Recently, a member of the Solar Lab Team and a group of his friends packed a car and headed out for a weekend of camping. They were armed with nothing more than sleeping bags, two tents, an ice-filled cooler, bug spray, and the EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max Portable Power Station.
We’ll admit it, the idea of dragging a 50-pound, 2,000Wh power station into the woods felt a bit like overkill, but by the end of the trip, it sounds like it was well worth bringing.
Now, keep in mind that this was car camping, so transporting the power station and other camping equipment wasn’t overly difficult, but it was also a campsite without an electrical hookup, so everything they needed to charge and run had to come from this unit alone.
Let’s find out how the DELTA 2 Max went beyond keeping phones alive and actually kept the bacon sizzling, lights running, and made everything just that little bit easier.
After arriving in the mid-afternoon, the car was unloaded, tents pitched, campfire lit, beers cracked, and the DELTA 2 Max was set up on a picnic table.
This table is where meals would be prepared and eaten, and it would also serve as the main location for playing card games and hanging out. Early on, the DELTA 2 Max was mostly just used to keep portable electronics topped up, including four phones and one hard-working Bluetooth speaker.
As the sun went going down, a few rechargeable flashlights and a plug-in lantern were also charged up using the 2 Max.
Not having to worry about using expensive and frustrating AA and D batteries immediately felt like a huge plus. The plug-in lantern also sat at the center of the table throughout the entire night, never once dimming.
A small set of plug-in LED string lights was also used to brighten up the site at night. Since the DELTA 2 Max has a variety of USB-A and USB-C plugs on the front, as well as six wall outlet-style AC plugs on the back, there was never a point where anyone had to wait to plug anything in.
The fast-charge 100W USB-C port was also handy for plugging in the magnetic charger for an Apple Watch.
Another unexpected bonus was being able to plug in a rechargeable Polaroid-style camera. It may sound like a small thing, but being able to capture those gloriously overexposed snaps throughout the entire weekend proved to be an added bit of fun.
On both mornings, there was no need to worry about cooking over a fire or burning through propane canisters with a portable grill. Thanks to the DELTA 2 Max, they were able to cook up a proper breakfast feast on an electric flat top griddle.
Without much delay, bacon was sizzling, eggs flipping, and hash browns crisping. That comfort and convenience made the mornings just a touch more enjoyable. And, while the weather was fine this time around, using this power station and griddle combination under a pop-up gazebo or canopy tent would have been a breeze.
This combo also would have worked just as well for cooking burgers, steaks, sausages, skewers, veggies, and pretty much any other camping food favorites if it was pouring rain and they didn’t feel like cooking lunch and dinner over the fire.
While they opted for boiling water and drinking instant coffee this time around, another option would have been to pack a small plug-in coffee maker to make the mornings that little bit more like home.
They probably could have made do without the power station and griddle combo, but it did make groggy mornings more enjoyable. What was basically an old picnic table and a cheap tablecloth turned into a full-blown breakfast diner.
While saving money wasn’t really the intention behind bringing the DELTA 2 Max on this trip, campsites with an electrical hookup did cost an extra $30 per night at this particular campground. Over the two nights, that was a quick 60 bucks saved. If they had stayed for a full week, we'd be talking $210 shaved off the cost of the trip, which is nothing to sniff at.
So, not only did they not have to worry about running extension cords throughout the campsite, they were able to camp on the cheap. Gas generators were also banned at this campground, but if they weren’t, having a silent and fume-free source of electricity instead would have been preferable, especially in the mornings where you just want to enjoy the peaceful sounds of kicking your day off in nature.
Even plugging in the string lights and recharging the flashlights and lantern, rather than fiddling with pricey disposable batteries, was a money-saving luxury that really simplified things.
There was a slight concern about keeping a power station out at night or whenever they went to the beach, but since this was a campground that allowed you to park right beside your site, it was easy to safely store the unit in the trunk of one of the cars when needed.
Now, we knew a medium-sized unit like the EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max was going to be overkill for this type of camping trip, but we have to admit that we were pretty impressed with just how well the battery lasted.
