RUGD’s Power Brick II comes in response to how people actually use tech outdoors. The original model solved emergency charging for a single device, but modern users travel with entire ecosystems of phones, watches, earbuds, tablets, and cameras. The second‑generation design tackles that shift head‑on, doubling capacity, expanding charging flexibility, and strengthening its rugged credentials. What emerges is not just an upgrade, but a deliberate move toward serious outdoor power infrastructure. Intrigued by the follow-up to the impressive original Power Brick, Cubed3 caught up with the team behind the device to find out more.
Adam Riley, Director at Cubed3: What specific user scenario or gap led to the creation of the Power Brick II?
Henri Salaméh, SVP, Global Commercial & Marketing Director at RUGD: The Power Brick II came from a very practical gap. People were no longer carrying just one device. Our original Power Brick solved the rugged emergency power problem brilliantly, but our users were travelling with phones, watches, earbuds, tablets, cameras and sometimes multiple phones. The need shifted from “charge my phone” to “keep my whole setup alive, wherever I am.” That is why Power Brick II moves to 20,000mAh / 73Wh, adds five-device charging capability, includes 2 x USB-C PD ports, 2 x USB-A ports and magnetic wireless charging, while keeping the rugged, outdoor DNA of the original.
Adam Riley: What are the three biggest improvements over the original, and what drove those decisions?
Henri Salaméh: I would say capacity, charging flexibility and real-world utility. First, we almost doubled the capacity from 10,050mAh / 37Wh on Power Brick I to 20,000mAh / 73Wh on Power Brick II, because users wanted longer runtime for weekends, festivals, travel and emergencies. Second, we moved from a simpler two-port setup to 2 x 20W USB-C PD, 2 x 15W USB-A and magnetic wireless charging, because people now carry multiple devices and do not always have the right cable. Third, we upgraded the lighting system with 1,300 lumens, two brightness modes, SOS and Red Light, because Power Brick is not just a charger. It is a practical outdoor and emergency tool.
Adam Riley: What durability standards or certifications does the Power Brick II meet, and how were these validated?
Henri Salaméh: The key durability claim is IP67 protection, meaning the unit is designed to be waterproof and dustproof, with a shock-resistant, rubberised frame for impact protection. We also designed it to remain airline-friendly at 73Wh, which keeps it under the common 100Wh threshold for lithium-ion power banks carried in cabin baggage without airline approval. The Power Brick II is also CE, UKCA, FCC, RoHS and UN38.3 compliant.
Adam Riley: What battery architecture and chemistry did you choose, and why over alternatives?
Henri Salaméh: We chose a high-density rechargeable lithium-ion battery architecture because the product needed the best balance of capacity, weight, size and travel practicality. For a rugged outdoor power bank, alternatives like LiFePO4 offer strong cycle life and thermal stability, but they are typically larger and heavier at the same usable capacity. That would have moved the product away from RUGD’s core use case: portable power that can go in a backpack, carry-on bag or emergency kit. The 20,000mAh / 73Wh configuration gives us the sweet spot: meaningful extra capacity, still below the 100Wh travel threshold, and still compact enough at 496g to be genuinely portable.
Adam Riley: What type of user or environment was this product optimised for—and who is it not for?
Henri Salaméh: Power Brick II is optimised for people who need dependable power away from perfect conditions: campers, hikers, festival-goers, business travellers, content creators, tradespeople, road trippers and anyone building an emergency kit. It is for users who value durability, multi-device charging, lighting and weather resistance more than having the slimmest possible power bank. It is not for someone who only wants a tiny pocket charger for one phone top-up on a commute. That user may be better suited to something smaller. Power Brick II is for people who want serious capacity, rugged protection and multi-device resilience in one unit.
Adam Riley: How does the unit handle sustained high power draw in terms of thermal management and efficiency?
Henri Salaméh: We designed Power Brick II around controlled, practical power delivery rather than chasing unrealistic headline wattage. The unit supports 20W USB-C Power Delivery and 15W USB-A outputs, which gives strong fast-charging performance while staying within a sensible thermal envelope for a rugged, sealed product.
Thermal management is handled through the internal power management system, output regulation, current control and the physical housing design. With IP67 protection, you cannot simply ventilate the product like an open desktop device, so the engineering challenge is to manage heat passively, efficiently and safely. That is why we focused on reliable sustained charging for phones, tablets and everyday tech, rather than trying to turn it into a laptop-class power station.
Adam Riley: What was the hardest compromise you had to make during development?
Henri Salaméh: The hardest compromise was capacity versus weight. We wanted to double down on performance, but RUGD products still need to be genuinely portable. At 20,000mAh, we could have gone larger, heavier or higher wattage, but that would have made the product less useful for the people it was designed for.
The final balance, 20,000mAh / 73Wh at 496g, was the right decision. It gives users a major upgrade over the original without turning the product into something bulky or over-engineered.
Adam Riley: Which charging standards and protocols are supported, and how do you ensure compatibility going forward?
Henri Salaméh: The core charging standard is USB-C Power Delivery at 20W, with two USB-C ports supporting input and output. We also included two USB-A outputs at 15W for legacy compatibility, plus a MagSafe-compatible magnetic wireless charging pad for cable-free smartphone charging.
Our approach is to build around widely adopted standards rather than niche connectors. That gives the product a longer usable life across Apple, Samsung, Android, tablets, smartwatches and accessories. Going forward, compatibility is maintained through component selection, firmware and chipset choices, supplier validation, and continuous testing against the devices customers actually use.
Adam Riley: What steps, if any, were taken to reduce environmental impact across materials or lifecycle?
Henri Salaméh: Our first environmental decision was to build a product that lasts. A rugged, weather-resistant product with a three-year manufacturer warranty is designed to reduce the throwaway behaviour common in cheap consumer electronics.
The second step is practical lifecycle thinking, durable construction, multi-device compatibility, airline-approved capacity and broad charging support all extend the useful life of the product. Across RUGD, we also continue to move toward more responsible packaging and lower-waste product design. The goal is not just to make outdoor tech that survives tough environments, but to make products that people keep using for years.
Adam Riley: How does the Power Brick II signal where RUGD is heading next in portable power?
Henri Salaméh: Power Brick II shows that RUGD is moving from simple rugged accessories into serious outdoor power infrastructure. The direction is clear: higher-capacity products, better charging intelligence, more multi-device support, stronger emergency features and products built for real-world environments rather than just desk use. For me, Power Brick II is not just the second version of a product. It is a signal that RUGD wants to own the space where portable power, outdoor durability, travel readiness and emergency preparedness meet. That is where the brand becomes most relevant.
