Review: VTOMAN Jump 600

When it comes to convenience, the rapid growth of rechargeable devices has been a blessing—the fewer cords tangling up, wrapping around one's legs, or restricting a person to the closest electrical outlet, the better. But as Milton Friedman pointed out, there's no free lunch—cordless power means a finite supply, and when a headlamp or heated blanket craps out on a cold, dark night, those rechargeable batteries start to lose their luster.

Which is where a good power station comes in, and one of the best is the VTOMAN Jump 600. Not only is it compact and easy to carry around, but it's got nine ports—12-volt, USB, and AC—and a full complement of adapter cords, so you can charge up just about anything. That includes your vehicle, as the Jump 600 also has a special port to plug in jumper cables (hence the product's name) and get your rig running in an emergency situation, or on a subzero morning in front of the house when the engine just won't turn over. (Note: jumper cables are sold separately and are currently out of stock at VTOMAN.)

600 watts mean this sucker'll go a long time without charging; but when it does run down, it can be charged from either a wall socket, your vehicle's battery, or a solar panel, although the latter takes a bit longer. A handy lamp on the front, with three brightness levels and two flash modes, illuminates your truck bed or campsite, while many built-in safety features let you rest easy, wherever you decide to stash your power station—such as the corner of the tent, where a mini-heater is plugged in, fanning you with wonderfully warm air.

All this and more can be had for $459 at vtoman.com.