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Rugged Geek RG1000 Safety 1000A Portable Car Jump Starter, Battery...
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Customer reviews
- Rugged Geek RG1000 Safety 1000A Portable Car Jump Starter, Battery...
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- Customer reviews
Top positive review
*great customer service, retest pending* Well, it looks good, but failed me in a cold snap.
December 30, 2017
***
edit Feb 2019: I admit the vendor/manufacturer did everything they could to contact me when this happened, here and via email. I finally responded many many months later and they were immediate to continue to try to make things right. They’ve sent me a new kit and I’m going to do a few quick tests on the old one when weather permits.
It sucks when you’re ice cold and trying to jump your car, but the reality is when the jumper pack is also chilled down to zero degrees F, that level of cold impacts the chemical composition of all batteries. The logical thing I should have done is take the battery pack inside and allow it to warm up.
I’m modifying my review now to reflect how positive the customer service team is, they definitely want to make things right, coupled with my re-evaluation of the situation, I’m raising my rating.
I will again revisit when I’m able to test the old/new device on my old car (easier to disconnect the battery), just this is a brutal winter and I’m not spending time in the garage unnecessarily.
***
I believe this is is a generally good product, the wealth of reviews here attest to that. But after a few months in the trunk, I finally had need and was left walking to get a jump from someone else's jump pack.
My car sat for a week in cold temps at Chicago Airport, averaging between -15 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit (with wind), so I anticipated problems but knew I had this tool. (yay!)
Turned on my Rugged Geek, still had 91% charge from the initial charge months ago, cool.
Bragged to my wife as I set up in the cold.
Plug in the connector, very tight but went in. Hooked it up to the car, positive terminal and chassis ground.
Here's the fun. My battery was 5 degrees (ambient air temps) and dead. This rugged geek charger never would "detect" the polarization of the car to pass the safety check, so it would never allow it to energize and jump the car.
By now I've messed with it 10 times, wiggled the connections, removed and replugged in (heard a crack), and was frozen solid.
Absolutely nothing.
So I walked back to the parking garage where the maintenance guy had a traditional jumper and got me going in 10 seconds.
My car is a 2.5 liter 5 cylinder, so it shouldn't have been a problem.
It is a newer car with some computers, but I don't believe that alone would have been a limitation for what this claims.
Now I have this, it's failed me 1 for 1, do I trust it again? Do I pick up a Stanley jumper for road trips? I'm pretty gun shy about trusting this again, guess I'm glad I keep my AAA roadside assistance paid up, but in the bitter Midwest cold waiting an hour for a tow truck would have been dangerous.
Perhaps it's a fluke, maybe I did something wrong, but I'm a pretty tech savvy person and this is a straightforward task.
Your mileage may vary
edit Feb 2019: I admit the vendor/manufacturer did everything they could to contact me when this happened, here and via email. I finally responded many many months later and they were immediate to continue to try to make things right. They’ve sent me a new kit and I’m going to do a few quick tests on the old one when weather permits.
It sucks when you’re ice cold and trying to jump your car, but the reality is when the jumper pack is also chilled down to zero degrees F, that level of cold impacts the chemical composition of all batteries. The logical thing I should have done is take the battery pack inside and allow it to warm up.
I’m modifying my review now to reflect how positive the customer service team is, they definitely want to make things right, coupled with my re-evaluation of the situation, I’m raising my rating.
I will again revisit when I’m able to test the old/new device on my old car (easier to disconnect the battery), just this is a brutal winter and I’m not spending time in the garage unnecessarily.
***
I believe this is is a generally good product, the wealth of reviews here attest to that. But after a few months in the trunk, I finally had need and was left walking to get a jump from someone else's jump pack.
My car sat for a week in cold temps at Chicago Airport, averaging between -15 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit (with wind), so I anticipated problems but knew I had this tool. (yay!)
Turned on my Rugged Geek, still had 91% charge from the initial charge months ago, cool.
Bragged to my wife as I set up in the cold.
Plug in the connector, very tight but went in. Hooked it up to the car, positive terminal and chassis ground.
Here's the fun. My battery was 5 degrees (ambient air temps) and dead. This rugged geek charger never would "detect" the polarization of the car to pass the safety check, so it would never allow it to energize and jump the car.
By now I've messed with it 10 times, wiggled the connections, removed and replugged in (heard a crack), and was frozen solid.
