Portable Power Station (EcoFlow River 2 Pro Review)
Two years ago, I didn’t know I’d soon purchase the beautiful EcoFlow River Pro 2 portable power station or that I’d be grateful for it every day since. But it happened. And I am.
At that time, we decided we’d travel regionally for a while—slowly and full-time—on the West Coast of North America. We started in my partner’s “Tiny Camper,” later aboard his sailboat.
Just as we headed down the winding West Coast roads of North America, my partner mentioned that it might be wise to shop for a portable power station.
Internally, I thought it would be unnecessary to own such a thing, as it couldn’t fit in my luggage.
At that time, I was charging our phones in my partner’s automobile’s DC outlet (the old cigarette lighter) and charging the computer at coffee shops and libraries wherever we roamed.
I was good with that, even though the reality was already revealing challenges I hadn’t imagined.
First, we are slow travelers, so we visit one place for a long time. If we’re doing that, we’re not driving the auto enough to charge anything.
Second, coffee shops and libraries were often full of others working there, while charging their electronics. Public power outlets, it seemed, were becoming limited.
Still, I thought I’d continue to live with that reality.
So it was funny when, as we made our way, my partner mentioned his plan to stop by the legacy flagship REI store in downtown Seattle to check out their Labor Day sale.
I responded, slightly panicked, with something like, “Oh my God, as long as I don’t have to go in. I really don’t want to navigate all that.”
I might have also said, “I hope an earthquake doesn’t hit while I’m waiting in the giant layers of their parking garage, as I fear being crushed in exactly that scenario.”
He was so happy to go inside REI.
Shortly thereafter, he came running back to me, where I immediately felt guilty, thinking he rushed his REI experience just because I revealed my long-held fear about earthquakes and parking garages, proving to myself (once again) why I must practice being mindful.
That’s when he said, “You need to get out of the car and go into REI and look at the portable power stations on sale. Right now!”
No ands, ifs, or buts about it. He refused to let me refuse, even though I pleaded a bit.
I reminded him that I truly didn’t want to navigate Labor Day Sale crowds.
I reminded him that a portable power station would never fit in my luggage, so there was no need for me to ever own one.
I reminded him that I don’t enjoy shopping for electrical items unless they look pretty to me, and I had never seen a pretty portable power station.
He reminded me that a portable power station could be stored inside his “Tiny Camper” or sailboat, the two places where I most needed power and where I clearly didn’t have enough of it.
He reminded me that I’d regret not looking at all the sale options, which would allow me to (at least) begin the necessary research and price comparisons.
He reminded me that it would be a matter of minutes before the portable power stations inside REI would be sold/out of stock, and that I’d then be stuck paying full price once I finally accepted that I needed to find a way to supply myself with power.
I needed to accept my fate, he was telling me. A fate where little power would be available to me, everywhere we were headed … for, possibly, several years.
His reminders pried me out of the car, at which point I took unenthusiastic steps through the parking garage, toward REI.
Internally, I still thought there was no way I would actually buy a portable power station, especially in a rushed moment—even if perfectly priced, knowing I needed every bit of its power.
I just don’t operate that way.
Walking into REI, I had no clue who made portable power stations or what all, exactly, those portable power stations could truly do. I just knew I’d not seen any pretty ones.
I couldn’t make heads or tails of what I was looking at when I saw the table, in the middle of REI, holding just a few remnants of portable power stations still available at Labor Day prices.
So I asked an REI employee to help me understand those foreign things. Then I saw a pretty one that caught my eye. Then the employee compared that pretty one with all the others.
Based on the education I received from the REI employee, plus the research I conducted on the internet during that hour of contemplation, the pretty portable power station appeared to be perfect for my needs.
It wasn’t too small for me. It wasn’t too big for me.
It provided plenty of power for my needs, and then some.
Its size would easily fit anywhere in the “Tiny Camper” or sailboat.
It had a handle and weight that allowed me to lift it safely.
It had a shape and color I would enjoy looking at (compared to others available).
That’s when REI discovered they’d just sold that very last EcoFlow unit in Seattle, but they had one in Bellevue, which they’d hold for me. My partner eagerly drove us to Bellevue to pick it up.
Because I bought the EcoFlow River Pro 2 on sale, I saved nearly 40% on my purchase (the Pick Up Slip below didn’t yet reflect my final price). Saving that much money still makes me smile.
I’ve since discovered that EcoFlow holds sales throughout the year on its own website. I actually would have purchased from EcoFlow directly, had I known, but I didn’t know anything back then.
I also recently appreciated reading more about EcoFlow in this article…
“EcoFlow, a global leader in renewable energy solutions, participated in COP30 with a clear conviction: clean … energy should be accessible … everywhere … clean energy must be democratized … accessible, reliable, and affordable for everyone … part of … daily lives, especially in regions facing climate vulnerability or grid instability … to secure backup energy … to actively manage consumption, reduce costs, and participate in cleaner lifestyles … contribute to broader grid resilience and help accelerate global decarbonization … where millions of connected homes form a dynamic clean energy network … households can support the grid during peak periods, reduce strain during extreme weather, and even share energy with their communities … and affordable energy in underserved regions worldwide … to help residents maintain safe and uninterrupted living and learning conditions during frequent power outages.”
Now that I’ve used my EcoFlow River Pro 2 portable power station for more than two years, I can easily say…
Its charge lasts nearly a week (based on how I use it).
About once a week, I charge it while we’re at a campground or a marina.
It takes less than 1.5 hours to charge it to its full capacity (from an outlet).
It can be charged using multiple other methods, too.
I use it to charge phones, laptops, and cameras.
It can power many other things, too.
I first turn off my electronics before I plug them into my EcoFlow, as that makes my portable power station last nearly twice as long before I need to charge it again.
It rarely makes a peep (the fan rarely turns on, briefly; it’s never too loud).
No wonder this pretty portable power station was so popular the day I was sent out to find it. I’ve loved and needed it so much while traveling in my partner’s “Tiny Camper” and sailboat.
