Backpacking Power Guide: From Day Hikes to Thru-Hikes
- How Much Battery Power Do You Need for Backpacking?
- Day Hikes and One-Night Trips: Keep Power Simple
- Multi-Day Backpacking: Balancing Battery Weight and Runtime
- Thru-Hiking Power Plan: Charging Between Town Stops
- Expedition Backpacking: When a Portable Power Station Makes Sense
- How to Get More From Your Batteries
- Get Your Backpacking Gear List Power Right
- FAQs
Your backpacking gear list has some new additions. Cell phones, GPS devices, and headlamps—these must have backpacking gear items all need charging. Most hikers grab a random power bank and either carry too much or run out of battery mid-trail. The solution? Calculate what you actually need based on trip length, not guesswork.
How Much Battery Power Do You Need for Backpacking?
Trail Duration
| Trail duration | Extra power need | What this implies |
| Day hike | Near-zero | Usually no dedicated backup power needed |
| Overnight (1 night) | A bit | Small buffer for phone + headlamp + watch |
| Multi-day (3–7 days) | Needs planning | You’re managing “days between charges,” not just daily use |
| Thru-hike | Different strategy | Power plan is driven by resupply rhythm + efficiency habits |
Resupply Frequency
| Resupply pattern | Buffer level | Typical strategy |
| Town each night | Very low | Top up often; carry minimal spare power |
| 3–5 days between towns | Medium | Carry enough for the whole gap |
| ~7 days in wilderness | High / substantial | Larger battery plan and/or solar option |
Device Inventory
| Device tier | What’s included | Power impact |
| Essentials | Smartphone (biggest), rechargeable headlamp, GPS watch | Baseline |
| Essentials + optional | Camera, action cam, satellite communicator, e-reader | Adds noticeable draw |
| Heavy add-ons | Drone, laptop, SLR camera | Can raise needs ~2–3× |
How to Quickly Calculate Your Power Needs
Total mAh needed = (daily use × days between charges) × 1.3
When you’re building a backpacking gear list, start with the must have backpacking gear that actually pulls power: your smartphone (typically the biggest draw), a GPS watch, and a rechargeable headlamp.
For a 4-Day Trip:
Smartphone: 3,500mAh/day × 4 days = 14,000mAh
GPS watch: 650mAh/day × 4 days = 2,600mAh
Headlamp: 400mAh (one charge) = 400mAh
Total: 17,000mAh
Add 30% buffer: 17,000 × 1.3 = 22,100mAh needed
For a trip like this, you’d typically aim for a 20,000–25,000 mAh power bank. Do the same math with your own devices, multiply by the number of days you’ll be away from a plug, then add the 30% buffer—that final number is the capacity you’re shopping for.
Day Hikes and One-Night Trips: Keep Power Simple
For trips lasting 6-15 hours where you're back to your car by nightfall, a power bank usually just adds unnecessary weight to your backpacking gear list. Most smartphones can handle 8-12 hours of GPS tracking when you put them in airplane mode, which is plenty for a standard day hike.
| Trip Type | Duration | Power Bank Needed? | Capacity | Why |
| Day Hike | 6-12 hours | No | 0mAh | Full phone charge lasts 8-12 hours with airplane mode |
| Long Day Hike | 12-15 hours | Optional | 5,000mAh | Backup for extended trips or heavy photo use |
| Overnight Trip | 24-36 hours | Yes | 5,000-10,000mAh | One full phone recharge covers typical overnight needs |
Day Hikes: No Power Bank Needed
Charge your phone to 100% the night before, then top it off one more time in your car right before you hit the trailhead—this ensures you start with maximum battery capacity.
Overnight Trips: Small Backup Only
Pack a 5,000-10,000mAh power bank in your backpacking packing list—this capacity provides one full smartphone recharge, which covers a typical overnight trip with some buffer for extra photos or unexpected delays.
Multi-Day Backpacking: Balancing Battery Weight and Runtime
Daily Power Consumption Breakdown
Here's what your devices actually consume each day on the trail:
| Device | Daily Usage | Power Consumed |
| Smartphone (navigation) | 8-12 hours GPS tracking | 3,000-4,000mAh |
| GPS watch | 24-hour tracking | 500-800mAh |
| Rechargeable headlamp | 2-3 hours every 2-3 days | 300-500mAh per charge |
| Total Daily Consumption | ~4,000-5,000mAh |
The 20,000mAh Standard Setup
The capacity of a 20,000mAh power bank will easily tackle 3-5 day backcountry trips. A power bank like this will provide enough juice to recharge a smartphone battery 4-5 times, which should last 3-4 days, depending upon actual use. The weight of a power bank of this type should be in the range of 12-14 ounces. This size has become must have backpacking gear for multi-day hikers because it balances capacity against pack weight.
If you need the upper end of this range, the EcoFlow RAPID Power Bank offers 25,000mAh with fast recharging—it goes from 0% to 50% in just 26 minutes, which means you can top it up during a quick lunch stop in town before heading back out. The built-in retractable USB-C cables eliminate the need to pack separate charging cables, and the 100W output charges your phone and laptop simultaneously without slowing down.
Power Setup for Photo and Video Work
If you're shooting content, your power needs look different:
| Equipment Type | Power Strategy | Why |
| Mirrorless camera + drone | Second 20,000mAh power bank | Separates navigation power from content creation |
| Action cam only | Same 20,000mAh bank | 1,000-1,500mAh per charge fits within standard capacity |
| DSLR with multiple batteries | USB-C PD power bank | Fast charging (2-3x faster than standard USB) |
Pack a second 20,000mAh power bank dedicated to camera equipment—this separates your navigation power from your content creation power so a dead camera battery doesn't risk your wayfinding ability. Choose a power bank with USB-C Power Delivery (PD) output if your camera supports USB-C charging, which charges batteries 2-3 times faster than standard USB and can sometimes charge the camera body directly without removing batteries.
