Fox Halo Wireless Power Pack 48k

How well is it built?

The casing is the main reason for the 9.0. It's a squat, boxy pack with thick, ribbed corners and covers over every port, and it's designed for rugged, reliable use outdoors, so knocks in a carryall or a bumpy barrow ride shouldn't worry it.

Inside, the LiFePO4 cells are made for fast charging, and lithium iron phosphate is a stable chemistry that suits bigger packs like this.

A carry strap makes it easy to pick up and move around the swim, which matters when it's sat on the bivvy table one minute and in the car the next.

To be fair, it's a dense, chunky unit rather than a slim one, so it takes up more room in a rucksack than the flat Trakker 60k. For toughness, though, it's hard to fault, and it's the sort of pack that's built to be thrown in the car and forgotten about.

Capacity & Output

So, what will 153.6Wh actually run? Through its dual USB and dual USB-C outputs, it'll charge phones, head torches, cameras and more, and with four USB ports you can charge several things at once.

The USB-C ports suit newer phones and tablets, while the standard USB ports take care of head torches and older leads.

The 12V cigarette-lighter socket is rated to 13A maximum, which covers 12V kit such as fans and bivvy lighting, and there's a separate 12V DC output with a 5.5 x 2.1mm plug too.

Having both means you can run a fan off the socket and a light off the DC output without hunting for adaptors.

Next to the Trakker 96k, it holds about half the energy, but it's far easier to carry around. For me, it's the right size for weekend sessions, and 9.0 is a fair score for a pack with this many ways to get power out of it.

Bankside Features

The 15W wireless pad sits on top, and the phone stand lets you stand a phone upright while it charges, so you can still keep an eye on the screen. That's a small touch, but it's one I'd use every session.

An LED display shows charging and discharging power, which tells you how quickly a solar panel is filling it or how much a 12V fan is drawing. That's more useful than a few bars, and it helps you plan your power over a weekend.

Recharging is a strong point too. The 100W USB-C PD input should refill it quickly from a suitable charger, the DC input takes the supplied adapter or a car charger on the drive to the lake, and the built-in MPPT handles an 80W solar panel. Want more ways to charge than that?

I'd struggle to think of one, and the 9.0 is well earned.

Is it good value for money?

On value, it's one of the dearer packs for its capacity, and that's why it scores 7.5 rather than higher. It's a pack you buy for toughness and flexibility rather than for the most watt-hours for your money.

You're paying for the LiFePO4 cells, the tough casing, the fast 100W USB-C input and a complete kit in the box, with an adapter, a UK/EU changeover plug, a USB-C cable, a DC cable and the manual.

Those are real advantages, but a mid-priced Li-polymer pack will cover phone and torch charging for less if you're gentle with your kit.

I'd recommend the Halo 48k to carp anglers who fish weekend sessions, don't have far to walk and want one tough pack for phones, lights and 12V kit, with solar as a backup.

If you mainly fish overnighters, a smaller wireless pack such as the Fox Halo Wireless Power 27K makes more sense.