I am rather ashamed to report that I have at least 20 powerbanks, in various shapes and sizes, many of which have been sent to me for reviews. They all do essentially the same thing: They offer a mobile charge of items such as smartphones, head torches and sports watches. This is obviously useful when spending time hiking and running because many items of kit now require regular charging.
Over the years, the size of the power banks has reduced, while the power output has increased. That’s how different brands make different “better than” claims.
Some have extra features, too, such as a small spotlight or the ability to charge and offer output at the same time. I also have powerbanks that double as handwarmers. Here are my thoughts on the Nitecore products I’ve been sent.
On test: Nitecore NB10000 GEN4
Features include:
Weight: 148g (152g with included cable), according to my digital scales
Size: 468mm x 116mm x 14.5mm
2 output modes: Regular mode for a quick power up and Eco mode for extended runtime. (Regular Mode – Rated Energy 6,800mA; Eco Mode – Rated Energy 7,200mAh)
Pass-through charging: Recharge powerbank and a device at the same time, or simultaneously charge two devices
USB-C lanyard charging cable supporting up to 60W fast charging
Knock-to-wake use in low light: Double-knock the upper part to wake up power indicators and charging port indicators
Red, Green, Blue (RGB) lights on each port: For clear recognition of port location, charging status and output mode in low-light
IPX7-rated: Rain and splash proof
The Nitecore NB10000 GEN4 is quite small and gives good power output. It’s less than half the size of my iPhone 16 Pro Max and about the same depth. Made of silicon-carbon anode, it feels lightweight in my hand and I don’t notice at all when added to a pack or rucksack.
It has the ability to fully charge my iPhone a couple for times with a bit of charge spare. I’ve also used it to charge my MacBook thanks to the 22.5W of output. Other uses are recharging my headtorch, headphones and sports watch.
It’s possible to charge the power bank at the same time as charging an item, or you can charge two items at once. This is made possible because there is an input and an outpoint cable point, but the input doubles as an output as well.
A big plus-point is the USB-C lanyard charging cable that doubles as a USB-C to USB-C cable. That’s a really handy feature and the lanyard is included in the box.
Just to note, though, I’ve used other cables to charge my phone and on a couple of occasions the powerbank has stopped charging my phone. I’ve no idea why this should happen but it works fine with the Apple iPhone charger and the short cable supplied with the power bank.
The casing of the powerbank seems durable and it’s also water resistant to IPX7 standards. I have owned powerbanks that look more durable and are definitely more waterproof but they are larger and heavier.
This means that you can take the powerbank outdoors with you, or wherever you need to charge mobile products.
It’s also easy to see how much charge is left in the power bank thanks to a four-light display. Four lights is full and one light is “becoming empty”.
It’s not a cheap powerbank, though. I think £71.95 is quite pricey. It also has a couple of features that I’m not that bothered about.
The “knock-to-wake” function doesn’t always works. You need to be quite deliberate with the knock and I wonder why this is even required.
Nitecore also boasts about RGB lighting. This is a feature that means you can see where the cables need to be inserted when it’s dark. I don’t think the pretty lights are needed. Why not just a white light?
These negatives are major issues, however, and overall it’s a decent powerbank for outdoors enthusiasts.
In conclusion, if your mission is to find a lightweight and compact power bank that also offers output to charge a smart phone a couple of times, the Nitecore NB10000 GEN4 is well worth considering.
On test: Nitecore Summit Air power bank
Features include:
Weight: 141g, on my scales
Size 92mm x 41mm x 21mm
Temperature range for operation: -40°C to 60°C and up to 10,000m altitude
To charge: Temp range is OC to 50C
Glove-friendly button operation.
8000mAh cell with a rated capacity of 4700mAh (5V⎓3A) and 28.08Wh of energy
Dual USB-C ports support up to 22.5W output and 20W input, or charge two devices at once
IPX8-rated against rain, snow and moisture
RGB port indicators light up the charging ports in low light
USB-C lanyard charging cable
Price £69.95
See: Nitecore Summit Air power bank
This is another neat sized and lightweight powerbank with a bit less power capacity but the USP of the Summit Air is that it is designed to offer nearly its full charging output even at extremely low temperatures.
At -20C, Nitecore reports that the power bank still provides 80 per cent of its capacity and then 60 per cent at -40C (the maximum lowest temperate recommended for use). I haven’t been able to test this because it’s been summer but I can see that a power bank that remains useful in winter conditions is a bonus.
It has a good IPX8-rating against rain, snow, and moisture, whihc means you can be confident of the durability of the power bank when taking part in activities such as skiing and hiking in wet or snowy weather.
It is priced at £69.95, which is not cheap, but if you have previously got fed up with powerbanks being a bit useless in the winter, this could be a product to consider.
It also has the same double output ports and they light up a a pretty colour. I am not sure why we need colourful lights when white will suffice!
The charge display is four small blue lights.
A useful lanyard cable is included with the Nitecore Summit Air power bank.
Nitecore NWE10 outdoor whistle
The NWE10 is an electronic, button-activated emergency outdoor whistle.
Features include:
Weight: 38g, on my scales
Rechargeable
126 dB, said to be four times the sound intensity of conventional outdoor whistles
Beacon Mode: Emits continuous 3,300 Hz beep mode, activated by a long press, to help teams identify direction and location when spread out.
One-press emergency distress signal
SOS Mode, activated by holding the button for 10 seconds. (Once activated, it automatically repeats the distress signal, helping maintain an emergency call for assistance if the user becomes incapacitated or unable to move.)
Power by 300mAh low-temperature-resistant Li-ion battery
Run time of up to 80 hours
Operates in temperatures as low as -40°C
Built-in clip: OUTDOCK bracket
IPX7 waterproof rating
1m impact resistance
Colourways: Classic Black, Grass Green, Bright Orange and Frost White.
USB-C to USB-C Charging Cable
Price: £17.95
See: Nitecore NWE10 whistle.
This is a useful product for an emergency. It’s the sort of item you hope you will never need to use but if you do, you will be very grateful for it. It feels robust and looks practical. You can clip it to you rucksack and simply leave it there.
The big button is easy to use, which is important if you need to be speedy in an emergency. The bright colours also make it visible and easy to find when needed.
The high pitch sound is very loud indeed.
The rechargeable aspect of the whistle makes me a bit anxious because I would worry it runs out but you can check this simply by plugging it into a charger (one of the above power banks!) and then see how many of the four display lights show.
This is a great product and not something I would have thought about carrying with my in the mountains, until it arrived with the power banks.
There are many more Nitecore products if you want to take a look at the website.