LimeFuel’s Rugged L150XR power bank is the ideal gadget for outdoors enthusiasts, allowing them to keep their communications and GPS devices going in even the toughest terrains. (Also see: Best power banks 2018.) I’d barely got the LimeFuel Rugged L150XR 15000mAh power bank out of its box before my partner swooped: “That’s cool. I want that.” I managed to prise it out of his hands long enough to write this review. And I do get the Rugged’s appeal, especially to someone who spends much of their holidays waist-deep in snow in Glen Clova, or crashing down the Brecon Beacons on a mountain bike. It’s IP66-certified, which means it’s water-, dirt- and shock-resistant. Plus it looks tough, with a grippy rubber protective casing that includes a flap to conceal the charging ports. When you’re in the middle of nowhere, having a means of communication should you get into trouble is vital. Many will also carry a portable GPS device that doesn’t require mobile reception to operate. A smartphone is useful only so long as its battery holds out, and the further you move away from civilisation the more quickly its power will drain as it searches for a signal. With many of today’s high-end smartphones waterproof and increasingly durable, it makes sense to pair them with a rugged power bank such as the LimeFuel. A velcro strap with a carabiner clip is supplied in the box, enabling you to secure the LimeFuel to a rucksack (it’ll probably be too heavy at 375g to attach to a belt). There’s also the same two-in-one Micro-USB and Lightning flat slimline cable that we admired with the LimeFuel Blast L180X Pro. The Lightning adaptor is secured to the cable, preventing it from getting lost, and swivels round to reveal the Micro-USB connection. If your device uses a different charging cable you’ll need to supply your own.
In common with that power bank, and unlike many of its rivals, the LimeFuel Rugged L150XR supports passthrough charging and auto-on/-off. The former lets you use it as a USB hub, simultaneously charging both the power bank and your devices and shortening your prep time, while the latter means you don’t need to fiddle around with buttons to begin charging, nor monitor the device to make sure power isn’t unnecessarily wasted. Given that you might be using a single USB charger to fill both the LimeFuel and up to two devices, it’s nice to see a 2A Micro-USB input. Paired with a 2A USB charger, you could expect to fill this power bank in around nine hours. The LimeFuel Rugged L150XR also offers two fast-charging USB outputs for your devices. Note, however, that the total output is 4.2A, so with both ports in use the LimeFuel will charge your devices a little slower. The Rugged is rated at 15000mAh (57Wh). Most power banks are around 65- to 70 percent efficient, with some energy lost through voltage conversion and heat generated. You can reasonably expect around 10000mAh to filter through to your gadgets, which should be enough to charge your smartphone or GPS device several times – the LimeFuel L150XR works with any device that charges over USB. LimeFuel will ship the Rugged L150XR from the US via its online shop. At $84.99 (around £52, plus shipping) it’s relatively pricey for a power bank of this capacity, but in line with the £59 Zendure A5 (read our review of the Zendure A2). Unlike that device it’s also waterproof. At the time of writing the Rugged L150XR wasn’t available, but LimeFuel expects to have it in stock by the end of the month. In the meantime a lower-capacity 10400mAh L104XR version is available on eBay US, costing £56 including shipping to the UK. Read next: How to improve smartphone battery life. Follow Marie Brewis on Twitter. Marie is Editor in Chief of Tech Advisor and Macworld. A Journalism graduate from the London College of Printing, she’s worked in tech media for more than 17 years, managing our English language, French and Spanish consumer editorial teams and leading on content strategy through Foundry’s transition from print, to digital, to online - and beyond.
