Having multiple light sources is kind of the “golden rule” of outdoor adventures.
Your primary light source could potentially get broken, water damaged, or spontaneously run out of juice. It is absolutely essential to have a backup, and another backup… and possibly a third backup. My husband and I often joke about a cave tour guide we met on our honeymoon in Hawaii, who basically screamed at us:
“What’s rule number 1 of caving? …
BRING A LIGHT SOURCE!
What’s rule number 2 of caving? …
BRING A LIGHT SOURCE!”
But, hey! We never forgot it, and we quickly learned after our first year hiking that the “first 2 rules of caving” heavily apply to other outdoor adventures as well. Unless you want to be stuck shuffling your way through the Redwoods at night, with only a pin-point, blinking, red low-battery light to guide you.
Answer: You don’t want that.
So after various mishaps, I’ve become somewhat of a light collector. I have a designated drawer full of headlamps, lanterns, string lights, light-up dog collars – you name it! And in the process of collecting said lights, I’ve become a pretty big fan of MPOWERD.
My love of MPOWERD began years ago, when my husband surprised me (after a pretty long, terrible day) with a gift basket full of snacks, chocolate, and – best of all – an inflatable solar lantern. At the time, that solar lantern was legit revolutionary! I felt like an evil genius, harnessing the unlimited power of the sun. From then on, it came with us on all our camping adventures and, with it being waterproof, it was one of my hot spring must-haves for late night soaks!
Then, years later, the MPOWERD solar string lights stepped onto the scene. By that time, I had an REI credit card and a dividend to spend so I was all in! Fast-forward a few years: I now own THREE sets of their string lights and wrote a totally UNsponsored review of them [which you can find here]. Suffice to say, I am a superfan to the “yikes” degree.
So when MPOWERD reached out to me for collaboration, I was obviously ecstatic! And even more ecstatic when I saw their upgraded solar lantern: the Luci Pro Lux Inflatable Solar Light.
NOTE: This is a sponsored product review post done in collaboration with MPOWERD. As always, my opinions are 100% honest and my own.
So, without further ado, let’s get to the reviewing!
Solar & USB Charging
It’s hard to believe that we’ve gone from basically everything being battery powered (thanks, 90’s) to everything being rechargeable, to NOW – where a huge amount of camping electronics are solar powered or some kind of solar hybrid. MPOWERD sells some fully solar-powered products and some that have the option to charge via USB or solar. The Luci Pro Lux is a “hybrid” and, personally, I like that feature! Ideally, we’d always use solar. But it just isn’t always realistic – you might live in a notoriously rainy/cloudy area (lookin’ at you, Oregon), or a place with limited daylight hours. Or you might be hiking/camping in a heavily forested area with limited access to direct sunlight. There are just so many scenarios where the USB charging feature would come in handy! That being said, I’m going to rate both charging methods: the USB method & the solar method.
USB CHARGING
MPOWERD claims the Luci Pro Lux can charge via USB in 2 – 3 hours. This was easy enough to prove or disprove, so this was the first thing I tested.
From 0% battery to 100% took just under 2.5 hours, so smack-dab in the middle of their estimate.
In my opinion 2 – 3 hours to fully charge is really good! Typically, you have at least a couple hours to prep for a camping or backpacking trip, so you can likely start your adventure with a full charge right off the bat!
USB RATING: 10 / 10
SOLAR CHARGING
To get a complete charge via solar, you need about 14 hours of direct sunlight, which isn’t usually feasible in one day. That being said, you don’t really need a full charge to get you through the night (more on that later) and this charge time is far superior to other solar lights / lanterns on the market! For example: One big-name brand (not calling them out, cause they truly are a great company! Just trying to give a reference point) has a comparable solar light that charges up via solar in 10 hours, but the low-setting battery life is 1/2 that of the Luci Pro Lux solar light.
I haven’t had the chance to really put the “14 hour solar charge” thing to the test (I’ll be updating this review over time), but I’ve had really good luck in the past using the solar panel on the Luci Solar String Lights! And, according to the MPOWERD website, the Luci Pro Lux charges up even faster than the string lights. So I really look forward to giving it a shot once we finally get some real sun!
Something to note: There is a handle on the solar panel side of the light that crosses over a portion of the panel. My guess is that this would somewhat affect the efficiency of the solar panel but of course, I’m not sure.
SOLAR RATING: 8 / 10
OVERALL RATING: 9 / 10
Battery Life
Now, as promised, we’re talking battery life!
For this section, we’re going to focus on the battery life when the Luci Pro Lux is used solely as a light source. NOT the battery life when used as a portable charger – because that’s a whole other story!
The battery life stats are as follows:
Low Light: 50 Hours
Medium Light: 24 Hours
Bright Light: 5 Hours
Flashing Light: 9 Hours
I should also note that the low light setting is plenty bright! Especially when used in an enclosed area (like a tent). Most of my photos for this post have the light set to either low or medium. This little light is surprisingly bright! And 50 hours on the low setting is crazy good.
