The line of Summit power banks from Nitecore share a lot of DNA with the Nitecore NB series, which I also use frequently. The Summit weighs a little bit more than its smaller sibling, and that’s because the Summit is built with cold conditions in mind. Batteries are unpredictable in low temperatures, and when starting out with camping in the wintertime, one of the things you’re told is that you should keep your power banks and other battery powered devices in your sleeping bag to keep them warm and preserve the battery life. The Nitecore Summit has a clever workaround for this.
When the built-in thermometer in the Nitecore Summit detects that temperatures are below freezing, it’ll start it’s built-in heating function that warms up the power bank while it’s charging your devices. This reduces the amount of power lost to the cold, and allows you to charge your devices for longer before the power bank runs out. The Summit also comes with an insulation carrying bag that will help keep the power bank warm, although the bag does add a bit of weight.
Other than that, the Nitecore Summit is just as reliable and easy to use as the Nitecore NB. It is a little bit heavier, with the 20 000 mAh version including the insulated bag weighing 330 grams on my scale, but that’s still lighter than most regular power banks. I’ve used my two Summit 20 000 on winter hikes lasting up to two weeks, and found it to be a reliable partner for outdoor adventures in the cold.
