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Brunton Metal 4400 Electronics Charger Brunton Metal 4400 Electronics Charger Brunton Metal 4400 Electronics Charger Brunton Metal 4400 Electronics Charger Brunton Metal 4400 Electronics Charger Brunton Metal 4400 Electronics Charger
Brunton Metal 4400 Electronics Charger

Brunton Metal 4400 Electronics Charger

8
by David Arthur @davearthur
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Jun 6, 2014

10
£49.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Useful & reliable backup battery for charging your cycling gadgets on multiday trips
Weight: 
208g
Contact: 
www.rosker.com
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Here's an interesting widget for touring cyclists. The Brunton Metal 4400 Electronics Charger is ideal for touring or multiday events where you might not guarantee a source of electricity, but want to charge your mobile phone, GPS computer or lights.

It's very compact and not all that heavy at 208g, with a natty carbon fibre-look back plate. It's not something you're going to carry in a jersey pocket, but it'll go in your pannier or saddle bag.

Inside the tough case is a 4400mAh lithium-polymer battery, which I found was plenty to charge my smartphone a couple of times and top up my Garmin Edge 500. An iPhone 5 has a 1,440mAh battery so that gives you some idea of the charge the Brunton stores. They claim it'll charge four smartphones, and my testing showed this to be the case.

A small LCD screen serves as a power level indicator so you know when you're running low. To charge the Brunton from empty takes about four hours from a USB port. Bruton claim the battery can be charged 1000 times.

There are two leads, a micro USB - fine for my Samsung phone - and USB 2.0 lead that can be plugged into any compatible device and also used to charge the Brunton. In the top of the unit is an integrated USB port for plugging any compatible device in, your tablet, phone, MP3 player, lights or GPS. The only change I would make would be to add a mini-USB lead so I could charge my Garmin without needing the correct USB lead with me. It would be perfect then.

The Brunton is a smart and well designed reserve battery that works well, and provides plenty of juice for keeping your gadgets topped up. That's ideal if you're planning to ride over the course of a few days and don't want to let your phone or other device run flat. I've also found it handy for travelling, and given how small it is, I've taken to always stashing it in my bag when travelling, just case I need it.

Verdict

Useful & reliable backup battery for charging your cycling gadgets on multiday trips

road.cc test report

Make and model: Brunton Metal 4400 Electronics Charger

Size tested: Li Polymer 4400mAh, orange

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Whether you're sprinting the long expanse between airline gates under a tight connection, or relaxing on the train for your commute home from the daily grind, Brunton's Metal™ 4400 will keep your phone or music churning. Its sleek exterior will accompany your briefcase and business suit or skinny jeans and sneakers.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Lithium ION energy – High-grade Lithium ION cells charge faster and last longer; no memory and minimal discharge; 1000 cycles at 80% capacity

Charge Time – USB - 4 hours; ac/usb - 4 hours; Solaris® 4 USB - 5 to 6 hours

Charging Capacity- 4x smart phone charges

LITHIUM ION BATTERY 4400mAh

POWER OUTPUT – 2.1 Amp & 1 Amp

SPECS – 4.25x1.13x1", 7.25oz

INPUT – INTEGRATED USB

OUTPUT – DUAL OUTPUT – USB 2.0 + micro USB

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Solid and tough.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Provides ample battery backup for all your cycling gadgets.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

You can drop it and it's just fine.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
7/10

It's the weight of a small camera, not one for carrying in your jersey pocket. In a pannier or rucksack it's just fine.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Being able to easily top up phones and other electronic devices when on the road or away from a source of electricity.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Could do with a mini USB lead.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 31  Height: 180  Weight: 67

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, mtb,

 

Brunton Metal 4400 Electronics Charger
Brunton Metal 4400
Brunton
David Arthur @davearthur

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes. 

Add new comment

10 comments

Avatar
harrybav | 10 years ago
0 likes

£50, ouch.

The Anker equivalent is 25% lighter, 60% cheaper, 33% more power, better-known brand, sold via amazon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultra-Slim-Portable-External-Motorola-USB-charge...

Avatar
MuddyGoose | 10 years ago
0 likes

I'll take the EasyAcc option from Amazon - 10,000 mAh Ultra Slim

Avatar
KiwiMike | 10 years ago
0 likes

Thought I'd stumbled onto WhatGadget? for a mo there 3

Question has to be - why this review, here?

There's no cycling-specificness I can see - it's not waterproof, shockproof or ultralight, doesn't double as a blinky light, doesn't include any sort of mount like the Topeak does - not even a Garmin Quarterturn indent, which would be fab to see on a battery pack.

Now if someone built all of the above into a £50 battery, I'd be in like a shot.

Avatar
davebinks | 10 years ago
0 likes

Even more convenient, and much cheaper, are the ones that take 3 x normal AA batteries. Minimal weight and when the batteries are, just buy some more AA cells!
Perhaps not so environmentally friendly, but if there is no source of power, the only way.
They even come in a type that you can use to recharge rechargeable AAs!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PortaPow-AA-USB-Emergency-Battery-Power-Pack-E...

Avatar
NeilG83 | 10 years ago
0 likes

I took a Veho Pebble on a long tour last year. It could recharge my phone & iPod multiple times before needing to be recharged itself. The 5000mAH model is about £23.

Avatar
willdeath | 10 years ago
0 likes

http://www.amazon.co.uk/PowerGen-External-Lightning-Sensation-Blackberry...

These are very good for the price and much better on the power.. I have just about finished with a 6000mAh after 15 montsh and bought this 9000 maH now.. Thinking about camping over the TdF weekend at Rapha Tempest and my mobile phone...

Avatar
pakennedy | 10 years ago
0 likes

20,000mah for £13

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20000mAh-Portable-Dual-USB-Power-Bank-External...

3 of them at £39 and you're off on a 2 week cycling holiday camping all the way and never seeing a charging point.

Avatar
pakennedy | 10 years ago
0 likes

Fifty quid?

How about 5600mah for £8.99?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5600mAh-Power-Bank-External-Portable-Battery-C...

You can buy 4, run your phone for a week with the GPS on all the time and still be in pocket.

Avatar
VeloPeo | 10 years ago
0 likes

I'd say get an Anker Astro E4 13000mAh instead - a bit heavier but 3 times more capacity and almost half the price.

I've got the older E3 (which is 10000mAh) and it's a fantastic piece of kit. Kept my lights, Garmin and phone charged on 2 24hr events last year and had

Has two regular USB slots rather than built in leads meaning means you can plug in whichever USB based leads you like - making it more versatile

Avatar
pakennedy replied to VeloPeo | 10 years ago
0 likes

Anker are better built than the cheap eBay ones I posted I know a few people who swear by them. I haven't managed to kill my 5000mah eBay special that cost me a fiver at the time in over 3 years.

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