As I said in the previous section, the battery life of the Luci Pro Lux far exceeds other brands. 50 hours is enough to get you through a multi-day off-grid trip, and that’s without recharging via solar! Pretty impressive.
RATING: 9 / 10
2-Way Charging for Portable Devices
One of the biggest features of Luci Pro Lux, and one of the things that separates it from other MPOWERD lights, is the 2-way charging feature. The solar light has a single USB port that is dual function, so you can:
Charge up the solar light via USB
– or –
Charge your portable devices on the go!
So how well does the Luci Pro Lux power up your smartphone and other compatible devices?
Surprisingly well! Definitely faster than other solar chargers I’ve tried (and those were single-function solar chargers!).
For my iPhone 12 Pro: With 1 bar of charge, I was able to go from 32% to 79% (before it died) in 1 hour and 22 minutes. That’s a 47% increase with one bar. So using my (very limited and very basic) math skills that means I can get almost two full phone charges out of a fully charged solar light.
NOTE: That would mean NOT using it as a light and solely as a phone charger.
Overall it exceeded my expectations as a portable charger, but I definitely wouldn’t recommend using it as your primary energy source for portable devices. Two full charges isn’t bad, but you can get more charges out of a portable power bank (without draining your light source). This would be a great backup to use if you’re in a pinch, though!
RATING: 7.5 / 10
Brightness & Color
Moving on to lumens & warm vs. cool light.
LIGHT COLOR
This particular model of solar light comes in two different styles/colors.
- Cool Light & Clear Finish
- Warm Light & Matte Finish
The “finish” is referring to the outer plastic layer. So the cool light/clear finish is a slightly brighter light while the warm light/matte finish (pictured) is more muted and has more of a relaxing vibe.
BRIGHTNESS
The Luci Pro Lux has 10 round LED lights around the inner circumference of the base that illuminate the rest of the lantern. The lantern shines from all sides/angles except for the bottom (where the solar panel is). The exact brightness depends on the color and style chosen.
The cool light / clear finish is 150 lumens.
The warm light / matte finish is 135 lumens.
When I hear lumens I just think of Julia Stiles in Dexter. So, just in case anyone else has no idea how to translate lumens into an accurate visual, let me explain a bit more!
A typical household “in case of a power outage” flashlight is about 100 lumens. A typical headlamp (for hiking, climbing, etc.) is about 300 lumens.
Based on my experience with the Luci Pro Lux, and with that lumen information in mind, I’d say this solar lantern works GREAT for the things you’d expect it to work great for: in-tent use, nighttime walks to the bathroom, and putzing around camp. I could also see it working great as a light source for van lifers! It’s super bright when used in an enclosed space and, when not in an enclosed space, provides enough light to see your way in the dark or play cards at night. However, it’s definitely not made to be your primary guiding light on a dimly-lit adventure. That’s what blindingly-bright headlamps are for, am I right?
Bottom line: The Luci Pro Lux is much, much brighter than I anticipated – especially considering how many hours you get out of a single charge. But ultimately this is more of a “hanging around camp” or “chillin’ in a hot spring” type of a light source. Those are the things I intended to use this light for, so for me it works perfect!
RATING: 8.5 / 10
Inflate | Deflate
Besides the solar element, the ability to inflate / deflate this light was one of THE biggest draws for me. Ya girl loves things that pack down flat.
The inflate and deflate are both incredibly quick and easy. And, just for reference, I have pretty weak lungs. You should have seen me trying to reinflate our raft on our annual float trip! Pitiful.
But the Luci Pro Lux makes me feel like I have the lungs of an opera singer, rather than those of an asthmatic hummingbird.
It takes me about 10 – 15 seconds to inflate, and only approximately 4 seconds to deflate the light. Super quick, super easy! And it’s a pinch-valve, so if you have to take a break and catch your breath it won’t ruin your hard-earned progress. The only downside is that it can, at times, be tricky to work the pinch valve while inflating. But once you get the hang of it, it’s no biggy!
RATING: 9 / 10
Waterproof + Floatation
The MPOWERD Luci Pro Lux is waterproof (it can be submerged in up to 1 meter, or 3.28 feet, of water) and, being that it’s full of air, also floats! This makes it the perfect companion for late-night swims or soaks.
But if you’re not into swimming or hot springing, the waterproof rating is still really handy. If you’re trying to charge it as you’re backpacking and you run into some bad weather, you don’t need to worry! Rain ain’t stoppin’ this baby.
GETTING TECHNICAL: This product has an official rating of IP67. The first number, 6, means it is completely dust-proof. The second number, 7, means it has been tested in 1 meter of water for a duration of 30 mins.
While I haven’t tested this specific light in the water yet (again, I’ll be updating this post over time), I have used an older model of this light on various hot spring trips and it has never failed me. It’s stayed 100% waterproof (even in hot water) and floats with ease!
RATING: 9/10
Durability
MPOWERD claims that the Luci Pro Lux can withstand up to 150lbs of pressure. And to that I say,
Why sell yourself short?!
