The 4 best power stations for camping keep you both online and off-grid

We tested out portable power from Jackery, Anker, Goal Zero, EcoFlow, and more.

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Lauren Allain is a freelance journalist covering deals at Mashable. She graduated from Western Washington University with a B.A. in journalism and holds an M.B.A from Webster Leiden. You can find more of her work online from publications including Reader’s Digest, U.S. News & World Report, Seattle Refined, and more. When she’s not writing, Lauren prefers to be outside hiking, bouldering, swimming, or searching for the perfect location for all three.

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We tested out portable power from Jackery, Anker, Goal Zero, EcoFlow, and more.

Lauren Allain

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on November 8, 2025

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In the past, we could only dream of staying online while camping off-grid. Instead, we told a family member or friend where we planned to be and when we planned to be back in the real world with a charged-up cell phone. But thanks to the best power stations for camping, those days are over. We now have the magical convenience of portable power stations. Some models are gigantic beasts that can keep an entire house going during an emergency power outage. Others focus on portability and can fit inside a backpack for a hiking and camping weekend.

Regardless of the model’s size or features, portable power stations are excellent for keeping your phone charged while camping, keeping the string lights on to set the vibe at night, and powering up the induction cooker come dinner time.

Your ideal portable power station for camping depends on your overall power needs, how long you’ll be in the great outdoors, and whether you’ll be utilizing solar power to recharge. And after months of testing some of the top models, I’m finally ready to pick the best portable power station for camping in 2025.

How we tested

To find the best power stations for camping, I spent months testing some of the most popular models. I tested them during summer and fall camping trips, looking for models that were ideal for using on short weekends or longer trips. While I was taking these on adventures, I considered the following:

Design: The overall dimensions and weight of a portable power station play a large role in the experience. Some models are so large they come with a suitcase-style telescoping handle and wheels. Since camping is usually a pretty mobile experience, I opted for models you can easily carry from car to campground.

User friendliness: There’s no use in a power station that’s confusing to use. When testing, I paid attention to how intuitive each model was to operate (as well as any companion app). I also considered on-unit features such as built-in lighting.

Versatility: A good variety of ports is essential. I looked for models that included standard AC, USB-C, and USB-A, for starters. Some brands also love to crowd their AC ports together, which can be a hassle. Finally, I chose models that could be recharged via AC, solar, the car, or both.

the anker solix c1000 gen 2 in nature

Solid amount of ports with 1,024Wh capacity
Lightweight and easy to carry
Super quick recharging
Excellent sale prices
Not expandable
No lightbar

Read my full review of the Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2.

Weighing less than 25 pounds, the Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 is a perfect model if you want simplicity with unmatched functionality. Anker built on the original Solix C1000 and made the Gen 2 both lightweight and smaller in overall dimensions. The brand also incorporated quick recharging on this model, and you can get it back to a full charge in a record-breaking 49 minutes. It comes with five AC ports, three USB-Cs (two of which max out at 140W), and one USB-A. It’s a do-it-all model that does exactly what you want it to do while camping.

Anker is one of the leading portable power station brands. Here at Mashable, we’re pretty smitten with how the brand consistently produces excellent products at affordable prices. The Solix C1000 Gen 2 only weighs 24.9 pounds. In testing, I found it easy to carry around with one hand. In part, that’s thanks to the weight, but it’s also thanks to the compact size. The display on the Solix C1000 Gen 2 is perfect, telling you everything you need to know but not clogging it up with extras.

The Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 holds the current Guinness World Record for quick recharging in the 1,000Wh capacity category. Through the app, campers can activate the UltraFast recharging mode, which takes the power station from zero to 100 in just 49 minutes.

You can also connect the C1000 Gen 2 to up to 600W of solar panel recharging power. With 600W of solar, expect a full recharge in about two hours.

The Anker app is also intuitive, and it doesn’t even require you to log in or set up an account. Just open the app, connect it to the portable power station next to you, and you’re on your way to remote access via your phone.

