There are portable battery packs and then there are portable battery packs, know what we mean? For your everyday ordinary charge-a-phone tasks, you’re going to be perfectly happy with a standard 5-10,000 mAh power block, but if you need to get some serious portable charging done over a few days, say if you’re in a field or desert oasis somewhere, then you’ll definitely need something like this Anker Astro Pro 2 battery pack.

This 20,000 mAh portable battery charger, features 3 USB ports, a 9V/12V multi port for charging devices other than standard 5V USB phones and tablets, and what they call ‘PowerIQ‘, which is a fancy way of saying it optimizes the charge rate to ensure your device gets powered up quickly without risking its battery.

First impressions
The Astro Pro 2 comes in a sturdy unpreposessing box, along with a user manual, a soft bag and cables, and also a charge block for recharging the unit when it’s depleted. This is, in fact, one of the only drawbacks we can see with having such a huge amount of portable power on tap, the fact that you need a dedicated charger block to refresh it fast. This means yet another thing to carry around on a trip, instead of just using a standard USB cable, as with small portable battery blocks. Check out our video review for a more detailed look.

In use
We found the Astro Pro 2 to be a very polished performer all round. It’s impeccably well built, with a solid feel and a deliciously finished aluminum casing which screams quality. The unit is supposed to provide up to six recharges of a standard smartphone, and up to 10 times for an iPhone, which should be enough to keep most people happy on extended trips to the wilderness.

We also really like the size and format, which makes it very (large) pocket friendly, It’s around the same size as a paperback, only much thinner, so you shouldn’t have any problem carrying it around with you, although it’s got a heft to it. The dedicated power block can re-charge the unit in around 4 to 5 hours from an A/C socket, which again makes it very practical if you’re out in the field and using it a lot. No long overnight charge needed.

Conclusion
The Anker Astro Pro 2 is a beast of a portable battery charger, and one which packs bags of style as well as power. We love the quality and attention to detail in the design, and the fact that it’s all backed up with an 18 month warranty adds icing to the cake. If you’re one of those people who spends a lot of time on the road, or visiting remote areas, then this is the kind of power block which will suit you completely. A solid performer all round!

Price
USA – $79.99
UK – £49.99