Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus Battery Pack + New Batteries

     I posted on the Ground Zero Nomad 7 a couple of days ago and spoke about how awesome a piece of gear this is but how it takes a long time to charge my phone directly from the solar panel.  The solution to this problem that I found through some research was the battery pack that is made by Goal Zero.  Now, the whole intent of the battery pack is precisely this, to take a charge at a different voltage into a NiMH battery (4), then to take the battery pack that is much more easily charged and plug it into your phone (mine is a lithium ion) for a quicker charge.  Now I am not an electrician but whatever the voltage differences are, this batter pack works better.  I can charge it from my solar panel in 3 hours and  get my phone fully charged in just over an hour.  Best of all, I still have a half a charge left in the batteries after my phone is fully charged.  The Goal Zero batteries that come with the battery pack are AA 1700 mAH.  Through research and my own experience these batteries are not really sufficient and should be replaced.  Why, you might ask?  Here is the answer:  I bought 4 Powerex AA 2700mAH NiMH rechargeable batteries (found of Amazon) obviously for the extra 1000mAH.  I bought them because it only take an extra 30 min to charge them off the solar panel and you can charge your phone nearly three times on one charge rather than only once.  The efficiency is much greater and they will recycle themselves over 100 times before you even begin to see a reduction in charge, if you stick with the Goal Zero, you will only get 50 recycles before a down draw in battery performance.  Again, I found this all out through others experiences and my own.  One could also charge the Ground Zero batteries and take the Powerex and use both, never running out of power for a very minimum weight.  I also like the new batteries because they are the same weight as the generic one's that come with the device.  

     Over-all Impression:

      I love this battery pack, much more efficient and light weight, get one but replace the batteries with high end, high charge AA.  The battery pack also has a pretty bright LED flash light on it which could be nice.  *Note* If you need AAA, you need to get the AAA sleeve that fits in the charger, it does not come with the original Power Pack package.  I can't wait till they come out with Lithium-Ion adapter for this charger which will have a much higher and efficient charge.