Heading out on a camping trip means we’re at the mercy of whatever the weather throws at us. That could be perfect mild temps with sun or it could pour for days on end. Not many portable power stations are cool with getting wet, which is why the Goal Zero Yeti 300 could be a great option if you tend to camp in wet conditions. It comes with an IPX4 rating for water resistanc,e and there’s a mud flap to help protect the outlets. Goal Zero even says you can rinse this power station off when it needs a bath.
It’s also a great model if you do cold-weather camping or ice fishing. It can safely operate in temperatures as low as -4 degrees Fahrenheit (or as hot as 140 degrees). You probably shouldn’t be outside in 140-degree weather, but at least your power station will be just fine.
The Yeti 300 has two AC ports, two USB-C, and two USB-A. Recharging via standard AC takes under an hour or you can go with a 200W solar input to get a full charge in under two hours.
You booked the campground months in advance, and now the forecast says it’ll rain two inches over the weekend. So long as you have the right gear, maybe some rain isn’t so bad. That’s exactly how the Goal Zero Yeti 300 feels. The portable power station doesn’t mind the rain, dust, or mud, and Goal Zero says the brand designed the Yeti lineup to be able to withstand exposure to whatever the outdoors throws our way.
With a capacity of 297Wh, the Yeti 300 weighs a manageable 13.7 pounds, and its pop-up handle makes it easy to carry. The mud flat protects all ports on the front that you’ll be using to charge up devices, and a flap covers the back AC charging port as well as the power button. When testing, I appreciated the satisfying click of these mud flaps that give reassurance they’re protecting from wet conditions.
Batteries have sensitive temperature ranges, and not all portable power stations can happily operate in extreme temperatures, but Goal Zero addressed this, too. The Yeti 300 can recharge devices in winter temperatures as low as -4 and summer’s soaring temps of up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The Yeti 300’s ideal temperature for recharging the power station is a smaller range, and you’ll need to keep that between 32 and 125 degrees. Still, both of those ranges are impressive, especially on the hotter end, with those numbers soaring higher than most portable power stations.
It’s worth mentioning that the Goal Zero Yeti uses an uncommon solar panel connector, and it doesn’t come included with the Yeti 300. You’ll have to buy that cable separately from Goal Zero, buy one of their panels, or buy an adapter to connect this portable power station to other brands’ solar panels.
