The Ultimate Gift for the Off-Roading or Camping Enthusiast

As an off-roading and camping hobbyist and an OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) sufferer, it is important to me to have access to electricity even when out in the wilds. In the past, I have gone without my CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) treatment when camping. As I age and desire to suffer fewer side effects and achieve better outcomes, I have looked for solutions to enable me to run my CPAP machine while out and about.

While there are many options out there and have been for some time, I have recently trialed the Jackery battery system. When looking for a solution for such energy needs, it is important to understand issues that can be found with such equipment. One of the issues that has routinely surfaced for such battery systems has been a lack of battery life. Depending upon the hourly wattage pull for your equipment, these batteries may run for days, hours, or just a few minutes. A second issue is a lack of amperage needed to turn on many devices. Products like refrigerators, fans, and others can pull a significant charge when turning on. If the battery does not allow for such a spike, breakers or sensors may kick the battery off and not allow for its usage in these instances.

For my purposes, the biggest concern is running a CPAP medical device for at least eight hours each night. I would also like to use the same battery for at least a few days without the necessity to recharge via solar or car sources. Finally, I would like for the battery to be relatively lightweight, but I am not looking to carry this on my back for any length of time. So, if it can neatly fit in the Jeep, that will work for me.

I tried out two of the Jackery products to see if they would provide what I need. I used the Jackery 500W and 1000W battery packs. I have purchased the solar recharging panels but have not yet utilized them for recharging. I then used these products at home for a full night to power my CPAP device. I had no issues with the CPAP powering on or operating for a full 8 hours overnight on either size battery. For the 1000W battery, slightly less than 25% of the battery life was consumed during that 8-hour usage. As expected, with the 500W battery pack, approximately 50% of the charge was exhausted.

Based on my needs, both systems fit the bill. However, the likelihood of getting three to four nights of sleep out of the 1000W battery makes this more ideal for my needs. I will note that the fan on the 500W pack cycled on a little more frequently than with the 1000W unit. This was not a drawback to me, but this might be a consideration if you sleep lightly. Also, the 1000W is not significantly bigger or heavier, makes the 1000W much more appealing. However, there is a bigger price tag, and this may price the larger unit out of the price range of some.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this product for anyone looking for an ideal gift for the off-road or car-camping loved-one. These batteries are on the higher side of the price range for the gift-giving scale. However, this will be one gift that will not be regifted any time soon. If you don't have any relatives that are worth this level of spending, consider this as a gift for yourself. I have also used this product to power small appliances and have seen others use it for large appliances. For those in power-outage-prone areas, this product could truly be a lifesaver.