Anker SOLIX C800X Portable Power Station and 100W Solar Panel, 768Wh

Why it's worth it

The SOLIX C800X pairs 768Wh and 1,200W output with a 100W IP67 solar panel and built-in three-mode camping lights. It's the most campsite-specific design here, and it recharges to 80 percent in 2.3 hours on solar alone.

The built-in lights sound like a gimmick until you're setting up in the dark. Three modes, mounted on the unit, no separate lantern to find or charge. Owners consistently call it out as the thing they didn't expect to use and then used constantly. It's a small design decision that reflects someone thinking about camping specifically rather than home backup.

1,200W from a 24-pound box is more headroom than the RIVER 2 Pro offers at similar capacity. SurgePad pushes it to 1,600W for startup loads, and there are ten ports, so you're not juggling adapters when four people want to charge at once. If you want the compact class but keep bumping into the RIVER 2 Pro's 800W ceiling, this is the fix.

From our review of 8 portable power stations for camping, by Ben Carter, Tech Editor

What we like

• +The built-in lights sound like a gimmick until you're setting up in the dark
• +1,200W from a 24-pound box is more headroom than the RIVER 2 Pro offers at similar capacity
• +Solar recharge is quick — up to 300W of input takes it to 80 percent in about 2.3 hours
• +One quirk shows up repeatedly in owner feedback: the unit doesn't reliably detect AC loads under about 20 watts

What to know

• –It's a newer listing with less accumulated owner history than the Jackery or EcoFlow options, so long-term reliability patterns…
• –At 24 pounds for 768Wh, it's heavier than the RIVER 2 Pro for the same capacity