EcoFlow Trail Plus 300 DC Review: A Portable Charger That Gets Everything Right
A compact and lightweight charging solution for use at home and on the go.
Image Caption: Photo Credit: Kraig Becker
When we first reviewed the EcoFlow Trail Series 300 DC portable power station back in September, we lauded it for its small size and weight. The device puts an emphasis on portability—not to mention affordability—while still managing to keep our favorite gadgets and small appliances running while on the go. Since then, the company has continued to expand the Trail Series by adding new models and variations that expand on that formula. The latest addition to that lineup is the EcoFlow Trail Plus 300, which distinguishes itself in several interesting ways, including doubling as a lantern.
Photo Credit: Kraig Becker
A Refined Portable Charger
If you’ve already read our review of the Trail Series 300 DC, the new Trail Plus 300 model takes everything we loved about the original and further refines the design. The portable charger offers a 288 watt-hour storage capacity and an output of up to 300 watts. That slots it in nicely between EcoFlow’s larger and heavier power stations and its small line of battery banks, filling a space that had previously been neglected.
The Trail Plus model ships with an impressive set of charging ports for keeping your personal devices running. It comes with two 12-watt USB-A ports and three 140-watt USB-C ports, which are perfect for use with modern smartphones, tablets, laptops, and a wide variety of other electronic gadgets. A 12-volt vehicle port adds additional versatility, but unlike EcoFlow’s larger power stations, the Trail Series doesn’t include an AC outlet of any kind. The decision to drop that port was integral for keeping the Trail Series chargers compact, lightweight, and affordably priced.
Like its predecessor, the EcoFlow Trail Plus 300 has multiple ports for recharging its internal battery. Those include a dedicated port for a solar panel, the aforementioned 12V vehicle port, and bi-directional USB-C ports. The fastest way to recharge the unit is by plugging in dual 140W USB-C chargers, which can replenish the power cell in a little over an hour. Charging in your car takes closer to 2.5 hours, while using a solar panel varies depending on the angle of the sun, cloud cover, shade, and so on. Still, during our testing, we were able to top off the battery in about 2 hours and 45 minutes using a 100W solar panel on a fairly bright and sunny day. We’d also be remiss if we didn’t point out that the Trail Plus doesn’t ship with a charger of any kind. EcoFlow is happy to sell you one separately, but chances are you already have a few USB-C chargers at your disposal.
Despite its small size, the Trail Plus delivers plenty of power. The portable charger offers enough battery life to recharge a smartphone up to 16 times, a tablet up to eight times, and a laptop as many as five times. EcoFlow says it will also power a 12-volt electric cooler for 20+ hours or a strip of LED lights for more than 70 hours. In other words, it has enough juice to keep you functioning on the go for several days at a time.
Photo Credit: Kraig Becker
Worthy Upgrades
Performance-wise, the Trail Series 300 models are nearly indistinguishable from one another, but the Trail Plus version does deliver some nice upgrades that make it worthy of consideration. The most obvious of those is the built-in camp lantern, which is activated by pressing a dedicated button found on the top. The light is bright, but nicely diffused, creating a nice ambient setting at the campsite. Pressing the power button multiple times even cycles through three different warmth levels and a blinking SOS mode.
One of our favorite features of the Trail Plus portable charger is its hidden USB-C charging cable. Using a bit of clever design and engineering, EcoFlow integrated said cable into the unit’s handle, which detaches with the twist of a couple of fasteners. This means you always have a way to connect most modern devices to the power station, even when you’ve accidentally left your regular charging cords at home. The handle itself features a rugged rubber grip, quite possibly making this the most durable USB-C cable you’ll ever see.
Another upgrade over the previous Trail Series models is connectivity with the EcoFlow app. This allows users to monitor power in and out, as well as current battery levels, remotely. While that’s fairly standard fare on larger power stations, it isn’t something you necessarily expect from a device of this size and price point. A button on the front of the Trail Plus also adds the ability to turn the integrated display on and off and cycle through a low-current mode, both of which can help further extend battery life when needed.
It should also be noted that despite adding an excellent camp lantern, a rugged handle/USB-C cable, and a few other features, the Trail Plus actually weighs less than its sibling. The Trail 300 DC tips the scales at 5.69 lbs, while the newer model comes in at a svelte 4.96 lbs. Cutting more than a half-pound from its weight is certainly impressive in its own right.
Photo Credit: EcoFlow
A Great Camp Companion
When we wrote our review for the Trail Series 300, we asked who the portable charger was for. We answered that question by saying it was squarely aimed at anyone who needed on-the-go power, but didn’t want a big, bulky, or pricey power station. The same can easily be said about the Trail Plus, only more so.
EcoFlow’s latest model has an even more clearly defined identity than its predecessor. With its integrated lantern, the Trail Plus is the perfect option for tent, car, and RV campers, not to mention overlanders. Its size, weight, and utility make it a great option for use around the campsite, although it will certainly come in handy at home, too.
On the one hand, this is a relatively no-frills device that single-mindedly focuses on delivering charging capabilities, with a few extra features that expand its value proposition. But that focus is also what makes it great, delivering everything you need in a single device that is compact, well built, and easy to carry. If that’s what you’re looking for in a portable charging solution, there are no downsides here. And as already noted, the Trail Series nicely fills a gap between bigger, bulkier power stations and smaller, less powerful battery banks. Each of those product categories fills an important need, and we’re glad they all exist. We’re also glad that EcoFlow recognized the need for this “in-between” category and has executed this first generation lineup so expertly.
As of this writing, the new EcoFlow Trail Plus 300 has not gone on sale yet, but is expected to start shipping in early 2026 at a $299.99 price point. That means it will arrive well ahead of the spring camping season, when it will undoubtedly become the most popular gadget at the campsite. Watch the EcoFlow website for updates and sign up to get email notifications when this portable charger becomes available. It will definitely be worth the wait.
Kraig Becker is a writer in the RV, outdoors, and adventure travel space. Over the course of his career he has contributed to such outlets as Popular Mechanics, Outside Online, Business Insider, TripSavvy, Digital Trends, GearJunkie, The Adventure Blog, and countless others. An avid runner and cyclist, he enjoys camping, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and just about any other outdoor activity. His travels have taken him to seven continents and on many amazing adventures.
