ion rechargeable battery, which can power 5V devices such as iPhones, iPads, satnavs, GPS watches and iPods, though larger devices such as laptops need a higher output voltage. According to Powertraveller, a fully-charged Explorer 2 will charge an iPhone four or five times and a GoPro Hero 3 up to four times. As with the Powermonkey Expedition and other Powertraveller devices, you can charge a device from the Explorer 2 while it is also being charged. When in the dry, you can take off the Explorer 2’s end cap and use the input (micro USV) and output (USB) of the unit directly; however in the wet you should screw back on the end cap and use the two cables that are ported securely through the cap, and give you the options of mini USB and standard USB on both the input and output (with included adaptors). Powertraveller have avoided the cost of packaging multiple tips/connectors with the unit, on the assumption that you’ll either already have a USB connector for your device, or will buy one.
We used the Explorer 2 with a Powermonkey Expedition solar panel and, for the time being, solar is the only means of powering the Explorer aside from USB. However, the exciting thing about this device, as with the Expedition, is the additional charging options that are being developed, including a hand crank (imminent) and a wind/water turbine module. This alone makes the unit unique and really quite special. Operation of the Explorer 2 is simple; just hold the unit’s sole button once to power up the unit, and hold it again to power down. The display shows you a percentage of charge in the unit, as well as the traditional ‘bars’ graphic. One really important feature is the auto shut-off function, which turns the unit off when not in use, thus saving valuable power. This is activated and deactivated by tapping on the button twice.
There’s really nothing to dislike about the Explorer 2; it really is the best personal charging device out there at the moment. It’s tough, waterproof and offers options in the near future that make it virtually an essential purchase for anyone spending time in the outdoors.
VERDICT: Tough, waterproof and with more charging options that any competitor – the Explorer 2 is virtually a ‘must buy’ item for trekkers and mountaineers.
SPEC SHEET
Price: £79
Weight: 286g
Dimensions: 8.7 x 4.5cm
Battery type: Lithium Ion
Battery capacity: 6000mAh
Voltage: 5V 2A
Inputs/output: USB, micro USB
Waterproof rating: IP67
Temp operating range: -300C to 500C
Charging methods: USB, solar, hand
crank (future), wind/water turbine (future)
More info: www.powertraveller.com