Hiluckey HIS025 25000mAh Power Bank Review

We've been testing solar charger battery bank combos for years, and most of them are really just battery banks with an almost useless solar panel. The Hiluckey HIS025 25000mAh Power Bank, however, works as a solar panel almost as well as some of the larger dedicated portable solar chargers. It's not quite as powerful as a larger 20-watt panel, but it's powerful enough to keep your phone topped off. And the integrated battery bank allows you to keep your small tech recharged while the solar panel is generating more power.

Performance Comparison

Direct Solar Charging Speed

The Hiluckey performs better at converting sunlight into energy than many solar panel and battery combinations we've tested. Compared to larger 20 or higher-watt panels, it isn't as powerful. But for a battery bank-solar panel combo, it's four fold-out panels work well at generating power from sunlight.

The four mono-crystalline solar panels fold out from the battery bank to create a large enough surface area to maximize power generation. Each of these panels is approximately 3 watt, for a total of 12 watts of output power.

For our direct solar charging speed test, we hooked up each panel to an identical 10,000 mAh battery pack and left them to charge in the sun for one hour. We tested every panel in the same place and at the exact same time to account for any environmental differences, such as solar intensity, temperature, or atmospheric conditions.

Since the Hiluckey has its own battery bank, we couldn't hook it up to one of our test batteries. Instead, we charged the integrated 25,000 mAh battery. After each test, we then discharged the battery and measured the amount of power generated in the one-hour test.

On a very hot and sunny day in Colorado, at 5,000 feet elevation, the Hiluckey generated 313 mAh of charge in one hour. This is better than most other battery banks with integrated solar panels, but not as good as most of the dedicated solar panels we tested.

We found the Hiluckey performed even when it wasn't lying flat on the ground. The key to keeping this panel efficiently charging its battery is keeping the battery cool. When the panel is angled at the sun, it's not lying directly on the ground and, therefore, gets more airflow. More airflow means the battery stays cooler so it can more efficiently absorb the power generated by the solar panel.

We found this to be the case with every solar panel — if you can keep the battery or device that it's charging from getting hot, then it will generate more power. It's more challenging to keep an integrated battery cool since you can't run a cable off into the shade, but if you can keep the battery cool while the solar panel is in the sun, you'll get the best performance.

Indirect Solar Charging Speed

While solar panels all tend to work great on sunny days, it's not always going to be a sunny day. And you'll still need a charge, even if the sun isn't shining. For this reason, we weighted indirect solar charging speed as heavily as direct solar charging speed. While the Hiluckey certainly saw a drop off in performance under our simulated cloud cover, it still put out some charge.

We tested indirect solar charging speed using a large white sheet to disperse the powerful Colorado sunlight. We stretched the sheet across all panels when they were lying flat on the ground. Then, we set our timer to one hour and let the panels get to charging.

The Hiluckey generated less power in our simulated cloudy experiment than it did in direct sunlight, but that's common with every panel. It didn't see as much of a drop in efficiency as some panels, though. The disparity between this model's cloudy day efficiency and some 20 watt panels wasn't nearly as large as the disparity between them in full sun.

On cloudy days, this panel will generate some charge. If you're really hoping to generate decent power in inclement weather, a larger 30-watt panel is still a better choice than the Hiluckey. But considering how small this panel is, it does fairly well in cloudy conditions.

Portability

The Hiluckey is a very portable solar charger. If portability is your top concern, then this panel knocks it out of the park. It has an integrated battery, so you don't have to bring a separate battery to use with the panel. And it's small enough to fit in a pocket.

It weighs just over one pound and folds to about the size of a large smartphone. The fold-out panel remains stowed away with a small strap that snaps in place. The exterior of the battery side has a rubber coating for grip and protection. The solar panel is backed with a synthetic leather material. This synthetic leather facees outward when the panel is folded.

Surprisingly, the Hiluckey doesn't have a carabiner loop. We've come to assume that any solar panel marketed for outdoor use will have at least one carabiner. It's almost refreshing to see no carabiner dangling off this panel, but it is worth noting that you'll no to stick it in a pocket rather than dangling it off the back of your pack. It's a good thing it fits easily in a pocket.

Functionality

The Hiluckey is about as functional as other battery banks with an integrated solar panel for recharging. It supports charging multiple devices at once and is generally easy to use.

It has two USB-A ports and a USB-C port. The USB-C port supports fast charging in and out, so you can recharge your phone at 15 watts or recharge the battery bank in eight hours.

Like any outdoorsy tech device, it has a flashlight. Because who doesn't need another light source when you spend most of your time outside?

Should You Buy the Hiluckey HIS025 25000mAh Power Bank?

If you're looking for a battery bank with a built-in solar power generation option, this is a great option. The battery has 25,000 mAh of power capacity, which will recharge a phone as well as most other gadgets. The fold-out solar panel array works better than batteries with an integrated single panel, but it still isn't as efficient as a 20-30-watt solar panel. If solar generation isn't as important as a high-capacity battery, however, this is worth considering.

What Other Portable Solar Chargers Should You Consider?

If you're looking for a more powerful solar panel that's almost as light, check out the BigBlue SolarPowa 28. If you're looking for the leat expensive battery bank, and you don't care about the solar efficiency, check out the Blavor Qi 10,000mAh. Or, for a stellar deal on a high-efficiency panel that's still super portable, check out the X-Dragon 20W.