Absolutely nothing.
So I walked back to the parking garage where the maintenance guy had a traditional jumper and got me going in 10 seconds.
My car is a 2.5 liter 5 cylinder, so it shouldn't have been a problem.
It is a newer car with some computers, but I don't believe that alone would have been a limitation for what this claims.
Now I have this, it's failed me 1 for 1, do I trust it again? Do I pick up a Stanley jumper for road trips? I'm pretty gun shy about trusting this again, guess I'm glad I keep my AAA roadside assistance paid up, but in the bitter Midwest cold waiting an hour for a tow truck would have been dangerous.
Perhaps it's a fluke, maybe I did something wrong, but I'm a pretty tech savvy person and this is a straightforward task.
Your mileage may vary
179 people found this helpful
Top critical review
1st use, connected to battery and the red green ...
November 15, 2017
1st use, connected to battery and the red green lights never stopped flashing. PLASTIC alligator clip broke removing from battery terminal
71 people found this helpful
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December 30, 2017
***
edit Feb 2019: I admit the vendor/manufacturer did everything they could to contact me when this happened, here and via email. I finally responded many many months later and they were immediate to continue to try to make things right. They’ve sent me a new kit and I’m going to do a few quick tests on the old one when weather permits.
It sucks when you’re ice cold and trying to jump your car, but the reality is when the jumper pack is also chilled down to zero degrees F, that level of cold impacts the chemical composition of all batteries. The logical thing I should have done is take the battery pack inside and allow it to warm up.
I’m modifying my review now to reflect how positive the customer service team is, they definitely want to make things right, coupled with my re-evaluation of the situation, I’m raising my rating.
I will again revisit when I’m able to test the old/new device on my old car (easier to disconnect the battery), just this is a brutal winter and I’m not spending time in the garage unnecessarily.
***
I believe this is is a generally good product, the wealth of reviews here attest to that. But after a few months in the trunk, I finally had need and was left walking to get a jump from someone else's jump pack.
My car sat for a week in cold temps at Chicago Airport, averaging between -15 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit (with wind), so I anticipated problems but knew I had this tool. (yay!)
Turned on my Rugged Geek, still had 91% charge from the initial charge months ago, cool.
Bragged to my wife as I set up in the cold.
Plug in the connector, very tight but went in. Hooked it up to the car, positive terminal and chassis ground.
Here's the fun. My battery was 5 degrees (ambient air temps) and dead. This rugged geek charger never would "detect" the polarization of the car to pass the safety check, so it would never allow it to energize and jump the car.
By now I've messed with it 10 times, wiggled the connections, removed and replugged in (heard a crack), and was frozen solid.
Absolutely nothing.
So I walked back to the parking garage where the maintenance guy had a traditional jumper and got me going in 10 seconds.
My car is a 2.5 liter 5 cylinder, so it shouldn't have been a problem.
It is a newer car with some computers, but I don't believe that alone would have been a limitation for what this claims.
Now I have this, it's failed me 1 for 1, do I trust it again? Do I pick up a Stanley jumper for road trips? I'm pretty gun shy about trusting this again, guess I'm glad I keep my AAA roadside assistance paid up, but in the bitter Midwest cold waiting an hour for a tow truck would have been dangerous.
Perhaps it's a fluke, maybe I did something wrong, but I'm a pretty tech savvy person and this is a straightforward task.
Your mileage may vary
edit Feb 2019: I admit the vendor/manufacturer did everything they could to contact me when this happened, here and via email. I finally responded many many months later and they were immediate to continue to try to make things right. They’ve sent me a new kit and I’m going to do a few quick tests on the old one when weather permits.
It sucks when you’re ice cold and trying to jump your car, but the reality is when the jumper pack is also chilled down to zero degrees F, that level of cold impacts the chemical composition of all batteries. The logical thing I should have done is take the battery pack inside and allow it to warm up.
I’m modifying my review now to reflect how positive the customer service team is, they definitely want to make things right, coupled with my re-evaluation of the situation, I’m raising my rating.
I will again revisit when I’m able to test the old/new device on my old car (easier to disconnect the battery), just this is a brutal winter and I’m not spending time in the garage unnecessarily.
***
I believe this is is a generally good product, the wealth of reviews here attest to that. But after a few months in the trunk, I finally had need and was left walking to get a jump from someone else's jump pack.
