TreeLineBackpacker

The NB Air from Nitecore is an ultra-light battery bank that packs an incredibly dense 5000 mAh battery pack into a thin, 3.14 oz. package. Did someone finally make a battery bank for the outdoor enthusiast? Let’s take a look.

The NB is air a lightweight, carbon fiber wrapped battery bank that is just .38″ thick, and weighs a minuscule 3.14 oz. It features a single USB C port for both input and output, a touch based activated power/battery indicator, and it’s IPX7 rated, so it can handle a quck dunk in about 3 feet of water without being damaged. It retails for about $37 and is available now.

The beauty of the NB Air is it’s simplicity, and the length of this review will reflect that. It’s an incredibly thin battery bank that packs an impressive 5000 mAh battery, meaning it will easily slide and disappear into a front pocket, yet still somehow manage to charge small devices with no issue. The design is smooth and elegant with rounded edges and barely tactile seams, allowing it to slide into nooks and crannies of pants or backpacks effortlessly. It even fits inside a front shirt pocket. I’ve found I can pack it basically anywhere without really feeling the weight or the size, making it viable for hiking, backpacking, biking, and even jogging with the right kit.

It has a handy LED readout on the side that is activated by a simple touch of the power button, which also engages output/charging. 4 blue LEDS means full, 1 means it needs charged. Super easy. They button is very sensitive to the touch but I’m yet to see it get triggered accidentally, which is great considering it’s probably going to spend a lot of time in backpacks with other equipment.

It feels dense and robust, with the plastic/carbon fiber body absorbing bumps and impacts quite nicely. The edges are high quality plastic with a slightly softer feel to it, which provides slightly more shock absorption. It is slightly prone to scratching against metal surfaces, but has otherwise held up great.

It’s worth pointing out that the USB C port doesn’t have a dust cover. Depending on the sport or use case, this could be an issue with mud, grit or dust. working its way into the charge port. Water could also temporarily interfere with charging if it accumulates inside. A simple zip-lock snack bag will solve the issue, generally speaking, but a cover of some sort would have been handy to have.

Like I said before, The NB Air is all about efficiency and simplicity. It’s thin, incredibly light-weight, and provides a surprising amount of power considering the size. I’m still testing standby drain, which takes a long time, but so far I’m not seeing any indications of it. If the goal is extra power without the typical size or weight penalties associated with carrying a battery bank, I’ve never seen anything better. It’s even priced great. I can’t recommend it enough.

Highest of Recommendations

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Big thanks to Nitecore for sending this over for review. We couldn’t do this without their support.

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