The only thing I’m quite sad about is the lack of a lightbar on the Gen 2. The original Solix C1000 has a wonderful lightbar that spans almost the length of the power station. When I was testing portable power stations, I found myself using the external light all the time, especially when carrying around the campground or walking up a set of dark stairs during a power outage. The light also illuminates the ports, making it easy to plug in instead of using your phone’s flashlight. The removal of the lightbar on the Gen 2 likely has to do with Anker’s focus on putting out a smaller and lighter model that offers about the same amount of power. If you also love a lightbar and don’t especially care about carrying around a power station that weighs about five pounds more, check out the original Anker Solix C1000.

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the ecoflow river 3 plus portable power station on the ground with colorful fall leaves around it

Easy to handle, weighing 10.4 pounds
Bright built-in lightbar
Small enough to pack in a duffle or hiking backpack
IP54 water, fire, and drop protection
Singular USB-C port
No port covers

The EcoFlow River 3 Plus is the perfect little camping companion for a weekend away. Its 286Wh capacity can keep your cell phone juiced up, recharge the Bluetooth speaker, and keep the travel-friendly projector showing nightly movies.

It weighs just a bit over 10 pounds and it excels in putting the “portable” in portable power stations. The lightbar on the lowest part of the station offers great visibility of both the ports and the area around the station. Pair it with a solar panel and you could get much more than a weekend’s worth of power out of the EcoFlow River 3 Plus. However, its single USB-C port means this isn’t the right model if you primarily turn to USB-C recharging.

EcoFlow is another big name in the portable power station game and rightfully so. The River series from EcoFlow is designed for camping adventures, and the River 3 Plus strikes a perfect balance between functionality and portability.

For starters, it’s small and easy to carry. The built-in handle makes the River 3 Plus about as challenging as carrying a bag full of s’more ingredients. I’m also in love with the built-in light strip on the River 3 Plus, which is shockingly bright, in a good way.

Since it’s compact and lightweight, the River 3 Plus is a great model for shorter camping expeditions with just a couple of people. The 286Wh is ideal for keeping phones charged up, camp lights on, and powering a laptop for remote work. If you think you’ll need more than that, consider adding a solar panel to the River 3 Plus set-up. A 220W solar panel will fully charge the River 3 Plus in approximately 1.5 hours.

Again, the compact size leads to fewer port options, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. You get three AC ports, a single USB-C, and one USB-A. The three AC ports, however, have a unique layout, with one located on the front of the power station and the other two on the back. That’s great if you’ll be charging bulkier items like camera batteries that tend to steal space from other outlets.

Aside from camping, the River 3 Plus is also a great model for keeping at your bedside if the power goes out. Its nightstand-worthy size can power up the bedside lamp and get your phone recharged while you sleep.

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the goal zero yeti 300 outside with fall leaves

Rated waterproof, dust-proof, and drop-resistant
Mud flap protects outlets
Operational temps that range from -4 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit
Recharge in as little as 50 minutes
Not expandable
Only two AC ports
Proprietary solar panel input cables are not included

Heading out on a camping trip means we’re at the mercy of whatever the weather throws at us. That could be perfect mild temps with sun or it could pour for days on end. Not many portable power stations are cool with getting wet, which is why the Goal Zero Yeti 300 could be a great option if you tend to camp in wet conditions. It comes with an IPX4 rating for water resistanc,e and there’s a mud flap to help protect the outlets. Goal Zero even says you can rinse this power station off when it needs a bath.

It’s also a great model if you do cold-weather camping or ice fishing. It can safely operate in temperatures as low as -4 degrees Fahrenheit (or as hot as 140 degrees). You probably shouldn’t be outside in 140-degree weather, but at least your power station will be just fine.

The Yeti 300 has two AC ports, two USB-C, and two USB-A. Recharging via standard AC takes under an hour or you can go with a 200W solar input to get a full charge in under two hours.

