If you travel with a laptop and/or tablet, you’ve had that moment: When you really need to use it, and the battery is low. There won’t be a place to charge it in a while, and you wish you’d planned in advance. But you didn’t.
Or, perhaps you’re regularly off the grid, and need to boost the power in your larger devices every once in a while, but you’re… off the grid.
Enter the Goal Zero Sherpa 100 AC Power Bank.
Fast and convenient, it’s a multi-purpose power bank engineered to charge laptops, tablets, phones, cameras, and more through its high-speed ports. Unfortunately, those tiny portable chargers, while great to boost the power for your phone, aren’t enough for larger devices. The Sherpa carries enough power for: 2 laptop recharges, 3 tablet recharges, 10 smartphone recharges, or 18 POV camera recharges.
For all that, yes, it does weight a little more. The Sherpa measures 7.5 inches x 10 inches x 5.68 inches and weighs 2 pounds–all about as much as a large hardback book. While that may be a little much for backpackers who are focused on the lightest-weight gear, it’s great for those who travel by car or rail, when you’re not as worried about suitcase weight, and it’s optimal for air travelers who really need a lot of electronic gear and aren’t always within reach of a power outlet. The Sherpa’s 25,600 mAh battery is the maximum allowable to air travel, and can be easily stored in your carry-on bag.
Use a wall outlet to fully recharge the Sherpa in about 3 hours, a USB source in about 8-10 hours, a compatible solar panel (like the Nomad 28 Plus) in about 7-14 hours, or your car 12V adapter in about 3-5 hours. Four cables are included, including Lightning, Micro USB, USB-C, and USB-C to USB-C. The Sherpa also has a Qi wireless charging pad, so if you forgot that phone cable, just set it down on top, and you’re good.
The Sherpa 100AC Power Bank lists for $299.95 on the Goal Zero site.