My car sat for a week in cold temps at Chicago Airport, averaging between -15 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit (with wind), so I anticipated problems but knew I had this tool. (yay!)
Turned on my Rugged Geek, still had 91% charge from the initial charge months ago, cool.
Bragged to my wife as I set up in the cold.
Plug in the connector, very tight but went in. Hooked it up to the car, positive terminal and chassis ground.
Here's the fun. My battery was 5 degrees (ambient air temps) and dead. This rugged geek charger never would "detect" the polarization of the car to pass the safety check, so it would never allow it to energize and jump the car.
By now I've messed with it 10 times, wiggled the connections, removed and replugged in (heard a crack), and was frozen solid.
Absolutely nothing.
So I walked back to the parking garage where the maintenance guy had a traditional jumper and got me going in 10 seconds.
My car is a 2.5 liter 5 cylinder, so it shouldn't have been a problem.
It is a newer car with some computers, but I don't believe that alone would have been a limitation for what this claims.
Now I have this, it's failed me 1 for 1, do I trust it again? Do I pick up a Stanley jumper for road trips? I'm pretty gun shy about trusting this again, guess I'm glad I keep my AAA roadside assistance paid up, but in the bitter Midwest cold waiting an hour for a tow truck would have been dangerous.
Perhaps it's a fluke, maybe I did something wrong, but I'm a pretty tech savvy person and this is a straightforward task.
Your mileage may vary
November 29, 2015
After my car's battery died recently, I decided to invest in a portable jump starting kit. I was successfully able to get the Rugged Geek Intelliboost Ultra RG500 to jump start my Toyota Camry's dead battery with the first try. The kit is well made and I especially appreciate the ability to charge my mobile devices in case of an emergency. The whole jump starting process was idiot proof and one doesn't need to be a car guy/gal to be able to use this device. I highly recommend this product.
I post a one take real world demonstration of me attempting to jump start my vehicle.
I post a one take real world demonstration of me attempting to jump start my vehicle.
March 15, 2017
Folks. I've done my homework before purchasing this wonderful investment. Rating, quality, amps, technical, usefulness, functionality, ruggedness, and it all pointed to this jumper/charger. I purchaced this unit without hesitation. I have a 93 nissan suv. It has sat for a year with a dead battery. Not even enough juice to open a door lock. And it sets where i cant jump it from another vehicle. Once connected, within 3 seconds without hesitation, BAM fired right up. As well i go camping alot, kyaking and work on a fuel pad where i see at least two vehicles a day needing jumped. This unit does it all. Charge my phone, laptop and has jumped several cars and a 6.7ltr diesel. I highly reccommend this unit over every other. You will be glad you did. Just the sleekness and the quality speak for itself. They made a product to do what its supposed to do nothing more. Think about it. All the pretty colored ones, well it gets used and that purdy goes away. This unit will remain looking great. Its not a bling bling item but remains sleek and sophisticated. The clamps have great grip. The light is bright. Easy digital readout. Folks this is a great investment. I personally feel it is the best on the market, for now. Im ordering a second to give to my daughter so i feel at ease knowing she wont be stranded or have to wait for triple a. Best on the market, Bar None...
September 29, 2015
I have been researching these for a few months trying to decide the best brand, top consumer rated (not someone paid for a false rating), and one that had an LED screen that displays the charge status. This one has it all! It comes with an 80% charge straight out of the box! Charged for about an hour for a full 100%. Then put it to test right away on my boyfriends Jeep Cherokee sitting in my yard with a dead battery. Holy smokes!! It works. I am a 41 year old woman who is mechanically knowledgeable but I believe simple enough for anyone. This was E-A-S-Y!! So much better than having to drag an extension cord across my yard to hook up a battery charger! I love it.
What sold me on this specific brand is every single question asked by customers were answered by the Rugged Geek manufacturer. How rare is that??!! You ask..... They answer. I highly recommend this product.
What sold me on this specific brand is every single question asked by customers were answered by the Rugged Geek manufacturer. How rare is that??!! You ask..... They answer. I highly recommend this product.
March 30, 2017
This is an awesome piece of equipment! When received it was about 75% charged and I finished the charging an put it in my car. A couple of days later, in a hotel parking lot, there was a guy with a Suburban needing a jump. I got out my RG1000 and walked up to him and he wasn't ready to believe that a device the size of a paper back book would start his big manly truck. He agreed with a smile, to let me hook it up and to give it a try. The look on his face when his Suburban started was priceless! As it was cranking, it sounded just like there was a full sized new battery doing the job. We talked about the RG1000 and when I left, he was on Amazon on his phone placing an order.
