Blavor solar power bank review: A handy companion for the hiking trail and campsite
Heading into the great outdoors? Make sure you've got some backup power for your phone, drone, camera, Kindle and other devices. Ah, but what happens when that backup runs out of juice? Not a problem if it has built-in solar panels. The Blavor PN-W12-Pro promises virtually unlimited power for camping, hiking and the like, with a few extra outdoor amenities to boot. At $60 it seems like an especially good deal, but what's the reality? Here's my Blavor solar-charging power bank review.
Battery type: Lithium polymer | Capacity: 20,000 mAh | Weight: 1.3 pounds | USB ports: 4
PROS: Low price; rugged design; large camping light; includes carabiner and compass
CONS: Bulkier than most power banks; compass doesn't work well; solar charging is very slow
VERDICT: Blavor's mobile charger can not only power your devices, but also draw power from the sun. It's not perfect, but definitely a worthwhile asset on the trail or at the campsite.
The PN-W12-Pro is about as outdoors-friendly as power banks come, with rugged orange bumpers and an IPX5 rating for dust, shock and water. While it may not survive a full dip in the lake, it should have no trouble withstanding the everyday rigors of trail and camp life.
The unit's four available ports — one Type-A USB, one Type-A USB 3.0 QC, one 18W PD USB-C input/output and one micro-USB input — reside behind a rubber cover. You can power up to three devices at once while also charging the power bank itself via solar or AC. Note, however, that Blavor supplies only a very short USB-C cable and no AC adapter.
Between the four folding solar panels and 20,000-mAh rechargeable battery, it's no surprise the unit is on the hefty and bulky side. Blavor provides a carabiner clip so you can hang it from, say, your backpack — handy while hiking — but there's no easy way to prop it up on the ground so the panels are angled toward the sun.
Speaking of which, the promise of solar doesn't always equal the reality of solar. Because the PN-W12-Pro only has four battery-status LEDs and no digital display, it's hard to tell exactly how much battery life is left and how quickly it's charging. Thus, I can't say for sure how long it would take to fully charge the device on sun power alone.
Blavor says the panels can produce a total of 300mA under optimal conditions. I'm no math genius, but I suspect it would take literally days to recharge this battery from zero. I think the more realistic use-case here is to keep it topped off as much as possible, to extend its overall usability during your outing. Just don't expect that a couple hours in the sun is going to bring a dead battery back to 100%.
When the sun goes down, the PN-W12-Pro helps out with two lighting options: a front-facing LED flashlight and a 32-LED panel that spans the entire backside. The latter has three brightness settings, and at maximum it throws off quite a lot of light. Very handy for a tent or campsite, especially if you fold the solar panels to act as a stand.
There's also a small compass built into one end, but it's slow-moving and not very precise. I'm not sure I'd rely on it to get me where I'm going, more just to get a general sense of the direction.
That said, remember that we're talking about a $60 power bank. I think the main value lies in the high-capacity battery, big LED light panel and ruggedized design. The solar panels can help keep the power flowing, too, so long as you manage your expectations on that front.
Indeed, while the Blavor PN-W12-Pro isn't perfect, it's definitely useful to have with you in the great outdoors. Watch for a sale, which happens often, and an already good deal becomes even better.
Affordably priced and more versatile than most power banks, the Blavor PN-W12-Pro is worth considering for your next hiking or camping trip.