I needed an ultralight power bank. The Nitecore NB Air 5000 mAh ultralight power bank looked like exactly what I needed for our attempt at an R5 in the Grand Canyon in under 48 hours. What’s an R5? For those unfamiliar, that’s touching the rim of one of America’s deepest gorges five times; a trip that (including travel mileage from camp), was slated to be about 100 miles and over 20,000 vertical feet of climbing. Our goal was to do it without any kind of support or camping along the way (aside from a catnap at our base camp between attempts).
That meant we needed very minimal gear beyond the thousands of calories to supply fuel, first aid, and hydration aids should we wind up needing more water in areas where there wasn’t a fill station.
I knew I wanted to go as light as possible with the few pieces of gear I was bringing, and the Nitecore NB Air seemed to fit all the parameters I was looking for despite it being the new kid on the block. I’ve used and come to trust many Nitecore products over the years (like the OG NU25), so I had confidence it would work, but still wanted to put it to the test.
The only other thing to solve for was some kind of backup battery to charge our electronics in case we should we run low on juice at some point on the trail- for headlamps, emergency communication devices, navigation and maps.
For those unfamiliar the Nitecore NB Air is touted to be a battery source for your electronics with just enough power to keep you in the game on short trips and emergencies. It’s about the same size as a Hershey’s bar and nearly the same weight at just 89 grams / 3.14 oz. The 5,000mAh power bank blends premium carbon fiber construction with modern fast-charging capabilities in a sleek, pocket-sized package that’s thinner than most smartphones.
Designed with hikers, trail runners, and EDC users in mind, the Nitecore NB Air promises performance and portability in equal measure. These features, packed alongside the Nitecore reputation, made it a very compelling candidate for me to take into the canyon on this massive attempt.
Specs & Advantages – Nitecore NB Air
If specs matter to you- and if you’re hunting for an ultralight power bank, they probably do- the Nitecore NB Air delivers.
- Battery Type: Li-ion
- Capacity: 5,000 mAh at 3.88 V (19.4 Wh)
- Rated Energy: 3,300 mAh at 5 V (TYP 2.4 A)
- Input (USB-C): 5 V ⎓ 2.4 A / 9 V ⎓ 2 A (18 W max)
- Output (USB-C): 5 V ⎓ 2.4 A / 9 V ⎓ 2 A / 12 V ⎓ 1.5 A (18 W max)
- Dimensions: 112 mm × 48 mm × 9.7 mm (4.41″ × 1.89″ × 0.38″)
- Weight: Approximately 89 g (3.14 oz)
- IP Rating: IPX7 (waterproof up to 1 meter for 30 minutes)—handy if you get caught in a deluge.
Make sure to check out our other gear reviews and the Backwoods Pursuit YouTube Channel to help you decide what gear will help you stay out in the field longer!
The Nitecore NB Air also features a the very modern USB-C port for fast and efficient charging of virtually any device you can think of. Additionally, Nitecore added an an illuminated LED indicator to show you just how much life is left before you’ll need to plug it in again. To access this, just tap the external power button and see where the level sits as indicated by four blue dots.
Equally appealing is the fact that Nitecore thought in advance to ensure it was compatible with low-current devices like headphones, smartwatches, trackers, and other small-use items that might go with you on a trip. I know from personal experience the pain that comes with a battery pack not having this feature and having to nurse the device along so it will last the entirety of a trip. This has always been a frustration on past trips
The Trip – Nitecore NB Air
I never had the chance to use the NB on my trip. At first, I was disappointed and sad to report that the Air made several trips through the canyon quietly nestled in my pack – almost like it was a wasted trip carrying it around the entire time. Then I realized, “this is exactly what this was made for- there when you need it, but so light that you don’t notice it’s there if you don’t.” That reason alone makes it very difficult to argue against bringing one on short trips for those “just in case” moments.
Testing – Nitecore NB Air Review
Because I was curious about how the NB would perform, I did a couple of benchtop tests on gear that I would normally take on a trip.
Garmin InReach Testing
I don’t like my communication device (Garmin InReach Mini) dropping below 50%. Maybe it’s the whole “if you take care of the top half, you’ll never have to worry about the bottom half” thing my grandpa told me about when talking about my fuel tank. So, when it hit 62% one day, I plugged it into the Nitecore NB Air. In about 1 hour and 29 minutes, it climbed 38% to a full charge. The Air still showed four lights afterward, meaning it had plenty of juice left for more charging.
Phone Testing
With the remaining power, I decided to see what the Nitecore NB Air would do on a large piece of electronics like my phone. At 1 hour and 52 minutes, it was able to bring my phone from 22% to 98%. One other thing that really impressed me during this test was that the NB Air did not get warm to the touch unlike other power banks I’ve used in the past.
I drained the last bit of juice on one more phone charge, taking it from 10% to 81% in 2 hours and 46 minutes.
Overall, I was impressed with its ability to handle multiple devices quickly and efficiently. From these tests, you could expect two full phone charges or enough to “top off” several gadgets on a single trip—perfect for those just-in-case moments.
Conclusion – Nitecore Power Bank Review
If you’re heading out on a 12-day backpacking trip and need to power an entire fleet of battery-driven devices, the NB Air isn’t the right tool for the job—you’d be better off with the the Nitecore NB10000 or NB20000.
But if you want something that can easily top off most of your electronics on shorter adventures, and is so light you’ll forget you’re even carrying it, the NB Air delivers exactly what you need.
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can u use the device WHiLE it’s charging? I know, this will cause a longer time to charge, but this smaller battery bank would be reserved for emergency use only, to charge my phone & satellite device, in case of emergency.
Nitecore NB Air 5K
That’s likely going to be based on the device itself. For example, some headlamps you can use while they’re charging and others you can’t. The battery bank will work regardless since it is a source of power.