Van life is all about freedom and mobility, but that doesn’t remove the need for a reliable power source onboard your vehicle. Sure, there will be plenty of chances to plug in along your travels. But you’ll want a portable power station that can give you power while you’re mobile or away from shorepower.
Van lifers have plenty of options for portable power stations. They range from being small and compact, like the Goal Zero Yeti 200x, to large heavy-duty solutions like Zendure’s SuperBase Pro 2000. But the best one of all is the VTOMAN Jump 1000. Not only does it have plenty of capacity in a compact case, but that capacity is expandable whenever you need to add more.
This guide will show you the best portable power stations available for van lifers today. You’ll learn what features they have and the unique qualities that make them stand out, so you can choose the one that suits you best.
What Are The Best Portable Power Stations For Van Life?
Van life has never been a one-size-fits-all lifestyle, as everyone has different needs and preferences. Still, no matter the differences, one thing is the same: all van lifers need a reliable source of stored power onboard.
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Portable power stations are an excellent solution to meet that need. Still, even those products differ when catering to people’s needs.
No matter what van life looks like for you, here are 5 of the best portable power stations you can choose from to keep your appliances and devices powered:
VTOMAN Jump 1000
First on this list is the Jump 1000 by VTOMAN. Like all the manufacturers you’ll discover in this list, VTOMAN specializes in producing highly-reliable battery products. More interestingly, though, is that they do so with a strong emphasis on products for life on the road.
This unit is a 1,000-watt portable power station with plenty of ports to charge multiple devices simultaneously.
Here are some of the key features to consider before making this power station a part of your van:
- Capacity: 1,408 watt-hours
- Weight and size: 37 pounds, 14.2 by 10.6 by 11.0 inches
- Charging options: Solar, AC charging, car charging
- Ports: 12 ports
What we like about it: This portable power station has plenty of things to like. But the one thing that stands out the most is its ability to expand capacity if necessary.
Suppose you use this power station for a while and realize you need more power. In that case, you can invest in an extra battery to increase its capacity by 1,548 watt-hours!
That expandability makes this portable power station ideal for new and experienced van lifers. Not only does it come with the features you need, but the option to expand also saves you from accidentally buying a power station that’s too big or too small for your van.
Jackery Solar Generator 1000
Next on our list is Jackery’s Solar Generator 1000. This one is actually a combination of the company’s Explorer 1000 portable power station and its SolarSaga 100W portable solar panels.
The manufacturer was founded in California in 2012 and has focused on developing affordable portable power solutions since then. This model is a perfect example of what this brand is about.
Check out the key features of this portable power solution to see how it can keep your devices powered:
- Capacity: 1,002 watt-hours
- Weight and size: 22 pounds, 12.5 by 6.1 by 9.2 inches
- Charging options: Solar, AC charging
- Ports: 8 ports
What we like about it: The best thing about this portable power station is its physical build. Firstly, this unit is lighter compared to several others on this list. On top of that, it’s also incredibly compact.
Those two traits make this portable power station excellent for van life. In addition, the reduced weight prevents you from burning more fuel just to move the van, while its compact size leaves more room onboard for your other belongings.
The included solar panels also provide the same benefits: they’re foldable and weigh only 9.1 pounds.
Goal Zero Yeti 200x
Let’s suppose you only have minimal portable power needs and are in the market for something smaller. In that case, you’ll want to consider Goal Zero’s Yeti 200x. This product has the smallest capacity on this list, made by a premium brand trusted worldwide for its reliability.
Goal Zero is a company that produces portable power solutions, including solar panels, battery packs (like this power station), and other accessories.
Naturally, the Yeti 200x earns its spot on this list because it’s lightweight and compact. That makes it perfect for van life because you can tuck it away neatly to maximize space, only taking it out when needed.
Still, here are some of the key features you’ll want to know about:
- Capacity: 187 watt-hours
- Weight and size: 5 pounds, 7.9 by 5.1 by 5.1 inches
- Charging options: Solar, AC charging, car charging
- Ports: 6 ports
What we like about it: This portable power station is well-built, compact, and lightweight; there’s no question about that. But one thing you’ll love about it is its compatibility with the Yeti 3.0 app. That’s what truly unlocks the full potential of this unit.
