A lot of us take our creature comforts for granted. We spend so much time using electronic devices and as soon as the charge wanes, we just plug them into the wall and before you know it, they’re ready to use again.
This convenience, for many people in the younger generation, is part of life.
For some of us older people, we can remember a time when we weren’t afforded such luxuries, but nonetheless, we’re used to it now.
But what happens if you find yourself in a survival situation without any power?
It may seem like something that is only seen in the movies but for all of us, a survival situation could be just around the corner.
Whether it’s a car breaking down in the middle of nowhere, getting lost while hiking in a remote location, a power outage, or something more serious like a plane crash, having the right equipment could mean the difference between being stranded and getting out of a sticky situation.
There are a lot of things that you should keep in a survival kit but one of the most overlooked is the power bank.
Many of us carry these around in our bags when we are on the go; the daily commute, using the train to visit faraway friends and many other cases.
But if you haven’t got one in your survival kit, we’d recommend sourcing one today.
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Why Is A Power Bank So Important?
Let’s imagine that it’s a normal day; you’re working from home, it’s around 10 am and you didn’t charge your smartphone the night before.
Well, that’s OK, isn’t it?
You’ll just reach for the charger when you’ve finished this one job and you’ll be back on the go in no time. But then, out of nowhere, there’s a serious power outage. What are you going to do now?
Most power outages last a few minutes, or a couple of hours at worst. But there are times when the grid can go down completely and you may find yourself without power for days at a time.
For most people, this would be an inconvenience, but for vulnerable people, it can be life-threatening.
Now let’s ramp up that image and imagine that this power outage has been caused by a natural disaster, perhaps a devastating hurricane or an earthquake.
We are all accustomed to thinking ‘it won’t happen to me’ but then, next time, you may be the one trapped under some rubble or stuck in your home with an injury.
Now we realize that this all sounds a little out there, but in a survival situation like this and many others, the only real way that you are going to be able to draw attention to yourself and get out unscathed is to make contact with someone.
This is impossible if your cell phone dies.
However, by having a fully charged power bank in your survival kit, you will be able to make potentially one of the most important calls in your life.
What’s more, in a lot of situations, especially natural disasters, the mains electricity may become cut off.
What Are The Benefits Of A Power Bank?
Your survival kit should contain a lot of things, such as long-life snacks, a first aid kit, and blankets. But on the subject of power banks, a lot of people don’t realize the incredible number of benefits they bring.
- Power banks are portable so whether you are including them in a home survival kit or packing them in a bag, they won’t get in the way. Most of them are incredibly lightweight and compact so they can be slipped into a side pocket where they will go barely noticed.
- A power bank is not only ideal for charging your smartphone, these are incredbily versatile pieces of a equipment that can be used to charge a huge number of things. In your survival situation, it may not be that you need to make a phone call but you may need to charge a flashlight or give your smartwatch a boost. What’s more, you will find that most power banks are compatible with all brands so provide a universal charging solution.
- Power banks have the ability to charge each other. So if you have more than one and need to share the charge in a survival situation, it is possible to transfer the charge from one the other.
Solar Power Banks
Most power banks are charged by plugging them into the mains power.
However, in a survival situation, you may not have access to this type of power; hence the need for the power bank in the first place.
If you find yourself in a remote location then a solar power bank will provide you with the option to keep recharging the power bank.
This is ideal for serious survival situations such as becoming lost for days or even weeks.
While you may struggle to obtain a phone signal, you can feel confident that with the ability to solar charge your power bank, when the connection does return, you will have the juice to access it.
Storing Your Power Bank
One of the worst mistakes you can make when putting a power bank into your survival kit is to forget about it. If the time comes that you need its charge, you will find it completely drained if it has not been properly maintained.
As with any other type of battery, the power bank will discharge over time but the conditions it is kept in will determine how quickly this happens.
It is important to store the power bank in a cool, dry place.
Extremes in temperature can drastically affect the power bank’s ability to hold its charge.
A good quality power bank should be able to retain a charge for between three and four months but there are cheaper ones out there that might discharge entirely within four to six weeks.
In any case, it is worth regularly checking the charge of the power bank and giving it a boost if it is needed. In an emergency situation, you will thank your past self for taking the time to do this.
Conclusion
A power bank is an integral part of a survival kit for the simple reason that it gives you a viable way to call for help when an emergency strikes.
Of course, you will need to ensure that the power bank remains charged at all times but this is something that you will thank yourself for investing in.
