Review: Never leave home without your Kodiak power bank
The Kodiak is great simple, easy to use product designed to store power that you can use later on in the day to charge your devices. It’s large 6,000 mAh battery is capable of powering smartphones, digital cameras, GPS devices, and tablets. This is all thanks to its built-in smart USB port that can automatically switch between 1.0 and 2.1 Amps of output as needed.
As everyone knows external battery charges are a dime a dozen, what sets the Kodiak apart is its rugged design, and design is where Outdoor Tech has always impressed me. The device is totally protected against dust, and is waterproof down to 1 meter. You can also drop it from 2+ meters and not risk breaking it, which means even in the harshest of conditions you are still able to power your phone. Being in the UK, there aren’t a lot of harsh environments (unless you count Kent), so I took this badboy to the beach. I got it in the sand, dropped it on rocks and in pools of water. After an hour or so of testing, I plugged my phone in and had no problem charging my phone.
Its protected by what can only be described as a rubberized suit of armor, combined with a sealed lid that closes over the two USB ports – one for charging the internal battery, the other for charging your electronic device. The power button on top activates the charging process, while a series of green LED lights indicate the current level of charge. What I liked was you could see the lights and power button through the sealed lid. So you could check even underwater what your current charge is.
The entire package weighs in at a just over 250g, so you’re getting a lot power and protection in a small package. I am aware its difficult to make a USB battery pack stand out from the competition, but the Kodiak’s tough rubber outer shell gives it a unique look that I feel sets it apart from similar products. Outdoor Tech’s signature Sasquatch logo is imprinted on both the front and the top. The rubberized armour features a diamond pattern that not only makes the battery pack easy to grip, but also adds to its unique look.
Outdoor Tech offers the Kodiak in four colors (black, red, blue, and green), as well as camouflage. Though I like the black colour, I was very tempted by the blue colour. With an IP67 rating, tough shell, and ability to resist being dropped, the Kodiak has been built to be incredibly durable. The device not only feels solid in my hand, I am happy to confirm it also delivers on the promise of durability in the field.
There is a lot of competition in the external battery pack market, with numerous offerings very similar to the Kodiak. I was able to find a higher capacity battery, with more features, for a cheaper price. But very few of them offer the same level of durability that Outdoor Technology has delivered with this product and their other products. If you want a power source that is capable of standing up to the elements, and surviving in the backcountry, the Kodiak is a great choice. This is a fantastic companion for the outdoor (tech) enthusiast who never leaves home without his or her gadgets.
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