So far that's the only car starting experience I have had with the RG1000. But I use it in meetings to keep my cell phone charged without having to hunt for an outlet. Truly a magnificent piece of engineering.
Since my first review I have had a problem with the leads. With fantastic customer service which included several emails to help me understand haw the unit works, the problem was fully resolved. The level of involvement at a very detailed level was awesome and effective. I stand by my earlier review comments and have huge respect for the company and their customer service.
So far that's the only car starting experience I have had with the RG1000. But I use it in meetings to keep my cell phone charged without having to hunt for an outlet. Truly a magnificent piece of engineering.
Since my first review I have had a problem with the leads. With fantastic customer service which included several emails to help me understand haw the unit works, the problem was fully resolved. The level of involvement at a very detailed level was awesome and effective. I stand by my earlier review comments and have huge respect for the company and their customer service.
April 4, 2016
Incredible product. Just as advertised. I can fit the powerpack + jumper cables + inflater into my messenger bag along with my laptop!
Fit and finish are excellent. The rubberized coating on the outside is a really nice touch. I know this may seem silly--it makes no difference in the key functionality of the product--but I think it's remarkable in this instance so I'm bringing it up. It looks better, feels better than other lithium jump boxes I've seen, and it's surprising how positively it impacts using the product. Really makes it feel secure in the hand--even with gloves on. It also makes it feel like it could take much more of a beating than others--like if I drop this thing, it'll just bounce once and that's it. If I drop others, the case will crack or have a permanent scar. Again, I know it doesn't matter as much as how well it performs--but sometimes when you're trying to make a decision, it's nice to know which one simply "feels" nicer or stronger than others. This is the one.
Using it is really the best part though. It has been nothing but impressive so far. Granted, I have only jumpstarted my motorcycle so far--but it's a high compression 4-cylinder, so don't underestimate what that means. My old jump box would work for my 4-cylinder truck (low compression, Ford Ranger, 2.3L) but couldn't turn over the bike (Honda 919, 0.9L) unless it had JUST been topped off. Even then, it barely had enough umph for one or two crank attempts.
This little guy was at 75% when I tried it, started the bike right up. Went to work, bike was dead again, started it up again that afternoon. 2 days later, same thing. Not even a struggle.
4 jump starts so far and the charge indicator is still above 70%. If I come across an opportunity, I will try this on a diesel pickup and report back. Incredibly impressed so far. Without hesitation, I can say this is the best jump starter I've ever used--including the giant industrial-grade ones we have for jumpstarting bulldozers and track-hoes.
Bottom lines:
-I did a lot of research; I chose this because it seemed like the BEST of those I looked at; and now that I got it, I'm ecstatic with the purchase.
-If you're in the market for a jump starter and you're feeling drawn by those cheap, non-lithium, gargantuan boxes--please just don't. The first time you meet someone with one of these you're going to feel like a fool for that purchase--no matter how cheap.
-If you're looking at the cheaper, super-plasticy lithium ones--consider that going with this guy gets you 600A of cranking power and that wonderful rubberized casing. Worth the extra bones IMO.
-If you know nothing of jump boxes and don't care to know--but need a gift for your gearhead dad/son/uncle/brother--get this. It's amazing. They will be super impressed with your choice.
Thanks for reading! Hope this helped your decision!
Fit and finish are excellent. The rubberized coating on the outside is a really nice touch. I know this may seem silly--it makes no difference in the key functionality of the product--but I think it's remarkable in this instance so I'm bringing it up. It looks better, feels better than other lithium jump boxes I've seen, and it's surprising how positively it impacts using the product. Really makes it feel secure in the hand--even with gloves on. It also makes it feel like it could take much more of a beating than others--like if I drop this thing, it'll just bounce once and that's it. If I drop others, the case will crack or have a permanent scar. Again, I know it doesn't matter as much as how well it performs--but sometimes when you're trying to make a decision, it's nice to know which one simply "feels" nicer or stronger than others. This is the one.
