Australian Hiker

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Cygnett ChargeUp Boost 2nd Generation 20,000 mAh Power Bank Review

This is the fourth Cygnett power bank I have purchased and while my three older versions continue to perform well and suit most of my needs, I needed a version that filled a particular capacity gap so opted for the Cygnett ChargeUp Boost 2nd Generation 20,000 mAh Power Bank.

Capacity wise this unit is essentially double the capacity of the smaller Cygnett ChargeUp Boost 2nd Generation 10,000 mAh Power Bank. As a blogger I have a higher power usage than most hikers but having said that, I have enough ‘standard’ gear that most hikers also carry that needs to be recharged. On hikes up to seven days in length I choose the smaller 10,000 mAh Power Bank and for hikes of around 14 days in length I opt for the larger Cygnett 27,000 mAh USB-C Power Bank. This left me with a gap. As much as I love the larger capacity unit, it is heavy when I don’t really need that sort of capacity for anything less than about two weeks but more specifically, I don’t want to carry the weight if I don’t need to.

This 20,000 mAh unit enables me to charge the following electronic gear for periods of up to approximately ten days:

• An Sony ZV-1 Digital Camera
• An iPhone 12 Mini
• A Garmin rechargeable GPS Satellite Communicator
• A rechargeable headlamp
• An iPad Mini (on longer hikes)
• Fitbit
• Suunto 9 Baro Wrist Heart Rate GPS Watch-Black

I’m a big fan of Cygnett power banks and while they are by no means the cheapest brand on the market they make up for this with their extreme reliability. While I mainly use these power banks for hiking on occasions I use them at home when the power has been shut down for maintenance. Even after periods of up to a year they remain fully charged and ready to use at the drop of a hat.

These days Cygnett power banks, including this unit, have two USB-A connections and also a USB-C connection (check your devices for compatibility) because that’s the way the industry is heading. USB-C connections allow for faster charging provided you have the appropriate cable and a compatable device. This means you can charge three devices at the same time. Having said that given this power bank is rated to provide up to 5.2 full phone charges, if you were charging three devices at the same time then you would really need to pay close attention to where you want the power going. In my case on longer hikes I focus on my Garmin Satellite communicator and my phone but as necessary will also do at least a partial charge of other devices such as my camera and my headlamp.

The Cygnett ChargeUp Boost 2nd Generation 20,000 mAh Power Bank has a charge meter in the top left corner so you can see how much capacity is still available. This meter will only show when the power button has been pressed and is plugged in.

One other thing I like about this unit is that it charges my Fitbit which is something not all power banks will do. The draw from the power banks by most fitness watches is so small that many power banks will turn themselves off not recognising that anything is attached. Not so with this unit. I usually find that while my Fitbit lasts six days when not connected to the GPS function or bluetooth, I always need to do a small charge around the 6-7 day period.

This little unit is larger in size than the smaller units but if absolutely necessary I have stored it in a waist pocket and charged my iPhone 12 Mini as I am walking with the phone sitting in the pocket below. The case has rounded corners as opposed to the angular hard feeling surfaces that many other battery packs on the market have and feels more comfortable.

One last comment is that good quality cables will help to protect your valuable electronics and while this unit comes prepackaged with a small cable, its worth buying a good quality cable to allow for faster charging so don’t stint on the charging cables just to save a few dollars.

One negative of this unit is that even though its twice the capacity of the Cygnett ChargeUp Boost 2nd Generation 10,000 mAh Power Bank, it’s more than twice the weight so while its convenient to have just one unit you do pay a weight penalty over carrying two of the smaller units.

So is this unit worth buying? There is now a 3rd Generation option available so this unit is in sell out at under $80 and as such, is very good value. If you’re only going to buy one unit then this is a great choice but if you’re a heavy power user and have multiple power banks in your arsenal, then choosing multiple small units and a large capacity unit is probably the way to go.

We Like

• The rounded corners mean you can sit this unit in your pocket and it feels just like a phone, all be it a large one
• Charge meter so you know how much power you have left
• Charge three devices at one time
• Will last most people for up to approximately ten days depending on power usage
• As a superseded model the pricing on this unit is excellent for what it does

We Don't Like

• The weight difference between this unit when compared to two of the 10,000 mAh Power Banks which is the equivalent capacity is heavier than it should be

Cygnett ChargeUp Boost 2nd Generation 20,000 mAh Power Bank. Note the charge capacity in the top left corner of the unit

Cygnett ChargeUp Boost 2nd Generation 20,000 mAh Power Bank – power button on the side of the unit

Cygnett ChargeUp Boost 2nd Generation 20,000 mAh Power Bank USB ports – 2 x USB-A and 1 x USB-C

Best Uses

A medium sized power bank for hikers and users who have above average power needs

Buy One

You can purchase the Cygnett ChargeUp Boost 2nd Generation 20,000 mAh Power Bank online from Amazon Australia

Disclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

If you have used the Cygnett ChargeUp Boost 2nd Generation 20,000 mAh Power Bank or if you have questions, we’d like to hear from you. Post your comment or question below

Investment

AUD $79.95 RRP

Other options

• Cygnett 27,000 mAh USB-C Power Bank is great for heavy users e.g. multi week or laptop charging
• Cygnett ChargeUp Boost 2nd Generation 10,000 mAh Power Bank is great for the average hiker with lower recharge needs

 

Disclaimer

This review was done with product purchased from a retail store by Australian Hiker

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