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Reviews > Electronic Devices > Chargers > ANKER POWERCORE 10000 > Owner Review by Nancy Griffith

ANKER POWERCORE 10000 PORTABLE CHARGER
BY NANCY GRIFFITH
OWNER REVIEW
May 07, 2019

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME: Nancy Griffith
EMAIL: bkpkrgirlATyahooDOTcom
AGE: 53
LOCATION: Northern California, USA
GENDER: F
HEIGHT: 5' 6" (1.68 m)
WEIGHT: 126 lb (57.20 kg)

My outdoor experience began in high school with a co-ed scout group which made a 10-day canoe voyage through the Quebec wilds. I've been backpacking since college in Pennsylvania. I have hiked 1/4 of the Appalachian Trail and 2/3 of the Pacific Crest Trail. My typical trip is in the Sierra Nevada from a few days to a few weeks long. My base weight is lightweight at 15 lb (6.8 kg) while still using a tent, stove and quilt. Longer mileage summer trips are now stoveless.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

includedinput outputManufacturer: Anker
Year of Manufacture: 2018
Manufacturer's Website: http://www.anker.com
MSRP: $31.99 US
Listed Weight: 6.3 oz (180 g)
Measured Weight: 6.3 oz (180 g)

Listed Dimensions: 3.6 in x 2.4 in x 0.9 in (92 mm x 60 mm x 22 mm)
Output: 5 V / 2.4 A
Input: 5 V / 2 A
Capacity: 10000 mAh / 36 Wh

Colors Available: Black, White and Red; (Mine is black)

The Anker PowerCore 10000 is a portable charger (power bank) which is able to charge devices like phones, cameras and even a tablet. A microUSB cable and storage pouch are included. No wall charger is included.

FIELD USE

With a six-week backpacking trip planned, I decided that it was time to invest in a larger power bank rather than use the cheap ones I had on hand. I did some research and decided upon the Anker PowerCore 10000. It claimed to provide up to 3.5 phone charges which was just about right. I was hoping to charge my phone, my husband's phone and our camera on the trail in-between resupply (and re-charging) points. It turns out that for our Android phones they claim more like 2.2 charges but it still worked great for our needs. I've used it a few more times for shorter trips but this was my main usage.

Backpacking:
Pacific Crest Trail from Etna Summit, California to Cascade Locks, Oregon: 40 nights; 550 mi (886 km); 170 to 7,676 ft (52 to 2,340 m) elevation with most between 5,000 and 6,000 ft (1,524 to 1,829 m); 39 to 95 F (4 to 35 C)

microusbThe supplied microUSB cord works both to initially charge the Anker and to charge my devices from the Anker. The cord is compatible with my other phones/camera so that made it really easy. I didn't have to carry different cords. The cord that came with the Anker is shorter than my phone cords so it was nice to have.

When I got the Anker, I charged it at home. The power bank has four blue lights that indicate in 25% increments what the charging status is. I just left it overnight and it was charged in the morning, but it claims to charge up in 6-7 hours. I used it a little at home just to see how well it worked and it seemed to be able to FULLY charge both of our phones with a little left over.

fully charged
Four lights means a full charge
I also noticed that leaving it sit while charged didn't dissipate the charge much at all. Since returning from our trip, I have periodically checked the status and see that it shows 3 lights (or approximately 75% charged) after sitting for months at a time. When I plug it in, the charge tops off in no time. I just checked the status and it shows 4 lights or a full charge even though I haven't used it in two months.

During our hike, my husband used his phone intermittently but I mostly had mine on all day turning it off at bedtime and on before hiking out in the morning. We used my phone for checking our location throughout the day for proximity to water and progress versus our plan. Every 4-5 days we'd call our family to check in. Otherwise, we didn't use our phones for reading, music or other 'frivolous' activity when we were on the trail. We saved those power-hogging uses for when we at a re-supply point. So, with weekly resupply points planned, that meant that I recharged my phone mid-way during the week. I would also top off the camera battery at some point. And on occasion I'd top off my husband's phone but he usually didn't need it.

Overall, I found the Anker 10000 to be perfect for my needs. A larger one wouldn't have been fully-utilized since we were able to find electricity every week or so. This size left some headroom so that if we needed extra juice due to some unforeseen circumstances, it would be available.

deck of cards
Nearly the same size as a deck of cards
I'm pretty concerned about pack and gear weight and 'weigh out' the pros and cons of every piece of gear that I carry. While this is a fairly substantial item by weight, I find it to be worthwhile to have in my pack. The size is similar to a deck of playing cards so it didn't take up much space in my pack.

The Anker even comes with a storage bag that is stretchy and cushioned. While I'm not really a fan of using storage sacks on the trail, I love this one. I was able to fit the Anker power bank, a large 3-USB charger and three microUSB cords in it. All of my power needs were in one place!

SUMMARY

The Anker PowerCore 10000 Portable Charger is a 10000mAh power bank that is compact and lightweight enough to provide plenty of power in a small package.

THINGS I LIKE

Compact size
Reasonable weight
Holds charge VERY well
Provides good power (2.5 phone charges for me)
Short microUSB cord included
Storage bag

THINGS I DON'T LIKE

NOTHING

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1. Copyright 2019. All rights reserved.

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