Some pilgrims bring USB or multi splitter charger plugs on the camino so they won’t hog the sometimes few charging points in an albergue, which is a great idea, but not always ideal as others might not want to just tap into someone else’s plug or get upset if you unplug theirs to replug it into a splitter. Also you really need to be there to watch your electronics – not only are they often worth a lot of money, but they also contain all your photos, videos, messages, memories so far. And they are often your strongest connection to home; you don’t want to take the chance on having them mistakenly or purposefully stolen.
The power bank, unlike your mobile phone/iPad/music player/camera, can be left out in a communal area to charge without you worrying about it getting stolen or equally terrifying – taken off the charge so it is flat in the morning!
Another plus is that you can charge anywhere, just leave it in your pocket/bum bag/cross body bag, connect the cable to your mobile or video camera or whatever, and you can still use the tech while it’s charging on the move.
And of course, should it go missing or break, it is easy to get a new one without any hassle. Some brands even sell pre-charged ones so you can top up with mobile juice straight out of the box. The one downside is that they can be heavy, and some cheap models might get hot while charging, but give it a few trial runs before you go and you should be fine.
Pop a sticker on it or write your name (and email/phone no) on it so you don’t get it mixed up with the other power banks charging though!
Somewhere Slowly 