What Is mAh and Why It Matters for Your Power Bank
Brayden StaplesWhat Does mAh Actually Mean?
mAh stands for milliampere-hour. It’s a unit of measurement that tells you how much electrical charge a battery can store.
- “Milliamp” (mA) measures current.
- “Hour” (h) indicates time.
- Put together, it’s a measure of how long a battery can deliver a specific current.
In simpler terms: the higher the mAh, the more charge your power bank holds. That’s your lifeline when the nearest wall outlet is 50 miles behind you.
Why mAh Matters Off the Grid
When your phone’s your GPS, your camera, your lifeline, you don’t get to roll the dice on battery life. You need to know how much power you’re carrying and how far it’ll take you.
Example:
- iPhone 14: ~3,200mAh battery
- Poseidon Pro: 10,200mAh battery
That means roughly 3 full charges, depending on cable quality, temperature, and other real-world variables.
It’s Not Just About Big Numbers
A power bank with more capacity isn’t always better. Especially if it’s fragile, slow, or oversized. Here’s what else matters:
- Output speed (amps and watts)
- Number and type of charging ports
- Water and shock resistance
- Real-world efficiency in the cold, heat, or wet
- Size and weight in your pack
Our Poseidon Pro is 10,200mAh. But it’s also field-tested, waterproof (IP68), shockproof, and engineered with Armor-Flex™ construction. That means it performs—not just on paper, but when it counts.
How Many Times Will It Charge My Gear?
Use this quick reference for the Poseidon Pro’s 10,200mAh capacity:
| Device | Battery Size (mAh) | Approx. Charges |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 14 | ~3,200 mAh | ~3 times |
| GoPro HERO11 | ~1,720 mAh | ~5 times |
| Garmin inReach Mini 2 | ~1,250 mAh | ~6–7 times |
| iPad Pro (11-inch) | ~7,500 mAh | ~1.2 times |
| GPS/Headlamp | 500–1,200 mAh | 8–15 times |
Real-world use can lower these numbers by 10–20% due to energy lost in voltage conversion and heat. That’s normal. Every power bank loses some juice during delivery.
The Reality Behind Capacity ClaimsBrayden Staples
Power banks store energy at 3.7V internally but push it out at 5V via USB. That voltage jump means some energy gets lost along the way. It’s not a flaw—it’s just how physics works.
So when a company says “10,000mAh,” expect around 8,000–9,000mAh of usable output. That’s true for every brand, not just ours.
Who Needs High Capacity?
If you’re charging more than just your phone—or planning to stay off-grid longer than a day—you need more power.
Good fits for 10,000mAh+ banks:
- Multi-day backcountry trips
- Cold weather expeditions
- Satellite communication devices
- Photography or drone usage
- Emergency or bug-out kits
- Overland and basecamp gear setups
Final Word
mAh is just one number, but it’s a big one. It helps you calculate how far your gear will go—and how much trust you can put in it. But don’t let capacity be your only guide.
Build matters. Reliability matters more.
When the weather turns or the trail disappears, there should be nothing in your pack that is dead weight.