Review – Since I have been traveling long distances for some time, I have been making travel plans that are shorter and closer to home. Inevitably, these trips involve long-distance driving and off-grid locations. The EDC battery pack I usually use can power my travel equipment that consumes power well, but if there is a long-term lack of power, I have to pack three or four. Larger power banks, such as the Goal Zero Venture 75, are perfect alternatives for carrying multiple backpacks. Venture 75 is a bit larger than most of my EDC power packs, but this size allows it to provide up to 19200mAh of power. The Venture 75 is reasonably priced at US$119.95. Its manufacturing seems to be able to withstand a direct nuclear strike and is another zero-target product that fulfills all its promises, even if its charging port plug is ugly and awkward.
What is it?
The Goal Zero Venture 75 mobile power bank is a portable charging device powered by a lithium-ion battery. It can charge up to three devices at the same time through two USB-A ports and one USB-C port.
Like most zero-target products, the packaging has excellent visual effects and details the features of Venture 75, highlighting its IP67 rating by displaying the device underwater.
In the box, Venture 75 is safely tucked into a molded cardboard plug-in, the plug-in also contains Venture’s charging cable and user manual.
What’s in the box?
- Target zero risk 75 mobile power
- USB-A to USB-C 10-inch cable
- User manual
Hardware specifications
- Charging port:
- 2 USB-A ports (output): 5V, each up to 3A (maximum 15W)
- 1 USB-C port (input/output): 5-20V, up to 3A (maximum 60W)
- Weight: 20.35 ounces (577 grams)
- Dimensions: 6.1 x 3.8 x 1.1 inches (15.6 x 9.6 x 2.9 cm)
- Battery type: Li-ion NMC (lithium ion nickel manganese cobalt)
- Battery capacity: 71.04Wh (11.1V, 6400mAh)
- Single cell equivalent capacity: 19200mAh@3.7V
- Package lithium content: 5.76g
- Life cycle: hundreds of cycles
- Shelf life: charge once every 3-6 months
- Protection level: IP67
- Operating temperature. : 32-113F (0-45C)
- Light: 50 stream clear light LED
- Charge times:
- USB-C PD (60W): 1.5 hours
- Wall charger (45W) USB-C: 2 hours
- USB-A (2.4A): 6 hours
- Target Zero Nomad 10: 11-22 hours
- Target Zero Nomad 20: 6-11 hours
- Goal Zero Nomads 50: 6 hours
Design and features
Venture 75, like Goal Zero, is well-designed with a clear intention to highlight its robustness and practicality.
Even in wet conditions, the heavy aluminum body provides firm grip. The heavy weight of the device helps to add a feeling that Venture 75 can withstand a lot of abuse.
The fuselage is further protected by a smooth rubber cover, in which a target zero mark is set.
The bottom of the Venture is made of hard plastic, which is connected to the aluminum body with six embedded screws.
The bottom of Venture 75 is covered with more rubber coating, with unit specifications printed on it.
The front of the Venture 75 is made of hard plastic with a thick, transparent rubber port plug. The IP67 rating of Venture 75 depends on whether the port plug is closed. Therefore, when the plug is inserted, Venture 75 is completely resistant to dust, sand and debris, and can withstand immersion in one meter of water for at least 30 minutes.
However, this plug seems strange to me. It is really thick, with the label of the port printed on it, so you can’t see any label when you open it. Not that you really need to do this, but it seems strange. I will cover this in detail in the performance section, but when you use the port, the plug just hangs there. It makes more sense if the plug is inserted into the body in some way or can be fixed during charging.
When turned on, the port plug will display a charging indicator, two 5V USB-A ports, and a 60W USB-C port. All three ports can be used to charge the device at the same time.
The USB-C port can also charge the Venture 75 via the included USB-A to USB-C charging cable. Venture 75 can be plugged into a charging power source while charging other devices.
The charging cable is very short. Unlike some zero-target mobile power sources, the charging cable has no place to store on the device. Priced at $119.95, I had hoped that the Venture 75 included a USB power block, but the cable is what you get.
There is a button labeled BATT on the front of Venture 75. Pressing the button once will light up the charging LED to indicate the battery level. Long pressing the button will activate the built-in 50 lumens flashlight. The same long press will turn off the flashlight.
A flashlight is not something I often use, but when trying to plug in your device, it does come in handy in a dark tent.
set up
The only setting required for the Venture 75 is to charge it before use. The New Venture 75 device is transported in a protected mode to prevent self-discharge due to long periods of inactivity. Be sure to do this because Venture 75 will not charge until it is first plugged into a powered USB port.
After plugging in and charging, the blue indicator light will flash. Each blue indicator light represents 25% of the battery capacity. When all lights are stable, the device is in a 100% charged state. Venture 75 is designed to charge through traditional USB power blocks and Goal Zero’s Nomad series solar panels. Although it only takes about 90-120 minutes to fully charge the Venture 75 from the USB power block, it may take 6 to 11 hours to fully charge the device from one of the Nomad solar panels, depending on which one you are using.
Performance
Venture 75 performed very well in my tests. In fact, it works very well and I think the indicator lights are broken because they still maintain full power after charging several of my devices.
For such a powerful battery pack, the third USB-A port would be great, but I can understand that this may increase the size of the device. When it comes to size, that huge port plug always seems to get in the way, especially when I charge three devices at the same time. I’m sure there is a better way to fix the plug instead of hanging it there, but maybe this is not a problem for most people.
During use, even after turning off the phone, headlights, earphones and Garmin Instinct for a few hours, I did not feel the heat of the device at all.
Another strong testament to the power of the Venture 75 is that my Pixel 3 shows that it is charging fast, which is only done when charging via the Pixel Stand or the proprietary Pixel power block and cable. I have never seen this in any of my other power banks.
Goal Zero lists Venture 75 as having enough power to charge up to five smartphones, two tablets, and one USB-C-powered laptop. It also says that you can get about 14 headlights and POV (GoPro) camera charging. Judging from the month I tested Venture 75, these statements are correct. To be honest, I was surprised by the performance of Venture 75, although it was a bit bulky, it found a permanent place in my travel bag.
what do I like
- Incredibly sturdy and durable structure
- Charge your device quickly and reliably
- The built-in flashlight is a nice addition
Areas for improvement
- Should include USB charging block
- Thick rubber port plugs are a bad design choice
Final thoughts
The Goal Zero Venture 75 power bank is a major upgrade to the smaller power banks I usually carry with me. It’s on the cusp of being too big to use, but in terms of power, this size is really worth it. Even with an ugly rubber port plug, the very affordable $119.95 Venture 75 is a sturdy, reliable, and powerful power bank that ensures my device is always fully charged and ready to use during the journey.
Price: $119.95
Where to buy: Goal zero and Amazon.
source: The sample of this product is made by Goal zero.
