"The Seidio Charging Vault has proved to me its worth as an external battery. Without this backup power supply, I'd probably still be wandering the Las Vegas strip, looking for a familiar face."

In Short:
"On-the-go USB power supply."

Should I Buy?
"Best mobile charger I've seen."
BUY NOW
This Seidio Charging Vault has seen some action in Las Vegas

At CES2012, we saw a good deal of mobile charging solutions; quite a few companies had portable power packs on display. From among this diverse crowd of options - and believe me, I've tried a number of these charging solutions - the Seidio Charging Vault stands out from the rest. The battery pack features not one but two UBS charging ports. In the Charging Vault Kit, Seidio has kindly included a retractable USB cable with multiple tips: microUSB and a 30-pin connector for iOS devices. Most importantly, the Charging Vault proved its importance by saving my BlackBerry Torch 9860 on day one of my trip to Las Vegas. Without this backup power supply, I'd probably still be wandering the strip, looking for a familiar face.

The Review

The Seidio Charging Vault has proved to me its worth as an external battery. Flying out to Las Vegas, I seriously abused my BlackBerry. Browsing the internet, listening to music, and messaging back and forth all while using my carrier's mobile network has a way of quickly draining the battery on any Smartphone. By the time I reached the Vegas strip, my BlackBerry was nearly drained of all its power. Thankfully, I had packed the Seidio Charging Vault in my carry-on baggage. Connecting the provided USB cable between my phone and the Charging Vault, my BlackBerry quickly had enough juice to keep in contact with the rest of the Mobile Nations team covering CES. Without the Seidio Charging Vault, I'd still be wondering the streets of Las Vegas, searching in vain for people I knew.

Seidio Charging Vault - retractable USB cable.
The included retractable charging cable is a nice feature.

The Seidio Charging Vault holds a 2200 mAh battery in a small convenient package about the size of half a deck of cards, though a bit thicker. The battery pack features two standard USB ports, so you're not limited to the retractable cable included in the packaging. Any charging cable that uses a standard USB port can be used; the Charging Vault can even charge my Aftershokz bone conducting headphones. In fact, two devices can charge simultaneously, making this an invaluable on-the-road device.

Seidio Charging Vault - folding prongs
Folding prongs make for a much more comfortable ride in a pocket or purse.

When recharging its own battery, the Seidio Charging Vault plugs into any standard US power outlet using a pair of flip-down prongs. The prongs fold neatly back into the device when not in use, making the Charging Vault fit comfortably in a pants pocket (I suppose a purse as well). When you're charging your Smartphone, you're probably going to put it in your pocket while it does so. The smooth, rounded edges of the Charging Vault ensure that no sharp or pointy bits are jabbing you in the leg as you walk.

30 pin connector for iDevices, microUSB for just about everything else
Features a microUSB tip for most BlackBerry Smartphones and a 30-pin connection for iOS

Seidio Charging Vault Kit

Pros

  • Two USB ports and simultaneous charging on both allow a wide range of products to recharge on the go. The included retractable charging cable comes in handy - sometimes you need a short cable, sometimes the longer one. The USB cable included with the Charging Vault does both. 2200 mAh of battery power.

Cons

  • Not designed for recharging a BlackBerry PlayBook. The Charging Vault does heat up when charging a device, but that seems to be just a fact of the technology.

The Bottom Line

In all the mobile charging solutions I saw at CES, I couldn’t find one that had so much battery power in such a small package with so many supported devices as the Seidio Charging Vault. It is a highly versatile device that will have no problems recharging the vast majority of mobile devices and Smartphones.

Three More Great Charging Options

SPARE BATTERY BUNDLE JUST THE BASICS
WIRELESS
J-Series Extra Battery Charger JM1 Replacement Battery PowerMat Wireless Charging "Looking for a better way to charge your BlackBerry?"
J-Series Extra Battery Charger
"Sometimes just getting an extra battery isn't enough."
JM1 Replacement Battery
"Necessary if you're an always on the go type person"
PowerMat Wireless Charging
"Looking for a better way to charge your BlackBerry?"

Read more