After two full days and nights of camping, which included cooking both breakfasts on a griddle, running lights for several hours each night, and recharging a huge variety of portable electronic devices, the DELTA 2 Max still had 76% battery remaining!
Honestly, that’s incredible. Realistically, they pretty much could have stayed out for the better part of a week and wouldn’t have had to worry about running out of juice. If they wanted to camp longer, or run even more stuff, they'd also have the option to plug in a folding solar panel during daylight hours.
Granted, at over 50 lbs, this thing is a bit of a beast to lug around, and they definitely noticed that when moving it from the car to the table and back multiple times each day. So, for this type of short-duration tent camping trip, a smaller and more portable power station, like the Anker SOLIX C800X, with a built-in light and more lightweight design, would have been a slightly better fit.
That said, the DELTA 2 Max’s higher capacity would open the door to more ambitious camping setups, as well as more comfortable “glamping” trips. Next time, it would also be nice to bring along some sort of 12V plug-in cooler, so they wouldn’t have to worry about melting ice and soggy food. Something like the 40L version of the Anker EverFrost Powered Cooler would be ideal.
A few other items that would be nice to test out would be a small USB or DC-powered tent fan, especially for more humid summer nights. A kettle, coffee maker, and a plug-in pump for the air mattresses would also be useful. And hey, maybe even a blender for afternoon margaritas?
{{review-summary}}
While there definitely weren't any regrets about bringing this unit out into the woods, there was a few key lessons learned:
After a two-night trip and some relatively heavy use, the DELTA 2 Max still showed 76 percent battery left. Clearly, it’s overqualified for quick tent excursions, but it would be a dream for longer RV or camper-van adventures.
We’ve already mentioned how the C800X would have been a slightly more appropriate unit, especially given it comes with those really cool adjustable LED lights, but it’s far from the only unit that would be a better fit for basic weekend camps.
In our recent Guide to the Best Power Stations for Camping, we also concluded that the budget-friendly Pecron E1000LFP, improved Jackery Explorer 1000 V2, and the dead quiet DJI Power 1000 would all be practical units for this type of camping trip.
Again, this unit was overkill for a relatively bare bones weekend-long camping trip, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be practical for a more extended stay and expanded setup.
After going through about three bags of ice per day, and dealing with some very soggy egg cartons, it was pretty clear a 12V plug-in cooler would be an awesome addition. A lot of these types of units, like the Anker EverFrost and ACOPOWER LiON Pro, have their own built-in batteries, but being able to run them at full tilt the entire trip without having to worry about running out of power would make everything easier.
For longer trips, a folding solar panel or two would also be great, especially given the DELTA 2 Max has a hugely impressive 1,000W solar input.
There’s also the fact that this particular unit is primarily used by a member of our team as a home backup solution for blackouts, so any money spent on solar panels or expansion batteries would only improved how prepared they are for power outages. Basically, expanding their DELTA 2 Max wouldn't just be a way of burning money on frivolous camping accessories, it would be an investment in their home backup power setup.
Three of the four people on this camping trip were pretty much completely new to using power stations (one had never even heard of them). By the time the breakfast griddle came out on the first morning, they were all asking, “How much does this thing cost, and where do I get one?” That’s a pretty clear sign that it was a hit.
This response was also without having the opportunity to show off some of this unit’s most impressive features, like how well it works with the EcoFlow Smart App and how quickly it charges with a solar panel.
If you’re a weekend warrior who wants to charge a few gadgets, run a few tabletop appliances, and light your campsite in style, the EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max is more than capable, and possibly even a little too capable.
But if you’re looking for something that’s relatively affordable, allows you to run appliances off-grid, provides a really long battery life, and charges super-fast with both AC and solar, it’s an incredible piece of equipment.
Yes, it’s heavy, but it replaces the need for a gas generator or an electrical hookup, and it also doubles really well as a practical solution for basic home backup applications.
For ultralight or more minimalist camping trips, maybe consider something smaller. But for the luxury of a truly comfortable campsite, the DELTA 2 Max delivers in spades (and it makes cooking up crispy bacon a breeze).
Check out our detailed guide on the best portable power station for camping, and be sure to check out our recent review of the EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max, where we decide if it’s still a worthwhile buy in 2025:
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