You booked the campground months in advance, and now the forecast says it’ll rain two inches over the weekend. So long as you have the right gear, maybe some rain isn’t so bad. That’s exactly how the Goal Zero Yeti 300 feels. The portable power station doesn’t mind the rain, dust, or mud, and Goal Zero says the brand designed the Yeti lineup to be able to withstand exposure to whatever the outdoors throws our way.

With a capacity of 297Wh, the Yeti 300 weighs a manageable 13.7 pounds, and its pop-up handle makes it easy to carry. The mud flat protects all ports on the front that you’ll be using to charge up devices, and a flap covers the back AC charging port as well as the power button. When testing, I appreciated the satisfying click of these mud flaps that give reassurance they’re protecting from wet conditions.

Batteries have sensitive temperature ranges, and not all portable power stations can happily operate in extreme temperatures, but Goal Zero addressed this, too. The Yeti 300 can recharge devices in winter temperatures as low as -4 and summer’s soaring temps of up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The Yeti 300’s ideal temperature for recharging the power station is a smaller range, and you’ll need to keep that between 32 and 125 degrees. Still, both of those ranges are impressive, especially on the hotter end, with those numbers soaring higher than most portable power stations.

It’s worth mentioning that the Goal Zero Yeti uses an uncommon solar panel connector, and it doesn’t come included with the Yeti 300. You’ll have to buy that cable separately from Goal Zero, buy one of their panels, or buy an adapter to connect this portable power station to other brands’ solar panels.

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jackery explorer 600 on camping trip

Goes on sale often for $369
Lightweight with 640Wh capacity
On-unit LED light
Automatic shut off with Energy Saving Mode
Dual 100W USB-C ports
200W solar recharging limit

Jackery has been making some of our favorite portable power stations for years, and the Jackery Explorer 600 v2 hits a nice middle ground between a portable-focused model that has about 300Wh and a larger model with 1,000Wh. This Explorer has 640Wh, which means it’s ready for the long weekend, but it’s still lightweight, coming in at about 14 pounds. In real-life terms, Jackery says the 640Wh capacity will be able to recharge a phone over 20 times or keep a CPAP machine going for up to 50 hours.

It has dual 100W USB-C ports, which is great for powering up cell phones or laptops. It also has two AC ports and can connect to up to 200W of solar panels for recharging. Jackery also makes some of the most affordable power stations so this is a great entry model. It would also be ideal for the occasional camper or music festival traveler.

If you prefer to shop at Amazon, you can upgrade to the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2. As of this writing, it’s on sale for just $386 in Primeland.

Jackery is a well-known leader in portable power stations. The Mashable shopping team has had great experiences with Jackery power stations in the past, so it’s a favorite brand to look out for. We didn’t get a chance to test the Explorer 600 v2 in person, but given our previous experience, we expect this version to perform well with the latest innovations.

The 640Wh capacity is a great medium range for a weekend away, powering up most appliances you’d want at the campground. Jackery claims this is the world’s lightest 600Wh LFP power station, weighing just a smidge over 14 pounds. Pair this weight with the classic Jackery handle, and you’re in for an easy transportation experience.

Jackery included a cool feature on the Explorer 600 v2, which is an Energy Saving Mode. Switch this toggle o,n and the power station will automatically shut off if it hasn’t been used in six hours. When testing portable power stations, I can say one of the least intuitive aspects of using a portable power station is remembering to turn the thing off. I simply cannot remember this, so I’m a big fan of this feature on the Explorer 600 v2.

A slight downside of this model is the maximum 200W solar panel compatibility. That means recharging with only solar will be pretty slow, and it’ll take about 3.5 hours to get up to 80 percent with 200W solar input. When charging with standard AC, it’ll get back to a full charge in about 100 minutes.

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Overview

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User friendliness: There’s no use in a power station that’s confusing to use. When testing, I paid attention to how intuitive each model was to operate (as well as any companion app). I also considered on-unit features such as built-in lighting.

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