The myCharge Adventure Ultra power bank provides enough juice to charge your phone and even bring some of the comforts of your living room with you into the outdoors. This review will cover all of the main features of this awesome power bank.
Power Capabilities
The first thing you’re probably asking yourselves is how much power does this hold? The answer is thirteen thousand four hundred milliamp (13,400mAh). Pretty significant. This is roughly 8 complete iPhone charges or 1-2 complete tablet charges. And we‘re just getting started with how cool this is.
Charging Ports
On the top of the Ultra there are not one, but three USB ports for charging your devices. There are two USB-A ports and one USB-C port. These can be used to charge three devices simultaneously. This on its own is pretty sweet! What really makes the Ultra stand out is the 110v AC power outlet. Yes, you read that right. This has an actual outlet. Now, before you go crazy about that, bear in mind that the outlet only supports up to 45 watts of power draw. This means that if you want to charge your laptop, its draw needs to be 45 watts or less. My MacBook Pro uses 85 watts so it won‘t work.
Construction and Build
The Adventure is pretty durable and can handle moderate drops onto semi-soft surfaces in my experience. I have not dropped it on the concrete. It has fallen on wood, gravel, dirt, and grass. It is also NOT waterproof. The dust covers are just that, dust covers. They are designed to help keep the ports free from debris. Again, it isn‘t waterproof. The LED display is easy to read and well-lit. The central battery icon clearly indicates charge level.
Operation
There are two buttons on the top of the Adventure. To charge a USB device, plug it into the USB port and press the corresponding power button to begin charging. To use the outlet, connect the device and press its power button. If the device exceeds the 45 watts, the outlet will switch itself off. All charging ports can be used simultaneously. As devices are charged the main battery icon will start to deplete. Once the Adventure hits ten percent charge, the lowest bar flashes. To stop charging a device, simply unplug it or press the corresponding power button.
The Adventure also has a built-in self-shut-off feature. If it is turned on but is not actively charging or connected to a device in a powered port, it will shut off automatically after a few seconds. The myCharge Adventure includes its own charging cable that must be plugged into an outlet to recharge. There is a side port for plugging it in. Charging it to full capacity takes a couple of hours. My suggestion is to plan ahead and make sure to charge this before going on any adventures.
Speaking of adventures, I should note that the Adventure is not a lightweight. At around a pound, it is not designed for ultralight camping or trekking. However, it could be left at the base camp for recharging devices after the trek.
Putting it to the test
One of the claims is that the myCharge Adventure can power a TV for up to three hours. I decided to test this out with my spare tv. Note that my TV was larger and had a larger power draw than what they recommend which is a nineteen inch, 60Hz LED TV.
I took a 24”, 240Hz TV to the beach and tested it. We decided to show an animated movie that ran for about an hour and twenty minutes. The Adventure had no problems. I decided to do a second test and set up a longer movie on a dock at a lake nearby. It worked for around ninety-five minutes. Your mileage may vary depending based on the TV you use.
On a camping trip, I used it to power a small projector and it lasted for more than 2 hours. The movie ended and the Adventure still had plenty of power left.
Conclusion
To wrap things up, the myCharge Adventure is a really cool device. I certainly see its practical uses, especially with the outlet. It makes it easier than to have to mess with an inverter connected to a car. The ability to charge multiple devices simultaneously, and especially the outlet are its strengths. The weight, price and not being waterproof are some of the negative aspects.
For more info, visit:myCharge.com
I‘d like to thank myCharge for providing me with this sample unit to test out.