LuminAID PackLite Max Review (Bought & Tested!)

This is my LuminAID PackLite Max lantern review. I put this solar lantern through many different tests (15 in total for this post), all of which you’ll find below.

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Quick Summary

Overall, I thought that the LuminAID PackLite Max was a solid solar-powered lantern. However, I much prefer LuminAID’s PackLite Titan instead, it was many more features than the Max, so that’s the one I would recommend.

(See below for a comprehensive overview of the Titan V.S. Max.)

RELATED: Best Rechargeable LED Lanterns

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Check out the LuminAID PackLite Max:

1. In the Box

I picked the PackLite Max 2-in-1 up from REI Co-Op during one of their 20% off sales, and here’s what it looked like when it arrived in the mail:

Here’s everything I got in the box after buying the PackLite Max:

• The lantern

• Instructions

• Charging cable

2. Inflation and Deflation

To inflate the PackLite Max, open the air valve at the bottom of the lantern, then simply breathe into it. It takes only one breath to inflate fully.

After that, cap the valve, and push it back into the lantern until it’s flushed with the surface.

Deflation is the exact opposite, just squeeze it to push the air out. Then, once it’s deflated enough, twist the lantern 90 degrees to get the fabric tucked in.

3. Lighting Modes

The power button at the top of the PackLite Max 2-in-1 turns the light on and off, and also cycles through the five brightness settings / light modes, which are these:

• Turbo mode

• High mode

• Medium mode

• Low mode

• Flashing mode

Note: If you don’t like discrete brightness levels, and prefer continuous brightness adjustment instead, check out lanterns like the Goal Zero Lighthouse Core.

4. Lumen Outputs

Now, what is the lumen output for each of the light modes? Here are the official specs, and also what I tested using a lux meter:

Light Mode	Official Specs (Lumens)	My Testing (Lumens)
Turbo	150	196
High	75	110
Medium	18	56
Low	15	21
Flashing	15	21

I think the official specs are quite accurate, and you actually get about 30 to 50% a brighter output than you’d expect.

I would’ve also liked the low brightness settings to be dimmer.

5. Run Times

And how long do these modes run for? Of course, I tested this as well:

Light Mode	Official Specs	My Testing
Turbo	3-5 hours	4.75 hours
Low	44-50 hours	39 hours

6. Lighting Area

Now, what is the total lighting area of the PackLite Max 2-in-1 when it’s on the brightest setting?

I measured it using the same lux meter, and got these results:

• Shine radius: 6.0ft./1.84m

• Lighting area: 144 sq. ft

• Coleman WeatherMaster 10: 143.6 sq. ft

It’s very decent, and can light up even a 10-person tent.

7. Light Color

I thought the light color in the Max was a little bit harsh, it’s a cool white that’s about 5900 to 6500K in color temperature, which isn’t my favorite. There’s no red light mode.

8. Battery Indicator Lights

To see how much battery you have left in your PackLite Max 2-in-1 Power Lantern, just press the output button, and the green battery indicator lights will come on.

Here are my test results when I ran my low brightness run-time test:

• 4 lights: 100%

• 3 lights: 100%

• 2 lights: 49%

• 1 light: 27%

• 0 lights: 0%

Honestly, not the most accurate, and kind of temperamental sometimes. But overall, not a very big deal.

9. USB Input

Inside the port cap of the Max, you’ll find 2 ports inside. One is a micro-USB for charging the lantern, and the other is the output for charging your mobile phone and other devices. (That’s why it’s called a 2-in-1 phone charger.)

Here’s what to takeaway:

• When I used the provided cable to charge my Max up, it took me about 1.5 hours, which is nice and short.

• A fast charge of just 30 minutes will give you 2/3 of the battery capacity, also a nice feature.

10. USB Output

To activate the USB output, plug your phone in, with your phone cable, and press the output button.

When I used the Max to recharge my iPhone 12, here are my results:

• Starting charge: 20%

• Ending charge: 68%

• Total charge: 48%

• Time taken: 58 minutes

• Leftover light: 4 hours on low mode

Overall, not the best as a phone charging because of the relatively low battery capacity. It charges phones only about 0.5 times their battery capacity.

11. Solar Charging

On top of the USB input for charging, you can also use the solar panel at the top for charging via solar power.

When I charged my Max for 12 hours under the sun (7AM to 7PM), I got about 30%.

To get a full charge on the Max, you’d need about 3 average days of sun.

If you get direct sunlight, it would charge faster than 3 days. If it’s too cloudy, it’ll take longer than 3 days.

This is a great feature to have in a pinch during a power outage, or to keep as a spare sustainable light in your car’s glove compartment.

12. Hand Strap

The Max also has an orange hand strap at the top, which is adjustable, and you can use a carabiner to hang it at the top of the tent.

13. Waterproofing

As for the IP rating of this PackLite Max, that comes in at IP67, which means that it can be submerged in water up to 1 meter, for up to 30 minutes.

So, I tested my Max out in a pool for 30 minutes. It was super buoyant, so I couldn’t get it to stay down. But after the 30 minutes, it was still working great:

I saw a single drop of water inside the port cap, but other than that, it was great. No water in the ports themselves. Decently waterproof.

14. Drop Testing

I’ve dropped my Max from hand height dozens of times, and you can drop it down a small slope, have it bounce off a rock, and still have it working perfectly fine:

15. Portability

The PackLite Max 2-in-1 phone charger solar lantern weighs about 7.7 ounces or about 219 grams.

The deflated packed size comes in at 5.9 x 5.9 x 1 inches, which is 15 x 15 x 2.5 centimeters.

A great choice for a compact and lightweight solar lantern, for sure.

16. Max V.S. Titan Comparison

Now, exactly why do I think the Max is not great compared to the Titan? Simply put, the Titan just beats the Max in almost every single test.

Differences	PackLite Titan	PackLite Max
Inflation Method	Twist	Breath
Inflation Timing	2 seconds	10 seconds
Light Modes	10 modes	5 modes
Red Light Mode?	Yes	No
Battery Capacity	4,000 mAh	2,000 mAh
iPhone 12 Charge	82%	48%
Max Brightness	316 lumens	196 lumens
Tested Run-Time on Dimmest	250 hours	39 hours
Min Brightness	1 lumen	21 lumens
Lighting Area	211 sq. ft.	144 sq. ft.
Lights up	Small campsite	10-person tent
USB Charge Time	2 hours	1.5 hours
Solar Panel Size	4.0 x 4.0 in	3.1 x 3.1 in
Puncture-Proof?	Yes	No
Emergency Mode	SOS	Flashing
Hand-Strap	Velcro	Plastic snap-on
Weight	11.9 oz	7.7 oz

Note: The only tests that the Max beat the Titan is in the USB charge time (it takes 30 minutes less to charge), and in weight (it weighs 4.2 ounces less). (These 2 tests have been highlighted in the table above.)

That’s why the LuminAID PackLite Titan is the perfect solar lantern for power outages, in your emergency kit, for your off-grid trip, camping trip, or even during the storm season.

17. Bonus – MUST Read!

If you want to see how these LuminAID lanterns (Max AND Titan) compare to other rechargeable LED lanterns or solar lanterns out there, check out these blog posts:

• 12 Best Rechargeable LED Camping Lights

• Best Solar Lanterns (TBA)

Want me to review other LuminAID lights? Feel free to reach out to request them on my YouTube channel 🙂

Otherwise, check out the LuminAID PackLite Max: