We found a great power system for your outdoor and camping adventures this December

While load-shedding remains in the rearview mirror for now, portable power stations offer value in other ways, such as providing easy access to power for caravaners and campers.

These devices provide portable power for those who love the outdoors but still want electricity for modern conveniences.

As the December holiday season approaches, many South Africans will travel across the country to their favourite camping and off-grid spots to escape the bustle of the city.

We recently tested a Gizzu Hero Ultra power station, and found it to be an excellent option for holidaymakers who want the extra comfort of a portable electricity source.

The Hero Ultra is one of the largest portable power stations on the market. Its 3,840Wh battery puts it in the same league as full-sized home inverters and battery installations.

Unlike fixed home power systems, however, you can load the Gizzu Hero Ultra into your 4×4 vehicle before you venture into the great outdoors.

An extendable handle and robust wheels make it easier to move around, too – and are vital additions, considering its 40.7kg weight.

The 3,840Wh battery is paired with a 3,600W output, which enabled us to power an extensive range of devices — including demanding appliances like kettles and microwaves.

In our experience, 3,600W is enough to power any common camping device, and the large battery ensures that the charge won’t deplete when running these devices.

For example, a standard kettle usually draws between 1,000W and 2,000W, which is no challenge for the Gizzu Hero Ultra.

Although an unlikely scenario, this power station could continuously boil a kettle for hours at this draw.

Another example are camping fridges, which typically draw under 100W, meaning this power station can keep your fridge running for around five weeks if it is the only device drawing power.

While considered camping luxuries, Gizzu also states that devices like a 1,800W hairdryer can be powered for 1.7 hours, and a 1,500W espresso machine can churn out coffees for two hours.

If you’re into the ‘glamping’ experience, this portable station will even be able to power a small air conditioner (typically around 1,250W) for a few hours.

With such a high output power, you can also run a wide range of devices at once.

You can keep a few camping lights on, run your fridge, charge a few smartphones and laptops — and the power station won’t even break a sweat.

Aside from its large battery and output, the Gizzu Hero Ultra offers many useful features for camping.

For example, its extensive port selection means that even with many devices plugged in, you won’t be scrambling to find a multiplug.

The Gizzu Hero Ultra offers the following:

• 3x 220V AC (SA 3-prong plug)
• 3x 20W USB-C ports
• 1x 100W USB-C port
• 2x 18W USB-A Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 ports
• 1x 120W 12V car socket
• 2x DC5521 ports
• 1x 12V XT60 output (25A)
• 1x 12-160V XT90 input

The XT90 port lets you connect solar panels to charge your power station, so you don’t have to worry about running out of juice on extended trips.

You can also get a boost from your vehicle using the 12V car socket, or recharge the Hero Ultra from a wall socket for the fastest charging time.

Using the AC input at max 2,200W draw, Gizzu says the power station will recharge from empty within 2.2 hours.

We have also found the LCD display to be handy as it showed the input power at any given time, which could be controlled by an input regulator.

It also displayed the output power, battery percentage, and amount of usage time left based on the current draw at any particular time.

Passthrough charging then lets you keep your devices powered up while you recharge the Hero Ultra — though it will take longer to charge — and it boasts various battery protection systems, too.

The Gizzu Hero Ultra’s recommended retail price is R39,999, which is quite reasonable for such a large and fully featured portable power station.