Travel Essentials – Belkin Mini Surge Protector With USB Charger
Nearly a month ago I wrote about the Griffin Technologies PowerBlock Dual USB Charger as a travel essential … shortly after the entry went up on Flying With Fish the folks at Flight Wisdom wanted to know why I had not instead written about the Belkin Mini Surge Protector With USB Charger.
Well, the folks who write Flight Wisdom will be happy to know that I have and use the Belkin Mini Surge Protector With USB Charger and for most travelers it is a travel essential.
Anyone who travels with more than one item that needs a power source knows the frustration of finding outlets. Laptops, camera batteries, portable entertainment, iPhone/iPod, Blackberry, etc etc. Traveling with all these items eats up electrical outlets and traveling with surge protectors is often space prohibitive for both packing and in use in public locations.
What is the answer to these electrical outlet travel conundrums? The Belkin Mini Surge Protector With USB Charger.  The Belkin Mini Surge Protector With USB Charger is a compact surge protector that offers users both three standard Type B electrical outlets, as well as two USB charging ports.
For me there is only one draw back to the Belkin Mini Surge Protector With USB Charger, the fact that the electrical outlet prongs used to plug the device into the wall are not retractable and do not fold flat. This minor design issue is easily overlooked when sitting in an airport trying to charge all your electronics with only one outlet available.
The compact design of the Belkin Mini Surge Protector With USB Charger allows users to pack this device into nearly any bag and swap out bulky mobile phone chargers that eat up valuable electrical outlet space for USB cords. These features make the Belkin Mini Surge Protector With USB Charger ideal for any travelers.
As with all Belkin surge protectors, Belkin offers users a Lifetime Warranty that offers users up to US$75,000 for equipment damaged should a surge damage their equipment while plugged into the device.
Below is a photo of my Belkin Mini Surge Protector With USB Charger with all the ports used up with my gear.
*Edited To Add: This Belkin Mini Surge Protector With USB Charger is 120v, Belkin however does make a 240v version of this product for those traveling globally or living in a 240v area*
Happy Flying!
Looking at the specs I didn’t see one that listed the input voltage 120VAC only or both 120-240VAC. For those traveling internationally that it is an important consideration. If this power strip can handle both 120 and 240 volts it looks like it will meet my requirements.
About a year ago I traveled to Italy and made sure that all of my items met the 240VAC requirement to avoid carrying a step down transformer. Everything except my small Targus plug strip with a surge protector built in that is. I didn’t give it a thought, after all a plug strip just takes one outlet and gives me four to use, what could be better.
At the first hotel stop of the trip I set up to charge my assorted batteries overnight using my power strip. Unfortunately the built in surge protector didn’t like the 220 volts that the Italian power grid supplies and it instantly went POW! and plunged my room into total darkness. I had to get the hotel maintenance guy to reset the breaker somewhere in the bowels of the hotel. I am sure that cussing was involved on his part.
Charging my various batteries for the remaining 16 days of the trip was a logistical nightmare since the power strip was rendered useless. I did bring it home with me and performed a surge protector-ectomy on it and now I have a power strip that works anywhere, sans protection of course.
From what I read in the Amazon reviews it will not work with 220/240. Bummer since I travel a lot international.
Umm, Fish, where can one find a 240v version? I’m probably missing something obvious, but I can’t even see it on the Belkin UK site and I didn’t see it listed on the USA Belkin site (I live in the UK)
Thanks
Glenn,
Belkin informed me they had 240v version when I called customer support. I’ll see if they can e-mail me a link.
Happy Flying!
-Fish
I wrote Belkin support re: the 240v version the day your article came out and still haven’t heard back.
Response from Belkin:
Thank you from contacting Belkin Customer Support,
We are following up with you in hopes that your previous inquiry has been acknowledged and answered. To ensure that your issue or concern has been resolved, the answer to your inquiry will be below.
Unfortunately we do not sell a USB charge that is 240v compatible. If purchased from the US, it would be 110v only.
I know a company who does make a similar USB charger with extra outlets, called the Powercube. From a Dutch company Allocacoc