Companion charges up portable power
Companion continues to lead the portable power field, with the recent release of its new Rover power pack range, and now, three new portable solar panels that will cater for the most demanding camper’s power needs when in the outdoors.
We’ve been fans of Companion’s portable lithium power packs for a few years now – the company makes seriously good gear for campers. We’ve used previous gen power packs for everything from family camp trips to a Simpson Desert expedition and they’ve been brilliant. In late 2024, Companion released its latest range of portable power packs, the Rover 300, Rover 500, Rover 600 and Rover 1000 – plus the Rover 1300 – and we were blown away.
Rover powers up
We’ve had the Rover 1300 (pumping out a massive 1344WH via its Lithium battery) on test for a couple of months now and it has lived up to its label as Companion’s most powerful unit. It is jammed full of handy features, such as 10 outputs (including a fridge-friendly Anderson and two AC ports, as well as USB-C, USB-A, 12V and 240V AC)), direct solar connection thanks to its inbuilt MPPT controller, and an inverter, which means you can run/charge digital cameras, laptops, etc.
The Rover 1300 charges quickly (around two hours) and you can monitor it all via the clever Battery Management System (BMS). The rest of the range is equally impressive, with the smaller units ideal for those with less cargo space, and all having the benefit of being able to be recharged via Companion’s portable solar panels. Speaking of which…
Charging ahead
Companion has been busy on the portable solar panel front, with the release of three new models – 100W, 200W and 300W – with the latest solar cell the (A-Grade Monocrystalline solar cells), a robust design (made from 1680-denier polyester), and including an IP65 weather resistance rating).
The solar panels also feature ETFE cells (Companion’s Cell Armour protection delivers the best performance in ETFE cells), easy integration with the Rover Power Station range via a 50A Anderson plug, and a handy inbuilt stand (with peg-down points) standard across all models.
Companion 100W Solar Blanket
The baby of the new solar panel range weighs in at just 4.9kg (panel only) and packs up to a folded size of 52cm x 58.8cm x 3cm (unfolded size: 58.7cm x 114.1cm), ideal for small cargo spaces in your vehicle. The 100W Solar Blanket features A-grade Monocrystalline solar cells and has a maximum per-hour solar output of 5.1amps (A) and has a claimed cell efficiency percentage of 23.5.
Companion 200W Solar Blanket
The middle model of the range ups the grunt to a maximum amp per hour output of 12.6A, with a cell efficiency of 23 per cent. The 200W Solar Blanket packs up nice and small, too, with a folded size of 59.1cm 57cm x5.7cm, and unfolded size of 58.8cm x 248.5cm, and it weighs 9.3kg.
Companion 300W Solar Blanket
For those who want optimum sun-sourced recharging, the 300W Solar Blanket will sort you out. This unit delivers up to 16.7Ah of power, with a cell efficiency of 24 per cent. Impressively, for that output, the size of this model is not too overwhelming in terms of its packability in your vehicle. Folded, the 300W Solar Blanket is 69.5cm x 58.6cm x 5.86cm; unfolded it measures 58.3cm x 292.4cm, and it weighs just 10.8kg – not bad for its output. For those big campsites, where there’s a lot of power draw from your group, this big-bopper is the one for you.
For anyone who needs a reliable source of portable power when out in the field – whether camping or needing to recharge everything from mobile phones and laptops to e-bikes – the Companion Rover power stations and solar blankets are ideal. With excellent integration between power packs and the solar blankets, plus the high-quality design and manufacturing, Companion continues to be a leader in the portable power field.