Using it is really the best part though. It has been nothing but impressive so far. Granted, I have only jumpstarted my motorcycle so far--but it's a high compression 4-cylinder, so don't underestimate what that means. My old jump box would work for my 4-cylinder truck (low compression, Ford Ranger, 2.3L) but couldn't turn over the bike (Honda 919, 0.9L) unless it had JUST been topped off. Even then, it barely had enough umph for one or two crank attempts.
This little guy was at 75% when I tried it, started the bike right up. Went to work, bike was dead again, started it up again that afternoon. 2 days later, same thing. Not even a struggle.
4 jump starts so far and the charge indicator is still above 70%. If I come across an opportunity, I will try this on a diesel pickup and report back. Incredibly impressed so far. Without hesitation, I can say this is the best jump starter I've ever used--including the giant industrial-grade ones we have for jumpstarting bulldozers and track-hoes.
Bottom lines:
-I did a lot of research; I chose this because it seemed like the BEST of those I looked at; and now that I got it, I'm ecstatic with the purchase.
-If you're in the market for a jump starter and you're feeling drawn by those cheap, non-lithium, gargantuan boxes--please just don't. The first time you meet someone with one of these you're going to feel like a fool for that purchase--no matter how cheap.
-If you're looking at the cheaper, super-plasticy lithium ones--consider that going with this guy gets you 600A of cranking power and that wonderful rubberized casing. Worth the extra bones IMO.
-If you know nothing of jump boxes and don't care to know--but need a gift for your gearhead dad/son/uncle/brother--get this. It's amazing. They will be super impressed with your choice.
Thanks for reading! Hope this helped your decision!
January 3, 2017
Rugged Geek's portable jump starter/power supply units are excellent products. I have bought several of them for home and work. I've used them on two occasions: the first time I used an RG500 unit to jumpstart a Chevy Silverado; the RG500 had been sitting in my trunk for months, but it still had a 69% charge and started the truck with no problem. The jump only took about 10% of the charge out of the RG500. Recently, my work vehicle, a 2008 Ford Crown Victoria, had a dead battery. In years past, I would have to move items out of the garage in order to make space for another vehicle to be positioned close enough for extended battery jumper cables to reach or put the Crown Vic in neutral and push it out of the garage. Both maneuvers were tricky and a PITA. Now, I just hook up the RG500 and presto, my vehicle is up and running.
I purchased four RG1000s and am looking forward to having a bit of extra power in case I ever need to jumpstart a larger vehicle. My only complaint was with myself: the RG500 came in a nice, hard plastic case that contained the RG500 and accessories. The RG1000 units came in a tough cardboard box with a pouch as the two options for storage. I probably would have ordered the RG1000 Safety Plus mainly for the hard case, but the RG1000 unit will fit in most glove compartments in the pouch, which is how I now plan to store the units. I just purchased one RG1000 Safety Plus to give the air compressor a try and check out the case that comes with that unit. All in all, great units. The current smaller unit is the RG600, which replaced the RG500, and it has more than enough juice to jumpstart the majority of passenger vehicles out there. It still comes in a hard plastic case. The RG1000 has more power, but stores either in the included pouch or cardboard box and the third option is the RG1000 Safety Plus that has the air compressor and the case. You can't go wrong with any of the three products, but just be sure you take the time to order the one that suits your needs the best.
I purchased four RG1000s and am looking forward to having a bit of extra power in case I ever need to jumpstart a larger vehicle. My only complaint was with myself: the RG500 came in a nice, hard plastic case that contained the RG500 and accessories. The RG1000 units came in a tough cardboard box with a pouch as the two options for storage. I probably would have ordered the RG1000 Safety Plus mainly for the hard case, but the RG1000 unit will fit in most glove compartments in the pouch, which is how I now plan to store the units. I just purchased one RG1000 Safety Plus to give the air compressor a try and check out the case that comes with that unit. All in all, great units. The current smaller unit is the RG600, which replaced the RG500, and it has more than enough juice to jumpstart the majority of passenger vehicles out there. It still comes in a hard plastic case. The RG1000 has more power, but stores either in the included pouch or cardboard box and the third option is the RG1000 Safety Plus that has the air compressor and the case. You can't go wrong with any of the three products, but just be sure you take the time to order the one that suits your needs the best.