Thru-Hiking Power Plan: Charging Between Town Stops
On trails like the AT, PCT, or CDT, you're not carrying power for months—you're carrying enough to reach the next town, usually 3-7 days away.
What Most Thru-Hikers Carry
A 20,000-25,000mAh power bank covers most week-long sections between resupply points. Going bigger than 25,000mAh adds weight without much benefit—you hit diminishing returns where the extra ounces don't justify the added capacity. Look for power banks under 0.7 ounces per 1,000mAh. A 25,000mAh unit should weigh 17-18 ounces maximum. This size handles your backpacking gear power needs without becoming a burden.
The EcoFlow RAPID Power Bank hits this target at 25,000mAh with an intelligent TFT display that shows real-time battery health and charging cycles—useful for tracking performance over thousands of trail miles.
Cut Your Device Power Usage
Use a GPS watch for navigation instead of constantly checking your phone—it drops your daily power consumption significantly. Switch to a rechargeable headlamp so you're not carrying spare AA batteries. A satellite communicator needs charging once every 5-7 days, so it barely affects your power budget.
Charging Strategy in Town
Charge everything to 100% when you reach town. Plug in your power bank while eating breakfast or lunch—most restaurants and cafes don't mind. Some thru-hikers mail backup power banks to specific resupply points before particularly long wilderness sections where they know they'll need extra capacity.
Expedition Backpacking: When a Portable Power Station Makes Sense
Week-long expeditions without resupply, mountaineering, winter camping, and remote travel need more than standard power banks can provide.
EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus Portable Power Station delivers 600W output (1200W with X-Boost) with enough capacity to recharge a smartphone 40+ times. It charges fully in one hour from a wall outlet and accepts up to 220W from solar panels. The unit expands to 858Wh with an additional battery and runs quietly at under 30 dB.
The weight makes sense in specific cases:
Photography work: DSLR batteries need AC outlets or specific chargers that USB power banks can't provide.
Emergency communication: Satellite beacons need reliable backup power you can count on.
Group expeditions: One shared station split across packs weighs less per person than individual 25,000mAh banks.
How to Get More From Your Batteries
1. Maximize Your Phone Battery
Prepare your phone before leaving the trailhead by downloading all the maps and trails for offline use, turning off your phone's cellular connection once you’re out of range, turning on airplane mode, turning the screen brightness down to 30-40%, and turning off Bluetooth/Wi-Fi and background refresh.
2. Keep Batteries Warm in Cold Weather
Slip your phone and power bank into your sleeping bag each night near your core, not down by your feet. Batteries will lose 30 to 50 percent of their capacity at temperatures below freezing, so it's a big power savings to wake up to warm equipment rather than to frozen equipment.
3. Prioritize What Gets Charged
When your power bank runs low, follow this charging order:
| Priority | Device | Reason |
| 1st | Phone or GPS | Navigation and emergency calls |
| 2nd | Satellite communicator | Emergency beacon function |
| 3rd | Headlamp | Camp setup and nighttime safety |
| Last | Camera, e-reader | Only if power remains |
4. Keep Your Cable Organized
Use one multi-tip cable instead of several for USB-C, Lightning, and Micro-USB. This reduces weight by 2-3 ounces and prevents rummaging around your backpack. Carry it in your hip belt pocket for easy access during breaks, and you'll find you're charging your phone more often.
Adding a multi-tip cable to your backpacking gear list is one of the smartest weight-saving swaps you can make. For anyone carrying rechargeable devices, it's become must have backpacking gear—no more cable tangles or digging through your pack to find the right connector for each piece of backpacking gear.
Get Your Backpacking Gear List Power Right
Pair your portable charger with your actual itinerary instead of over-preparing. Calculate the daily use times, days out, and throw your emergency cushion in there, and that's your number. Your backpacking packing list should fit the trail—day hikers travel light, multi-day trips need 20,000mAh, thru-hikers charge in towns, and specialized expeditions consider bigger options. Try the calculation method from this guide on your next trip and see what actually works for your hiking style and devices.
FAQs
Q1: Can I use my power bank to charge multiple devices at the same time?
Yes. Most modern power banks come with 2 to 3 output ports that function simultaneously. The only disadvantage is that when charging more than one device at the same time, the power rating needs to be distributed across the devices.
Q2: Can I charge my power bank and devices from it simultaneously?
Yes, it's called pass-through charging. Not all power banks support this feature, however. So, it is important to look at its specifications for this. The problem is that it heats up while charging, since it is discharging. Therefore, it will shorten your power bank's lifespan.
Q3: Does altitude affect battery performance?
No, altitude itself doesn't hurt batteries. In fact, the problem is low temperature, which is always prevalent at high altitudes. So at 14,000 ft in the summer when it is warm, your battery is fine. At the same altitude, in winter when it is cold, your battery will be down 30-40% in capacity.
Q4: Should I fully drain my power bank before recharging it?
No. That's outdated advice from old nickel-cadmium batteries. It is better to keep your lithium batteries between 20% and 80% if you do not need to use them. You can still top off your battery when it is convenient for you. There is no need to drain a lithium-ion battery to 0% if you have one.
Q5: Will my power bank work as a hand warmer in cold weather?
No. Power banks generate minimal heat during normal operation—nowhere near enough to warm your hands effectively. You won’t have to intentionally drain your power bank for the heat to be useful to you either, because that would mean the energy you need for navigation systems would be wasted. Additional heat sources you may carry if you require warmth include heat-emitting hand warmers or an insulated glove set.