Overall, the app allows you to monitor and control the power station even when you’re nowhere near it. For example, suppose you forget to turn off a device or appliance after leaving your vehicle. In that case, the app lets you shut it off remotely without any worries.
You can also monitor the battery’s charge levels through the app to know when it needs to be recharged, perhaps with shorepower nearby.
Anker 757 PowerHouse
So far, we’ve looked at small and medium-sized portable power stations suitable for van life. Those options will work for most people, but there will always be some users who require more power to keep themselves going for longer.
If that sounds like you, then the award-winning Anker 757 PowerHouse might be what you’re looking for. Unfortunately, this is a slightly larger and heavier unit than the last few, requiring a bit more space.
Naturally, that also means it can store and provide significantly more power to your devices. Of course, you can power more devices simultaneously through its 13 ports. Still, the higher capacity means you can do it longer without a recharge.
Here’s the critical information you need to know about this unit:
- Capacity: 1,229 watt-hours
- Weight and size: 43.9 pounds, 18.2 by 11.3 by 9.3 inches
- Charging options: AC charging, solar charging, car charging
- Ports: 13 ports
What we like about it: A portable power station with a larger battery takes longer to recharge, but that’s not the case with the Anker 757 Powerhouse. Anker has equipped it with their HyperFlash technology that significantly reduces charging time.
They claim you can recharge the Anker 757 PowerHouse up to 80% capacity in just 1 hour.
That’s pretty impressive, considering the large battery capacity of this power station. But, more importantly, it makes this unit practical to own, especially if you’re on the move.
In simpler terms, you won’t be stuck relying on shore power for too long just to recharge this power station before you can be mobile again.
Zendure SuperBase Pro 2000
Finally, the biggest portable power station on this list is Zendure’s SuperBase Pro 2000. Despite being portable, this is a heavy-duty solution for any power station needs. When this thing is fully charged, you can rest assured your devices will stay running for a very long time.
Zendure has been in the business of making charging tech since 2013, so its products are informed by plenty of experience as well as expertise.
The SuperBase Pro 2000 doesn’t just have a high storage capacity and plenty of outlets. But it’s also large enough to need wheels and a handle to help you quickly move it around.
Here are some of the other, more impressive specs of this portable power station:
- Capacity: 2,096 watt-hours
- Weight and size: 46.5 pounds, 17.56 by 10.51 by 13.86 inches
- Charging options: Solar charging, AC charging
- Ports: 14 ports
What we like about it: This product is on the higher end of the spectrum regarding size and capacity. But, despite that, it’s still portable enough to fit inside your van and easy to roll wherever you need.
Still, that’s not the best thing this power station has to offer. Its raw power is complemented by its connectivity, with GPS and 4G IoT (Internet of Things) capabilities.
As you can imagine, that connectivity allows you to monitor and control the unit even if you’re in the van with it. But better yet, it also allows for over-the-air updates. That means the internal software can be updated automatically no matter where you are!
Bottom Line: What’s The Best Portable Power Station For Van Life?
Earlier, you read that people from all walks of life participate in van life.
As such, everyone has different needs and preferences, including their portable power station needs. That’s why this guide has covered a wide variety of options, from the smallest ones to those large enough to need wheels to move around.
While they’re all excellent options, it’s clear that the VTOMAN Jump 1000 is the best choice among them. Firstly, it has an ideal capacity of 1,408 watt-hours which will suit most users’ needs.
Besides that, its design which incorporates solar, AC, and car charging capabilities, makes the unit incredibly versatile. That means you won’t be overly dependent on just one kind of power source to keep it charged while you’re out on the road.
The VTOMAN Jump 1000 is expandable with an extra battery whenever you decide the standard capacity isn’t enough. So instead of buying a brand-new power station, you can invest in an additional battery.
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