Gear Review: Dark Energy Poseidon Pro Portable Charger

The Dark Energy Poseidon Pro is a useful little portable charger.

If you are like me, you have probably acquired a fair number of electronic devices over the years. I have multiple cameras, drones, handheld GPSr units, and a gimbal to name a few. Whenever I go somewhere on a trip, I need to pack a ton of cords just to recharge it all.

Many companies have recognized that sometimes you are far out in the back country with no place to charge all these electronics. And it is usually important to make sure your cell phone is still working. Thus, the rise of portable chargers.

I recently got the chance to test one of these devices, the Dark Energy Poseidon Pro power bank. It turned out to be one of the handiest and most compact chargers I've ever used.

Specs of the Poseidon Pro

This thing gets major points for being compact. Dark Energy made the Poseidon Pro a little under six inches long and just over three inches wide. It comes in a black or camo color scheme to fit your tastes. As you can see in the photos I'm including here, it is roughly the same size as my cell phone, an Android Samsung Galaxy. It should be comparable to your typical iPhone too. That slim profile makes it easy to slim it into a pocket of your pants, a jacket, or into a backpack. It only weighs about 9.5 ounces too, making it a great option for through-hikers or backpackers who want power while keeping weight down.

This 10,200 mah portable charger has a single USB port out and a USB-C in/out port. Other devices may offer more USB ports, and charging ports but for a device this compact, one is fine. The ports are covered by a small plastic dustproof cover that snaps on and off with a satisfying click.

Having used several other compact chargers in the past, most of them felt like they were made for city slickers. They usually have a cheap construction and do not last long after buying it. The Poseidon Pro feels anything but. It has a nice, solid feel to it thanks to the steel-like polymer shell that makes it shockproof. Dark Energy says it has a Mil-Std 810g rating, which means it fits U.S. Military standards for being drop-proof, water-resistant, and cold resistant. In fact, you can totally submerge the Poseidon Pro in water or free it in ice and it will still work. This portable power pack can take a real beating.

As a bonus, this thing comes with a small LED light that can help a lot when you are fumbling around in the dark with your charging cables. Speaking of which, it comes packaged with a USB-C cabled reinforced with ballistic fiber, an extremely nice touch.

But how does it charge?

Of course, the durability of the device means nothing if it cannot charge anything. Not to worry, this thing has the amps for that. In fact, this was one of those rare times where I found the manufacturer claims lined up well with what the device delivered. Dark Energy says it provides about 36 hours of power for a mobile phone. I used the Poseidon Pro for charging my cellphone for about a week. I'd leave it plugged in while I was sleeping and always awoke to a full charge. After starting on a Monday, I did not need to re-charge the Poseidon until Friday. Not bad at all. For a week-long trip into the wilderness, this thing should have you covered.

I did not have the necessary adapter cables to test the five hours of power for a laptop or an iPad or other tablet. They claim about 10 hours for tablets. But I am inclined to believe it. Because this thing gave full charges to everything I plugged into it. The standard may be a USB-C cable, but I found that just about any micro-USB cable will work. The Poseidon charged not only my phone, but also my DJI Spark drone and controller, my Sony A6400 mirrorless digital camera, a Garmin GPSMap 64sx, a GoPro Hero 5, and a Playstation 4 controller. I did not have any USB type A or B device to try it with, but I'm betting it would handle those too.

The wildest use I found for the Poseidon Pro was when I needed to shoot some footage with my DJI Ronin-SC gimbal in the backyard. I found the battery drained. Fortunately, the Ronin-SC charges with a USB-C. Out of curiosity, I plugged the Poseidon Pro into the gimbal on a dead battery. To my surprise, it not only charged the gimbal, it powered it while I was shooting so I did not have to wait. Talk about useful!

The bottom line.

I did not even mention the fact Dark Energy includes a sweet 5-in-1 carabiner pro multi-tool in the box. It has a glass breaker, a knife, dual screwdriver heads, and a bottle opener. They also include a strap to help manage cables inside a crowded pack. Those things were unexpected and a pleasant surprise when I opened the box.

Simply put, the Poseidon Pro gives you a lot for the money. If you are looking to invest in something to power all your electronic devices while you are roughing it, this is the way to go. For more information on the Poseidon Pro, see the Dark Energy website.

Products featured on Wide Open Spaces are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels. 

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