Let’s get one thing out of the way. I’m your resident science writer. Alien comets, tiny universes, and body parts are the sort of thing I’m used to telling you about.

Should anybody trust my opinion on tiny portable power stations? That’s up to you. But when Jackery asked New Atlas to put its Explorer 1000 v2 and accompanying 100-W solar panel to the test, I saw an opportunity to take my office out into the wild for a day or two to stare at the stars while writing about moons and aliens and noodly galaxies.

A thousand watts is just about perfect for my needs when camping. I can leave most luxuries at home, but am a sucker for cool beverages, music, and – when working – a laptop with a full battery.

Charging the power station through mains power was a breeze, even for a novice power station nerd like me. A digital panel on the side of the unit shows the input and output, and the remaining battery percentage. From around 30% to ready-to-roll in around an hour and a half, I quickly had a box full of electricity ready to pop into the back seat of the car, together with a 100-W SolarSaga solar panel for topping up.

The unit feels solid enough to take a kick or two (not that I put that to the test) and is compact enough to easily fit on the floor behind the driver’s seat. It even has a robust handle that makes it easy to carry down the stairs cooler-style, which is helpful given that the V2 does weigh a hefty 11 kg (about 24 lb) and I haven't been to the gym in well over a year.

Once I had set up at my destination, I could plug my laptop into one of the two AC outputs and tap away to my heart’s content while listening to the quiet, blissful sounds of nature (accompanied by the not-so-blissful sounds of Eddie Vedder screaming not-so-quietly on my phone).

All the while, the solar panel sat off to one side against the car, topping up the power in dribs and drabs as the temperamental Melbourne weather allowed. A handy little transparent window with a target built in made angling the panel towards the Sun a breeze – just one of those neat features that add to the overall quality of the product.

It was only after half an afternoon of writing articles that I discovered I could link the Jackery 1000 to my phone via Bluetooth. Given I had no real interest in custom charging or watching the battery slowly trickle up or down from afar, it wasn’t exactly a feature that made my day. But for some, having a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection could provide options.

If you’re a connoisseur camper with more mod-cons than you can throw an electric-powered stick at, there may be better powered products out there. If you’re somebody who camps once in a blue moon with nothing more than a flashlight and a battery-powered radio, then this isn’t for you either.

But if you’re worried about blackouts, or need a solid battery for your next weekend getaway that can power your electric cooker, kettle, music system, and maybe some mood lighting, this unit is well worth the cost.

Jackery is having a winter "power-up" sale in Australia between July 7 and 13, offering up to $3,800 off selected portable power.

Source: Jackery

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