January 18, 2018
Update 10/20/18 After 10 months of having this device I still haven't had to jump my truck but I have used it more for inflating tires and general USB charging. After months of being in my truck it was at 91%. Today I put it to a use I wasn't sure it could handle-winterizing my RV. Let me explain. The deep cycle battery on my RV gets zapped in just a few days and I hadn't used my RV trailer in a few months so it was completely dead. Cold weather is coming tonight so it was time to pump the water lines in the trailer full of antifreeze. Well, past time but I always seem to wait to do it until the last minute. Anyway, to do that I need 12 volt power from the battery to run the trailer's water pump. It would have been a real pain to work gates by myself and not let horses out to get my truck to where the trailer is to use its battery for power so I decided I would try the Rugged Geek. I hooked it up just like I would if I were trying to jump a car and I had instant power to my water pump. I figured that would be the case momentarily but wasn't sure it would continually provide 12v power to the jumper cables. It takes about 20 minutes to flush the system with antifreeze. Not only did it make the pump function perfectly for the whole chore, it didn't even drop a percent in charge when I was finished. I am amazed and relieved and a very happy customer. It's great to know I can use it as a back up power source for my RV trailer! There have been many times I needed 12 volt power in it for little things like lights or the water pump and had to really go out of my way to solve the problem. Now the problem solver resides in a tidy black case in my truck. I am so glad I spent the extra money to buy quality and proven (to me) versatility! Please don't think this will fully power your trailer-it just provides enough emergency oomph for smaller tasks. To me, that is totally a selling point!
Original review-So far I have only used it as a power bank and to inflate tires, not to jump. It doesn't inflate tires very quickly but it does get the job done eventually. I was able to air all of my tires up considerably (cold snap zapped my PSI) on a single charge. My manufacturer's PSI is 75 and I've found that gas station machines don't always go that high so I've ended up with net losses in PSI when paying for air. This way I can do it on my schedule anywhere and it is powerful enough to inflate my tires to the proper PSI. I have a F250 V10 gas engine truck and had a hard time finding a jump start unit that was approved for an engine that big. This one is rated to cover my truck and stores neatly in a compact case. I like the peace of mind it gives me as my battery is getting older.
Original review-So far I have only used it as a power bank and to inflate tires, not to jump. It doesn't inflate tires very quickly but it does get the job done eventually. I was able to air all of my tires up considerably (cold snap zapped my PSI) on a single charge. My manufacturer's PSI is 75 and I've found that gas station machines don't always go that high so I've ended up with net losses in PSI when paying for air. This way I can do it on my schedule anywhere and it is powerful enough to inflate my tires to the proper PSI. I have a F250 V10 gas engine truck and had a hard time finding a jump start unit that was approved for an engine that big. This one is rated to cover my truck and stores neatly in a compact case. I like the peace of mind it gives me as my battery is getting older.
February 17, 2017
This is far and above the most efficient portable power source I've ever used. It wins in a few categories.
1) TINY: Its literally the size on an iPhone 7 Plus, amazing. There is no empty space in this enclosure and it shows. If you use its little bag you can easily stick it into a glove compartments or small emergency case in the trunk.
2) Build quality: The smallness of it directly reflects the precision of its build quality. Switches are tight and snappy, it feels like a solid brick, not a hollow box and it even is encased in a no-slip rubber enclosure that ensures it will stay where you put it. Details like this are super important when jumping your car in dicey circumstances, like in the snow that time your battery died when you left the headlights on when you went skiing with your family and it was really cold out and everyone got mad at you.. but I digress..
3) Powerful! The 1000A will take care just about all of your needs.
It does have one huge huge downside: Once your kids know it has a USB port they will forever try to sneak it during long car drives to power their ipads so they can play games. :) Thats ok though, it has power to spare.
One last point is just a testimonial to the thoughtfulness of Rugged Geek: IT ARRIVED CHARGED! Thats a class act right there.
Its strange to give a battery with some simple electronics wrapped around it such a personal review but once you've been stuck and its saved you it becomes a deeply appreciated piece of kit.
1) TINY: Its literally the size on an iPhone 7 Plus, amazing. There is no empty space in this enclosure and it shows. If you use its little bag you can easily stick it into a glove compartments or small emergency case in the trunk.
2) Build quality: The smallness of it directly reflects the precision of its build quality. Switches are tight and snappy, it feels like a solid brick, not a hollow box and it even is encased in a no-slip rubber enclosure that ensures it will stay where you put it. Details like this are super important when jumping your car in dicey circumstances, like in the snow that time your battery died when you left the headlights on when you went skiing with your family and it was really cold out and everyone got mad at you.. but I digress..
