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Nitecore 10000 Gen 3 and NB Air Power Banks Review
I take a lot of electronic gear on backpacking trips, maybe too much. But it’s good to know that I have charging options in the backcountry when my phone battery nears quitting time or my flashlight is on the verge of dying. Especially ultralight power banks such as the Nitecore 10000 Gen 3 or the Nitecore NB Air.
It’s worth noting that in The Trek’s Appalachian Trail hiker survey, the Nitecore 10000 Gen 2, the predecessor to the Gen 3, was the most popular brand and battery size.
Nitecore NB10000 Gen 3 and Nitecore NB Air At a Glance
Nitecore NB10000 Gen 3
- MSRP: $64.95
- Charging Capacity: 10,000 mAh
- Weight: 5.29 ounces
Nitecore NB Air
- MSRP: $36.95
- Charging Capacity: 5,000 mAh
- Weight: 3.14 ounces
Circumstance of Review
I took the NB10000 Gen3 on a cool-weather backpacking trip, testing not only how the power bank handles charging all my gear but also how it performs in cold weather. I’m happy to say it performed well in both cases.
I gave the NB Air a workout on shorter hikes on which I brought fewer electronics, which is the kind of use it is intended for, given its lower charging capacity. It’s also good for trail running or any short-duration activity with few power needs.
Both Nitecore power banks provide reliable charging with an ultralight weight penalty.
The Nitecore NB10000 Gen 3 power bank is smaller and lighter than my phone. I use a USB-C / lightning cable to charge my phone.
Nitecore NB10000 Gen 3 Features
Weight: 5.29 ounces
Size: 4.8 inches long and 2.33 inches wide (smaller than a new iPhone)
Battery Capacity: With two ports and a 10,000 mAh capacity, the 10000 Gen 3 can charge two devices at once or provide pass-through charging (charging a device while the power bank itself is charging). It can charge my iPhone from near-dead to full almost two times.
Charging Ports: The two USB-C charging ports are an upgrade from the Gen 2, which had one USB-C port and one USB-A port. USB-C ports provide faster charging and are becoming more prevalent on rechargeable battery devices. But some of my older gear uses a USB-A charging cord, so I’m happy that Nitecore includes a USB-C male to USB-A female adapter cord in the box with the Gen 3.
Charging Lights: When the power bank is not in use, tap the on button to see the battery level. The lights turn off in about 10 seconds.
- Four lights: 75% to 100%
- Three: 50% to 75%
- Two: 25% to 50%
- One: 10% to 25%
- One Flashing: Less than 10%
Water Resistance: IPX5 rating, meaning the power bank can withstand rain but not submersion in water.
The Nitecore NB Air is tiny but has enough power to charge a depleted iPhone once. I used a USB-C to USB-A cord to charge the phone of a friend who didn’t have a USB-C cord. The adapter comes with the Gen 3 but not with the NB Air.
NB Air Features
Weight: 3.14 ounces
Size: 1.89 inches wide, 4.41 inches long, and less than a half-inch thick.
Battery Capacity: 5,000 mAh, with one USB-C charging port. The NB Air does not come with a charging cord or a USB-C male to USB-A female adapter.
Charging Lights: Same as the 10000 Gen 3.
Water Resistance: The power bank has an IPX7 rating, meaning it can be submerged in water up to three feet for as long as 30 minutes. It’s not rated for dust protection.
Two Power Banks, Two Different Uses
The NB10000 is the power bank I’ll take on multiday trips, using it to top off the charge on my phone, headlamp, and satellite communicator. It will give almost two full charges on my phone, so if I’m using the phone for something power-intensive like tracking, I’ll have to balance charging needs for all my electronic gear. For a thru-hike with moderate battery usage on all my devices, I expect the NB10000 will last at least five days.
The NB Air is good for trail or road running, a day hike, or even an overnight hike when power use on rechargeable gear is low. The 5,000 mAh capacity can charge a phone once or top off a headlamp while running or hiking in the dark. It’s a good backup to have if, say, your day hike took longer than expected and night is settling in.
Good to Know About mAh
Milliamp hours, or mAh, are a measure of how many hours a battery can maintain its output. A 1 mAh battery can maintain an output of one milliamp for one hour, so if you want to know how many devices a power bank can charge, it’s good to know the mAh of the battery.
My older iPhone battery is about 4,000 mAh, so the 10000 Gen 3 would give it a full charge twice, with some battery left over. Nitecore’s NU25 MCT UL headlamp has a 700 mAh battery, so that’s a lot of charges on either Nitecore power bank.
Both Nitecore power banks use USB-C ports, and it’s a good idea to charge the power bank using a double-ended USB-C cable. A 20W wall charger with a USB-C port provides the fastest charge for both power banks.
Pros
Ultralight: Both power banks stand out for their weight — 5.29 ounces for the Gen 3 and 3.19 ounces for the NB Air — putting them solidly in an ultralight category.
Fast-Charging Ports: The Gen 23 has two USB-C ports and the NB Air has one, which provide faster charging than the older-style USB-A ports.
Small and Smaller: The Gen 3 is about the size of a half-deck of cards; the NBAir borders on tiny.
Cons
Charging Cords: Older rechargeable gear uses USB-A ports, and their cords cannot connect to either power bank. The Gen 3 comes with an adapter to connect a USB-A cord, but the NB Air does not.
Price: Both power banks are high-priced compared with comparable power banks, so the tradeoff is higher price for lighter weight.
The NB Air (top) has one charging port and the NB10000 has two.
Overall Value
The two Nitecore power banks reviewed aren’t the least expensive in their power category, but they are best-in-class for weight. The 10000 Gen 3 is $5 more than the Gen 2, and the price may increase because of tariffs on Chinese-made products.
Both power banks are rugged and seem able to stand up to some hard use. I’ve had a Nitecore headlamp for many years and am satisfied that the brand is reliable. So if you’re serious about cutting ounces, the Nitecore NB10000 Gen 3 and NB Air are good choices.
Shop the Nitecore NB10000 Gen 3
Similar Power Banks
- MSRP: $25.99
- mAh: 10,000
- Weight: 7.5 ounces
- MSRP: $59.95
- mAh: 10,000
- Weight: 9.3 ounces
- MSRP: $39.95
- mAh: 6,000
- Weight: 5.8 ounces
The Nitecore NB10000 Gen 3 and NB Air power banks were donated for purpose of review.
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Comments 2
For those wondering about reliability: I’ve used my gen 3 10k and 20k for a 1,000 miles each and they have preformed great. No issues with charging or losing charge. They sometimes display a full charge when they aren’t but I just have to replug them in to keep it charging. I’ve previously used Anker batteries and there are now my go to for battery banks.
I was disappointed in my own testing of the NiteCore Gen3 20000. I ran a test at home so it was ideal temperature conditions, using the AccuBattery app to measure the total current transferred throughout. I was only measuring around 7000 mAh of charge passed into my devices before the pack was dead. I repeated this testing over 3-4 full discharge cycles of the NiteCore so the numbers I’m mentioning are the average of those cycles and not just a one-off. I thought perhaps I had a lemon so I returned it and then re-tested with the replacement device and saw the same disappointing numbers.
For comparison I then repeated this testing with my ~6 year old Anker 20000 and measured an average of 13000-14000 mAh. Given the Anker’s age I am not surprised I was not getting anywhere near 20k of total output, but it was still nearly twice what the brand new NiteCore provided. Perhaps this is a Gen3 problem and the Gen2 is much better, but for me, I’ll be sticking with old reliable (albeit a bit chonky) Anker.