Rockpals Vs Jackery Vs Goal Zero: Best Compact Solar Power Stations for Off-Grid Power

It is a time the portable solar power market is robust with a lot of heavy-duty and modular power stations and modular home backup systems. Well, if you are looking at buying a compact and small solar power station, we have impressive brands like Rockpals, Jackery, and Goal Zero.

In this article on Rockpals Vs Jackery Vs Goal Zero, we would like to check out the best products from the brands. Hence, you will get an insight into buying the right model for your next exploration into the wild.

Rockpals is a notable vendor of compact solar power stations and solar panels. Jackery and Goal Zero also lead the market with their Explorer and Yeti compact and mid-range power stations.

We would like to have a go-through of the best-seller compact power stations of the brands in this article.

THE BEST-SELLER COMPACT POWER STATIONS

Rockpals 500W Portable Power Station

• 505Wh Compact Solar Power Station.
• 500W/750W Pure Sine Wave Inverter.
• Dual AC Sockets and Multiple USB Ports.
• Three USBs and a PD 45W USB-C Port.

Jackery Explorer 500 Solar Power Station

• 518Wh Compact Solar Power Station.
• One AC Socket, Multiple USB-A Ports.
• 12V Car Socket and Dual DC Outlets.
• Highly Portable and Stylish Design.

Goal Zero Yeti 500X Solar Power Station

• 505Wh Compact Solar Power Station.
• 300W Inverter with 500W Surge Power.
• Dual 120V AC Outlets, Multiple USB Ports.
• 12V Carport and Dual DC Sockets.
• Highly Compact and Portable Device.

Rockpals Vs Jackery Vs Goal Zero Compact Solar Power Stations

All the brands feature very popular models of compact solar power stations. In our take on Rockpals Vs Jackery Vs Goal Zero, we would like to have a look at those models in detail. For Rockapls, it is a 505Wh Rockpals 500, while for Jackery, it is Explorer 500, and for Goal Zero, it is Yeti 500X.

We will cover all the important factors about those devices, including the features, specs, portability, and price. So, it will hopefully help you much in finding the best model for your requirements and budget.

Rockpals 500W Portable Power Station

Rockpals 500 or RP500 is the brand’s well-known compact solar power station. It is a 505Wh highly portable and lightweight solar power generator with a 500W inverter and surge capacity of 750 watts.

Coming to the specs, the device integrates a pair of 110V pure sine wave AC sockets, a 12V regulated carport, three USB ports with one Quick Charge unit, and a 45W USB-C Power Delivery port.

With a pass-through charging speed of 117 watts, you can charge it from a solar panel at a faster pace. Meanwhile, other than the solar option, you can also go for multiple other methods like a wall socket or carport to juice up the Rockpals power station.

Rockpals itself offers suitable solar panels for the device and it also has on sale the power station in various kits with solar panels.

Besides RP500, Rockpals offers power stations in two entry-level variants namely Rockpals 300 and Rockpals 250.

Compatible Solar Charger

Along with a handful of solar power stations, the brand sells the solar panels required for its products. For Rockpals 500, the brand’s four-fold 100W mono solar charge is a fine choice.

With a higher conversion rate of 23.5%, it can charge your RP500 or any other compact power station from other vendors in a few hours under a bright sun. The solar panel comes with an adapter kit and ten various connectors.

Apart from the DC socket, the solar panel also features an 18W USB QC 3.0 output with built-in smart safety chips. So, you can use it to charge your handsets and other USB devices directly under the sun.

The solar panel has a size of ‎64.5 x 20.5 x 1.2 in and it weighs 5.1 lbs.

• 505Wh Compact Solar Power Station.
• 500W/750W Pure Sine Wave Inverter.
• Dual AC Sockets and Multiple USB Ports.
• Three USBs and a PD 45W USB-C Port.
• Highly Compact and Portable Power Station.
• Solid and Built-in Handle for Easy Handling. 
• 100W Four-Fold Mono Solar Charger.

Jackery Explorer 500 Solar Power Station

Next, we have Jackery and its compact power station, the Explorer 500.

It is one of the most selling models of the brand with a lot of takers across the world. With a 518Wh lithium battery pack and a 500W inverter under the hood, it is indeed a reliable off-grid power backup system.

The Explorer 500 features a solid structure and a compact design with an inbuilt handle. You can easily manage the device out in the wild and in your camping and outdoor adventures.

Though featuring a little bigger battery than its Rockpals’ alternative, the Explorer integrates only one single AC socket and it doesn’t come up with a USB-C PD port. Instead, it features three USB-A ports, one DC carport, and a pair of regular DC outlets apart from a single AC socket.

Portability is indeed the key thing with the Jackery device. Having the size of only a basketball, it is a very handy and compact machine for someone to carry it along on your trips and travels.

With a unit of Explorer 500 in your RV, boat, or trailer alongside a suitable solar charger, you can make it into the wild with no more worries and explore the newer worlds with no fear.

Besides Explorer 500, Jackery offers a wide range of entry-level and mid-range solar power stations, which include Explorer 240, Explorer 300, Explorer 1000, and Explorer 1500.

Compatible Solar Charger

Jackery sells a series of SolarSaga solar panels for its power stations.

For its Explorer 500, the brand’s 100W SolarSaga 100 is the right choice. It is a two-fold mono solar charger with solid edges and a TPE rubber handle.

The solar charger is made of highly efficient mono solar cells that can convert up to 23% of the power. Thanks to its solid kickstands, you can place it anywhere firmly and get access to the sunlight for faster charging of your power station. Check out the SolarSaga 100 solar charger below.

The Jackery solar charger is highly durable and is made of splash-proof materials. Thanks to its ETFE lamination, you can use it roughly in various outdoor conditions with no worries.

Jackery also offers its solar panel in other options like 60W and 200W, respectively SolarSaga 60 and SolarSaga 200. Moreover, Jackery sells the bundles of Explorer power stations with the SolarSaga solar panels under the branding Explorer Solar Generators.

• 518Wh Compact Solar Power Station.
• One AC Socket, Multiple USB-A Ports.
• 12V Car Socket and Dual DC Outlets.
• Highly Portable and Stylish Design. 
• Strong Built-in Carrying Handle.
• LED Flashlight for Campers.
• 100W Folding Mono Solar Charger.

Goal Zero Yeti 500X Solar Power Station

Finally, we have Goal Zero’s super-performer Yeti 500X.

It is the brand’s compact power station with a 505Wh lithium battery pack and is, of course, the model that comes out to be the ideal competitor to Rockpals 500 and Explorer 500 in the Goal Zero Yeti line-up.

The Goal Zero device has a 300W inverter with a surge of 500W. That is a point where the product falls short of its above-mentioned rivaling products; the Rockpals 500 and Explorer 500.

The Yeti 500X is capable of powering up a wide range of your devices and handsets, thanks to its multiple outlets. Well, the device integrates a pair of 120V AC outlets, two USB-A ports, one USB-C outlet, and a 12V DC socket.

Besides Yeti 500X, the brand has on sale a wide range of models in its latest series of lithium power stations.

They include the entry-level Yeti 200X, mid-range Yeti 1000X and Yeti 1500X, and high-capacity models like Yeti 3000X and Yeti 6000X.

The Yeti X series is actually the brand’s third generation of solar power stations. Goal Zero was the first brand to come up with the full-fledged solar power station with its Yeti lead-acid series more than a decade ago.

Compatible Solar Charger

As a pioneer in the portable solar power market, Goal Zero offers various solar panel options for its power stations. For Yeti 500X, a 100-watt solar panel is a fine choice and the brand has got both metal-and-glass and fabric-based folding solar panels in that capacity.

Coming to the traditional solar panels, Boulder 100 is the best choice. You can choose this model if you are looking to carry it in your RVs, campervans, and boats.

Or if you want it for camping or hiking, a fabric-based Nomad solar charger is the finest choice with Yeti 500X.

Both the solar panels from the brand are highly efficient in solar conversion rate. You can rely on them to get enough juice to power up your backup system and other devices under the sun.

• 505Wh Compact Solar Power Station.
• 300W Inverter with 500W Surge Power.
• Dual 120V AC Outlets, Multiple USB Ports.
• 12V Carport and Dual DC Sockets.
• Highly Compact and Portable Device.
• 100W Metal and Fabric Solar Panels.

What to Buy

As you see, all the Rockpals, Jackery, and Goal Zero products are compact power stations with storage capacities of around 500-watt hours.

They are all highly portable and lightweight devices and so are suitable for a variety of off-grid applications.

But Yeti 500X, the costliest of the trio, has only a 300W power inverter, while both of its rivaling models sport 500W inverters. As per Goal Zero, it has included a much more reliable inverter inside its machine.

However, the total output is indeed less compared to its alternatives. When it comes to price, you have Rockpals as the winner, which is nearly $200 cheaper than the Yeti and $100 cheaper than the Jackery.

Final Thoughts

That has been our take on the Rockpals Vs Jackery Vs Goal Zero compact solar power stations. We have covered the compact models of the brands in much detail along with the compatible solar chargers. Share your thoughts about the products in the comments below.