3) Powerful! The 1000A will take care just about all of your needs.
It does have one huge huge downside: Once your kids know it has a USB port they will forever try to sneak it during long car drives to power their ipads so they can play games. :) Thats ok though, it has power to spare.
One last point is just a testimonial to the thoughtfulness of Rugged Geek: IT ARRIVED CHARGED! Thats a class act right there.
Its strange to give a battery with some simple electronics wrapped around it such a personal review but once you've been stuck and its saved you it becomes a deeply appreciated piece of kit.
January 3, 2019
I like the size of the unit. I have already used it to help an elderly lady jump start her car at a local grocery store. I noticed her standing by the side of her car and she seemed uncertain as to what to do so I approached her to make sure she was OK. She was just trying to determine what to do next to get her car started. The easy answer was this booster unit.
I had just gotten this unit from Amazon a few days earlier. While the unit showed 88% charged, I hooked it up to the remote jump starting posts on her Chrysler and the car started right up. It sure is easier than getting a vehicle close enough and dragging the jumper cables out. In a matter of two minutes, I had her on her way and reminded her to not shut her car off until she was home safe or where ever she was headed. I also reminded her that her car would likely not start the next time until the battery was replaced.
I have also used this to start a diesel tractor and full sized SUV and I am still on the original charge. I haven't noticed any problems with the terminal clamps and I have used them several times. They are stiff and they are small to keep this unit as portable as possible. You don't have to force the clamp open over the entire terminal on the battery, put it on the metal portion of the terminal at the end of the cable where it hooks to the lead terminal which goes over the actual terminal. You just need to make a connection, not span the entire battery terminal. Just make sure its a clamped connection so you don't get sparks which you never want near the battery.
I like the size of the unit. I like the digital display. I like the USB and other charging and jumping ports. The LED flashlight is handy as I used it to help see and read the labels on her cars remote starting terminals. The only thing I didn't like was I now see the same unit is sold with a carrying case.
I had just ordered a carrying case for the unit today at a cost of about $25 when I noticed this unit claims "New for 2019" and the case is included and the new jumper cables and clamps. I think I have had my jump starter / booster for about 2 weeks and now the upgraded model comes with a case which I had to pay $25 to purchase. That's my only complaint with the unit or any of it's features or designs.
I guess that's life. Had I not bought it when I did, I wouldn't have been able to help the lady who needed it as I didn't have my jumper cables with me. In the end, the unit works great, charged quickly to 100% with the wall charger cord.
Would I recommend others buy this unit? Certainly, in fact I already have.
I had just gotten this unit from Amazon a few days earlier. While the unit showed 88% charged, I hooked it up to the remote jump starting posts on her Chrysler and the car started right up. It sure is easier than getting a vehicle close enough and dragging the jumper cables out. In a matter of two minutes, I had her on her way and reminded her to not shut her car off until she was home safe or where ever she was headed. I also reminded her that her car would likely not start the next time until the battery was replaced.
I have also used this to start a diesel tractor and full sized SUV and I am still on the original charge. I haven't noticed any problems with the terminal clamps and I have used them several times. They are stiff and they are small to keep this unit as portable as possible. You don't have to force the clamp open over the entire terminal on the battery, put it on the metal portion of the terminal at the end of the cable where it hooks to the lead terminal which goes over the actual terminal. You just need to make a connection, not span the entire battery terminal. Just make sure its a clamped connection so you don't get sparks which you never want near the battery.
I like the size of the unit. I like the digital display. I like the USB and other charging and jumping ports. The LED flashlight is handy as I used it to help see and read the labels on her cars remote starting terminals. The only thing I didn't like was I now see the same unit is sold with a carrying case.
I had just ordered a carrying case for the unit today at a cost of about $25 when I noticed this unit claims "New for 2019" and the case is included and the new jumper cables and clamps. I think I have had my jump starter / booster for about 2 weeks and now the upgraded model comes with a case which I had to pay $25 to purchase. That's my only complaint with the unit or any of it's features or designs.
I guess that's life. Had I not bought it when I did, I wouldn't have been able to help the lady who needed it as I didn't have my jumper cables with me. In the end, the unit works great, charged quickly to 100% with the wall charger cord.
Would I recommend others buy this unit? Certainly, in fact I already have.
