Review: The ChargeIt! Jump Portable Power Pack

A portable power pack system that makes that inconvenient task of jump staring a car a little less intimidating.

We have all been there before. An early morning dilemma to kick start your day. You left the lights on, and your car battery is dead, and as a result, you are going nowhere. The kids must get to school, and you will be late for work. To make things worse, you don’t have your jumper cables. Or you do, but no one is readily available to give you electrical assistance from their car.

ChargeIt! Jump Portable Power Pack case with all parts
ChargeIt! Jump Portable Power Pack. Photo: Russell Purcell

Enter a new and extremely handy product from ChargeIt! called the Jump. The Jump is a portable power pack system about the size of a paperback novel and capable of storing enough amperes of power to jump-start the battery of a car, boat, motorcycle, or other vehicle. It will store up to 7500 milliamperes hour (mAh) of readily available power.

What’s included in the ChargeIt! Jump Portable Power Pack kit.

  • Wall adapter for charging device.
  • 3-foot USB cable with jumper cable clips.
  • 7500mAh Lithium Polymer battery pack  with two 5V/2A USB ports.
  • USB to Micro-USB/Apple 30-Pin/Apple 8-Pin charging cable.
  • LED flashlight with strobe capabilities.
  • vinyl storage case.

Suggested retail price (MSRP): $119.99 CAN

ChargeIt! Jump Portable Power Pack with charging cords
ChargeIt! Jump Portable Power Pack. Photo: Russell Purcell

The unit comes as a handy kit, complete with a zippered storage case that is small enough to be stowed away in a console storage bin, most standard-sized glove boxes, and, of course, the trunk. The kit includes a pair of jumper cables unlike any you have ever seen before, as they feature traditional alligator clips on the business end and a dedicated plug on the other to allow them to connect to the Jump unit.  This clever design lets you quickly connect the Jump power unit to your car battery.

ChargeIt! Jump Portable Power Pack top view
ChargeIt! Jump Portable Power Pack. Photo: Russell Purcell

At first glance, I was surprised at how short the actual jumper cable was, but I soon realized that as you are not tethering it to a second vehicle, there is no need for a long cable length. The clamps are a little lightweight, and I suspect that they would not hold up to regular use, but as an occasional emergency tool, they should more than suffice.     

That being said, it would be a mistake to tuck the Jump unit away in the trunk as the power unit has also been designed to provide charging capabilities for small electronic devices. The Jump features two USB ports onboard which allow you the opportunity to keep your tablets, music devices, small cameras and smartphones topped up with power should you be venturing off the grid. It also features a built-in flashlight that will operate as a traditional flashlight or an emergency beacon.

Our ChargeIt! Jump Test Impressions

ChargeIt! Jump Portable Power Pack with built in flashlight
ChargeIt! Jump with a handy built-in flashlight. Photo: Russell Purcell

I found that the unit holds a charge very well, and I have used it regularly to keep my phone and tablet juiced up while on the road. The company’s public relations representative informed me that the Jump unit can maintain its stored charge for up to a calendar year! I managed to leave it charged and alone for a solid month, and I am happy to verify that it did manage to maintain a complete charge during that period. 

The ChargeIt! Jump power pack replenishes its charge via a traditional wall plug and will replenish itself in a mere four hours. The unit also can be charged using the car’s battery when on the go, as it comes with a handy 12-volt charging cable. The Jump is the perfect solution for those automobile owners who are required to park in awkward locations or tight spaces where it would be near impossible to navigate a second vehicle to use as a platform for a jump start.

The power pack seems well constructed and durable and features a rubber-like protective cover that resists scratches and provides some measure of protection from bumps and bruises when you toss it in your bag or backpack. A bright LED indicator screen is situated on top of the device to allow a quick visual update of the status of the unit’s given capacity at any time.

Takeaway

ChargeIt! Jump Portable Power Pack with all ports including USB
ChargeIt! Jump Portable Power Pack. Photo: Russell Purcell

Available for purchase at the following retailers: London Drugs, Amazon.ca, and Canada Computers, but will also soon be available at Walmart.ca. After testing the product extensively for four months, I am happy to report that it has worked flawlessly and much better than I was expecting it to perform. At $120.00, it is a bargain when you consider its capabilities and the fact that it represents an inexpensive insurance policy against finding yourself without power on multiple fronts. 

ChargeIt! Jump Specs:

SpecMetric
Battery ChemistryLithium polymer
Battery Capacity7500 mAh
Battery Life Cycle500 cycles
Charging Time4 hours (approximate)
Input12 VDC @ 1 A
OutputUSB: 5 VDC @ 2 A
Automobile Jumpstart: 12 VDC
CurrentJumpstart Current: 200 to 400 A
Operational Temperature32 to 104°F / 0 to 40°C
Dimensions7.5 x 10.4 x 2.4″ / 19.1 x 26.4 x 6.1 cm (with zippered case)
Weight1.8 lb / 0.8 kg (with zippered case)
Packaging Info:
Package Weight1.85 lb
Box Dimensions (LxWxH)10.4 x 7.5 x 2.4″
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Author:
Russell Purcell
Russell Purcellhttps://www.flickr.com/people/autoexposurecanada/
Russell Purcell is an award-winning automotive journalist and photographer based in Vancouver, B.C. His passion for automobiles was sparked at the tender age of six, when a family friend gave the wide-eyed first grader a ride to school in a track prepared Porsche 911 RSR. He continues to fan the flames by building an impressive library of automotive related books as well as a vast collection of interesting automobilia and motoring artefacts. Russell is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, and is active on Twitter as RoadTestRuss.