Road Trip & Travel
The best jump starters for travel
Chosen on weight, packed size and watt-hours, because a travel pack has to fit a bag, clear the carry-on limit, and charge from what you already carry.
Disclosure: we earn a commission if you buy through the Amazon links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Commission never decides a verdict or a ranking position — read our editorial policy and affiliate disclosure.
How we assessed these: picks are selected from manufacturer specifications, current retailer listings and published owner feedback — not from hands-on testing of every unit. Regulatory figures are cited to the FAA and TSA pages in the sources block.
Short answer
The travel pack is the one that is small enough to bring, light enough not to resent, and under 100 watt-hours so it clears the FAA's carry-on limit without airline approval. The NOCO GBX45 at 2.16 lb and 31 Wh, with USB-C Power Delivery both ways, is the reference point.
A travel pack is judged on different criteria from a trunk pack. At home, weight barely matters — the pack lives in the car. On a trip it is in a bag you are carrying, possibly through an airport, and every ounce is a reason not to bring it. A pack you left behind has a success rate of zero.
Quick picks
Tap any row to jump to the full write-up. Scoring criteria are published in full on our methodology page.
| # | Product | Best for | Our read | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  NOCO Boost X GBX45 Best travel pack overall | Travel and carry-on use | 2.16 lb, 31 Wh, USB-C both directions | Check price on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one |
| 2 |  NOCO Boost Plus GB40 Best budget travel pack | Most cars and small SUVs | 24 Wh and pocketable, if USB-C is not a priority | Check price on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one |
| 3 |  NOCO Boost HD GB70 Best for a diesel away from home | Diesel pickups and big V8s | 56 Wh, so it still flies as carry-on | Check price on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one |
| 4 |  DEWALT DCC020IB 20V MAX Inflator Best companion inflator | Anyone already on DEWALT 20V batteries | Three power sources on an unfamiliar car | Check price on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one |
How we chose these
- Under 100 watt-hours. The FAA permits lithium-ion batteries rated up to 100 Wh in carry-on baggage with no airline approval; 101-160 Wh needs permission and is capped at two. Every pack here clears it comfortably. The full rules.
- Weight and packed size. 2-3 lb and door-pocket dimensions. This is the criterion that separates a travel pack from a trunk pack.
- Charges from a cable you already carry. USB-C Power Delivery means no proprietary brick, and the brick is the thing that goes missing or gets left at home.
- Enough rating for the car you will actually be in, which on a trip may be a rental you have not seen yet.
- Somewhere to put the Wh marking. A pack with its watt-hour rating clearly printed on it resolves a checkpoint question in seconds.
The travel packs, compared
| Pack | Weight | Capacity | Gas rating | Charging |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOCO GBX45 | 2.16 lb | 31 Wh | Up to 6.5 L | USB-C PD up to 20 V / 3 A |
| NOCO GB40 | 2.45 lb | 24 Wh | Up to 6.0 L | USB, 5 V / 2.1 A |
| NOCO GB50 | 2.71 lb | 35 Wh | Up to 7.0 L | USB |
| NOCO GB70 | 4.18 lb | 56 Wh | Up to 8.0 L | 12 V / 3 A fast charge |
From NOCO's published specification pages. Note the GBX45 out-specs the GB40 while weighing less — it is a newer design, and that combination is exactly what a travel pack wants.
The GBX45's advantage is not really the amps. It is that one USB-C cable covers the pack, your phone and your laptop, and that it is the lightest thing in the range. On a trip those two facts matter more than 250 peak amps.
If you are renting a car
You will not know the engine until you collect it, which argues for a pack rated generously. In practice a 6.0-6.5 L gas rating covers essentially every rental car, crossover and small SUV, so a compact pack is the right answer unless you have specifically booked a diesel pickup.
One thing worth knowing: rental cars are not maintained to your standards, and a weak battery in a rental is not unusual. A pack is genuinely more likely to earn its place on a rental trip than at home.
If you are flying to the car
Do not forget the tires
A slow leak on an unfamiliar car in unfamiliar country is at least as likely as a dead battery, and a rental's tire pressures are frequently wrong when you collect it. A compact inflator earns its space on a trip, and one that takes multiple power sources — like the DEWALT DCC020IB — cannot be defeated by a car you do not know. The inflator roundup.
The picks
1. Best travel pack overall
NOCO Boost X GBX45
NOCO · Best for travel and carry-on use
The travel pick: 1,250 peak amps at 2.16 lb with USB-C Power Delivery in and out, so it recharges from the same brick as your laptop.
Published specifications
- Peak amps
- 1,250 A source
- Internal battery
- 31 Wh lithium-ion source
- Gas engine rating
- Up to 6.5 liters source
- Diesel engine rating
- Up to 4.0 liters source
- Weight
- 2.16 lb (0.98 kg) source
- USB-C output
- Up to 20 V / 3 A Power Delivery source
- Water resistance
- IP65 with ports closed source
- Warranty
- 1-year hassle-free source
What works
- Lightest pack in the range at 2.16 lb, and 31 Wh means no airline paperwork
- USB-C Power Delivery both directions — one cable covers the pack, phone and laptop
- More gas headroom than the GB40 (6.5 L against 6.0 L) in a lighter body
What does not
- The IP65 rating only holds with the port covers closed — worth remembering in the rain
- The 4.0 L diesel ceiling is not enough for a full-size diesel pickup
Skip it if
Not the right pack for a diesel truck, and not the cheapest way to cover a small commuter — its premium buys packability, not amps.
#ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one
Raw specifications: NOCO’s own page for the NOCO Boost X GBX45.
2. Best budget travel pack
NOCO Boost Plus GB40
NOCO · Best for most cars and small suvs
The default answer for a four- or six-cylinder car: 1,000 peak amps, 24 watt-hours, and light enough that it actually stays in the trunk.
Published specifications
What works
- 24 Wh sits far under the 100 Wh carry-on threshold, so flying with it needs no airline approval
- 2.45 lb and pocketable — the size that decides whether a tool is still in the trunk six months later
- IP65 enclosure, so a wet shoulder in the rain is not a problem
- Reverse-polarity protection means a backwards clamp does not spark
What does not
- 1,000 peak amps runs out of headroom above a 6.0 L gas engine
- The 3.0 L diesel ceiling rules out most modern diesel pickups
- 24 Wh is a small reserve — it is a jump starter, not a power bank substitute
Skip it if
Not the one to buy if you drive a diesel pickup or a big V8. You would be at the edge of its rating on a cold morning, which is exactly when you want margin.
#ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one
Raw specifications: NOCO’s own page for the NOCO Boost Plus GB40.
3. Best for a diesel away from home
NOCO Boost HD GB70
NOCO · Best for diesel pickups and big v8s
The one to buy if you drive a diesel: 2,000 peak amps, a 6.0-liter diesel rating and 56 watt-hours, which is the smallest pack with real margin on a cold diesel.
Published specifications
What works
- The 6.0 L diesel rating covers the common 3.0 L and 6.7 L light-truck diesels with margin
- 56 Wh is still comfortably under the 100 Wh carry-on threshold, so it flies as hand luggage
- 12 V 15 A accessory output, and a 400-lumen light that is genuinely usable roadside
- 12 V / 3 A fast charge brings it back in about three hours
What does not
- 4.18 lb — noticeably heavier than the compact packs, and it wants a dedicated spot
- Overkill for a commuter four-cylinder; you are paying for headroom you will not use
Skip it if
Not the one to buy if you only ever start a four-cylinder commuter. Buy diesel headroom when you have a diesel.
#ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one
Raw specifications: NOCO’s own page for the NOCO Boost HD GB70.
4. Best companion inflator
DEWALT DCC020IB 20V MAX Inflator
DEWALT · Best for anyone already on dewalt 20v batteries
Three power sources in one body — 20V MAX battery, 12 V socket or 110 V wall — with a digital gauge and auto-shutoff, which is what makes an inflator usable everywhere.
Published specifications
What works
- The 12 V socket option means a dead tool battery never leaves you stranded
- A threaded chuck screws onto the valve stem instead of clamping — the difference between a solid seal and a hissing one
- Set-and-walk-away auto-shutoff at your target pressure
- High-volume mode handles air mattresses and inflatables, not just tires
What does not
- Sold as a bare tool — battery, charger and AC adapter are separate purchases
- Bigger and heavier than a pocket 12 V inflator, so it wants trunk space
Skip it if
Not the pick if you own no DEWALT batteries and only ever top up car tires. A plain 12 V inflator is smaller and cheaper for that job.
#ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one
Raw specifications: DEWALT’s own page for the DEWALT DCC020IB 20V MAX Inflator.
What not to take
A power station. It is a different product — a camping battery that sometimes starts a car — and its capacity almost always exceeds the passenger allowance for lithium batteries, so it is not going in the cabin with you. Jump starter vs power station covers why they are not substitutes.
Key takeaways
- Under 100 Wh is the line that makes a pack travel-legal without approval.
- Weight and packed size decide whether you actually bring it.
- USB-C Power Delivery means no extra brick to lose.
- A 6.0-6.5 L gas rating covers essentially any rental car.
- Carry-on only — never checked, and never a power station.
How we sourced this
Every figure on this page came from one of the following. Where a manufacturer or regulator does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate it.
- FAA PackSafe — Lithium Batteries (carry-on and checked rules, watt-hour limits)
- TSA — Lithium batteries with more than 100 watt hours
- NOCO GBX45 published specifications
- NOCO GB40 published specifications
- NOCO GB50 published specifications
- NOCO GB70 published specifications
- DEWALT DCC020IB 20V MAX inflator product page
Common questions
- What is the best jump starter for travel?
- One under 100 watt-hours so it clears the carry-on limit, light enough to bring, and charging from a cable you already carry. The NOCO GBX45 fits all three at 2.16 lb, 31 Wh and USB-C Power Delivery in both directions.
- Can I bring a jump starter in a rental car?
- Yes, and it is arguably more useful there than at home — rental batteries are not maintained to your standards. A pack rated to 6.0-6.5 liters of gas engine covers essentially every rental car, crossover and small SUV.
- How small can a jump starter be and still work?
- The compact packs at around 2.2 lb and 24-31 watt-hours are rated by their manufacturers to start gas engines up to 6.0-6.5 liters, which covers almost every passenger car. Small does not mean underpowered in this category; it means less reserve for repeated attempts.
- Should I take a tire inflator on a road trip?
- Yes — a slow leak on unfamiliar roads is at least as likely as a dead battery, and rental tire pressures are often wrong on collection. A compact inflator that can run from more than one power source is the version that cannot be defeated by a car you do not know.
More in Road Trip & Travel
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Found something out of date, or a figure you can source better than we did? Tell us — corrections get read first. Our methodology explains how picks are made, and contact is one click away.