INTRODUCTION

   Portable batteries (or power banks) may have managed to secure a place amongst the most important mobile gadgets people should with them at all times but leaving out all the available capacities which vary from just 1000-2000mAh and way up to 30-40000mAh (something that leaves plenty of room for many models to exist in the market) how many of you have really seen a powerbank which you can even go as far as to call unique? Sure some offer dual USB outputs, others offer built-in flashlights, solar panels used for recharging and there are some which even allow the end user to choose the preferred output voltage (the really high capacity ones aimed for use with laptops). These are all great but what I’ve always wanted was to use a rugged powerbank much like the rugged USB flash drives and portable drives we see all the time so when Xtorm launched the Xtreme Power Bank AL420 there was no way i could say no to testing it.

   Xtorm is part of the Dutch company A-solar bv and was founded in 2008 with the idea that today more and more mobile devices come to the market, which requires a lot of power. To contribute to the environment we have searched for durable applications to provide a solution to this problem. Meanwhile we are the manufacturer in the field of innovative and practical solar and power solutions for everyday use. We bring a complete range of affordable and user-friendly consumer products on the market that simply charged from solar power and USB. The products with the brand Xtorm have a contemporary character and are of high quality.

   The specifications of the Xtreme Power bank AL420 by Xtorm are nothing we haven't seen in the past (and shared by numerous power banks in the market) since under its enclosure it features a 9000mAh lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack which can be used with mobile devices via a single 5V/2.1A USB port. What makes the Xtreme Power Bank AL420 quite special however is its IP66 certified (water and dust proof) silicone enclosure and a small built-in LED torch/flashlight. Now we have seen built-in LED flashlights in the past from some power banks (there are quite a few in the market with one) but never an IP66 rugged silicone enclosure so let's see just how it looks and feels.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The small box in which the AL420 gets shipped has a small product image at the front right next to the main features and company logo.

A few words about the AL420 are printed at the rear of the box in 7 languages and right over the specifications list.

You can take a quick look at the front of the powerbank by opening the front of the box as seen above.

The Xtreme Powerbank AL420 is accompanied by a microUSB to USB charging cable, user manual and a promotional paper which informs you that you could win a prize from Xtorm if you do a quick post in Facebook and/or Instagram while using the product.

THE XTREME POWER BANK AL420

The 220g heavy AL420 is primarily made out of silicone and hard plastic and measures 91mm in length, 65mm in width and 22.5mm in height (thickness).

To showcase its size we placed it right next to the PL3 10400mAh model by LUXA2 and the MP-S23000 23000mAh model by XTPower.

The IP66 certification is placed at the front of the enclosure right next to the company logo.

Here we also see the 4 battery status indicator LEDs (white).

You can activate the status indicator LEDs by pressing this button placed on the right side of the enclosure (twice activates the LED flashlight).

You are also reminded that the AL420 is waterproof at the rear.

Listed at the base of the AL420 are the battery capacity, USB output and 3 certification logos.

A rubber flap at the top is used to seal the 5V/2.1A USB port, the microUSB charging port and the LED flashlight.

CONCLUSION

   Before we start with our conclusion i would like to point out that the AL420 was not designed and manufactured to withstand water pressure and so although it is virtually waterproof we don't suggest submerging it. We did submerge inside a 30cm deep plastic box we have here for such tests and it still works but i really recommend against it. With that out of the way we all liked the build quality and design of the Xtreme Power Bank AL420 since not only is it durable but it looks nice and is also quite compact. As expected after 7 full charge cycles the available battery capacity did not hit the advertised 9000mAh but we did squeeze roughly 6000-6200mAh out of it and as we've pointed out in the past numerous times that's always the case with portable batteries (power banks). The built-in LED torch/flashlight is a fine addition and although it will not light up a room it can certainly come in handy (we haven't really seen however a more powerful one in a small power bank). Now we'd all like to see a second USB port with the AL420 for simultaneous charging of two mobile devices since its size allows for one but for some strange reason Xtorm didn't do so.

   Once again we were unable to locate this product by Xtorm inside the USA so if you live there chances are you'll need to buy it from elsewhere. Inside the EU however the Xtreme Power Bank AL420 is widely available and currently retails for just 51.99Euros inside the EU from Amazon.de. This price is one of the best on the internet as we speak and it's also very balanced considering that you're getting a rugged power bank with a 9000mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery inside. Sure there are several power banks with highest capacities at around the same price range but certainly not rugged and not of the same high quality which is why the Xtorm AL420 Waterproof Power Bank Xtreme 9000mAh gets our Golden Award.

PROS

- Design
- Size
- Build Quality (IP66 Certified Enclosure)
- 9000mAh Capacity
- LED Flashlight
- Pre-Charged
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Single USB Charging Port
- USA Availability