Cause honestly, this thing is a little tank! My Luci Pro Lux lantern has already withstood, to put it nicely, quite a bit more weight than that. And no, I didn’t stick it in a baler. This “durability test” was completely accidental!
When we were out at Leslie Gulch my husband, Francis, and I decided to take our photography “off road” for some scenic pictures. We took a random game trail and were hopping back and forth over a dry creek to find the best, flattest areas to make our way closer to some rock formations. Francis had a camera in one hand and the solar light in the other.
Why wasn’t I carrying anything, you ask? I don’t know. I probably should have. Hindsight is 20/20.
So we’re hopping back and forth like little mountain goats when, suddenly, I hear a kerfuffle behind me. I turn around and Francis had completely wiped out in the dirt with his hand stretched out to break his fall. Incidentally, that hand was holding our solar light. I would have thought that a 200+ lb man putting all his (falling) weight on the fully inflated lantern would pop it, but… you guys… it didn’t. And it literally didn’t have a scratch on it! Color me impressed.
So while I wouldn’t recommend trying that at home, it definitely bodes well for the quality of MPOWERD products, and I can’t in good conscience rate “durability” as anything lower than a 10!
RATING: 10 / 10
Other Features + Specs of the Luci Pro Lux Solar Light
Handles & Attachments
There is a handle on both ends of the light, which is super nice! The handle on the solar panel side actually buttons together so you can take it apart and attach it to anything. This is incredibly convenient on backpacking trips, when you want to recharge on the go! Some reviewers have complained about the handle “covering” the solar panel. The handle is translucent, but it’s possible it could still somewhat affect the efficiency of the solar panel.
Power / Mode Button
The Power / Mode button is located on the solar panel side of the lantern. Pressing this button will cycle you through all the brightness settings. When your solar light is turned off, pressing once will turn on the “low light” mode, pressing again will turn it onto the “medium” setting, pressing 3x is the brightest setting, pressing once more takes you to the flashing / blinking mode, and finally, pressing again turns the light back off.
Quick Shut-Off
If you don’t want to cycle through all the settings in order to turn the light off, you’re in luck! The Luci Pro Lux Solar Light has a “quick shut off” option. All you have to do is hold the power / mode button for 2 seconds and the light will turn off immediately.
Battery Level Indicator
The battery level indicator is pretty basic, but it at least gives you an idea of how much juice ya got left! This indicator can be easily accessed by pressing once on the lightning bolt button (located on the solar panel side of the lantern). There are 4 little lights (between the lightning bolt button and power / mode button) that will either light up (or not) to show you how full the battery is. 4 illuminated lights is full battery and 1 illuminated light is low battery.
Packed size
One of the cool things about this lantern is that it’s inflatable – meaning it can deflate to a smaller size, making it easier to pack up.
The packed size of the Luci Lux Pro is 5″ Diameter x 1.5″ Collapsed Height
In my opinion, this is small enough to bring along on a backpacking trip – especially considering you can strap it to the outside of your pack!
Weight
Total weight is 6.1 oz
So about the same as an iPhone 12! Pretty minimal.
RATING: 8 / 10
BOTTOM LINE: Is the MPOWERD Luci Pro Lux Solar Light worth the money?
Currently, the Luci Pro Lux sells for $44.95
This is a very competitive price when compared to other solar light / portable charger combos! But some things you may want to consider are:
- Do you want / need a solar light that doubles as a charger?
- Do you want the option to charge via USB rather than solely rely on solar?
If neither of those things are important to you, MPOWERD has many other lights that are completely solar and even less expensive! I’ll list them below.
The Luci Outdoor 2.0 Solar Light $24.95
*Multi-Colored!* The Luci Color Solar Light $24.95
*Multi-Colored!* The Luci Color Essence Solar Light $24.95
I personally own the Original Solar Light & the Outdoor 2.0 (and I have a Luci Color light on the way! Told you I was a superfan).
They are ALL good buys but I have to say, I think having the USB charge option is worth the extra money. It gives me peace of mind knowing that I’ll for sure have at least one full charge when I’m heading out on an off-grid adventure. While I don’t think I’d rely on it to charge my devices, the Luci Pro Lux will definitely be my primary go-to lantern for outdoor adventures because of the USB charge ability.
But now that the info dump is done with, let’s total up our ratings!
SOLAR CHARGING & USB CHARGING 9 / 10
BATTERY LIFE 9 / 10
2-WAY CHARGING 7.5 / 10
BRIGHTNESS & COLOR 8.5 / 10
INFLATE | DEFLATE 9 / 10
WATERPROOF & FLOATATION 9 / 10
DURABILITY 10 / 10
OTHER FEATURES & SPECS 8 / 10
TOTAL RATING: 8.75 / 10
Overall I really loved the MPOWERD Luci Pro Lux solar light! The durability and level of brightness definitely surprised me (in a good way!) and I love the option to charge via USB in case solar energy is inaccessible. The charge isn’t enough, in my opinion, to use it as a primary device charger – but I like that I can use it as a backup if needed.
So, is it worth the money? I say, yes!
Have more questions? Drop ’em in the comments or send me a message!
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