Anker Solix C300X & 100W Solar Panel Review: The Ultimate Off-Grid Setup
Updated: Sep 8
My Campervan with the Anker Solar panals over the windows
Anker Solix Quick Summary
This isn't just an occasional bit of kit, it is the exact power setup we take on every single trip now. The Anker Solix C300X paired with the 100W solar panel keeps everything running with zero faff and zero stress. It is spot on for small to medium campervans, day vans, or fishing trips where space is tight. Whether we are away in the van for a long weekend or packed light for a quick night out, we genuinely wouldn't head off without it.
Scorecard
🔋 Battery Life: 8/10
☀️ Solar Charging Speed: 8/10
🎒 Portability & Storage: 9/10
🔌 Ports & Connections: 9/10
🤫 Noise Level: 9/10
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you do pick any of these up through the links, it genuinely helps keep Fishing Field Fork going, so thank you. James
Why This Became Our Go To Power Setup
Anyone who has spent a weekend properly off grid knows the feeling. You get to camp, you are tired, and the last thing you want is to be fussing over whether there is enough charge left for the fridge, your phone, or your camera gear for the rest of the trip. The thought of coming back to a warm fridge or a flat phone on a trip is enough to ruin the vibe, so having a setup we can rely on completely has made a real difference to how we camp.
I chose this specific setup because of the glowing reviews online, but the real clincher was a good mate of mine, Davo who already had one and recommended it to me. After seeing how reliable his was in the field, I decided to go for it.
I wanted something that worked fully off grid. No running the van engine just to top up power, and no hunting round a site for an electric hookup or a plug socket. Once it is set up on pitch, it just does its thing quietly in the background while we get on with actually enjoying the trip.
Real World Testing & How We Use It
We have run this setup across plenty of different sites, including Coco's Wild Camp in Wales, Panpwnton Farm, and Pebbly Farm Campsite, to name a few. It has handled every single one of them without an issue, regardless of what the weather has thrown at us.
Our usual routine when arriving at camp is simple. We sling the solar panels over the front campervan windows or set them up on the grass using the built-in kickstands, angled to catch the sun properly.
It charges everything we need off the one system:
Totalcool 35L fridge freezer running constantly
Cello Camping TV and phone top-ups
DYU Electric bike batteries and small tech gear
No separate chargers or juggling different power sources required. The C300X charges properly fast in direct sun too. On a decent day, it will go from needing a top up to basically full well before we have even finished setting up camp and pouring a drink.
Camping at Kingfisher Trouts Lakes with Solix Anker Solix c300X powerbank and solar panals Camper van at Panpwnton farm campsite with solar panals
Built for Actual Camping
Plenty of portable power stations look fine on paper, but they turn out to be clunky or fragile when you actually take them outdoors. The Anker Solix kit is clearly built for actual field use, especially in small to medium campervans where every inch of floor and boot space counts.
The Solar Panels
The panels fold in half nicely with clip buttons to hold them in place, making storage in the van seamless without an awkward, bulky panel taking up half the boot. They have held up well across every site we have used them at, with no issues repositioning them throughout the afternoon depending on how the van is parked up or where the sun is moving.
The C300X Power Station
The unit itself is genuinely portable, not something hardwired permanently into the van build. Because of its compact footprint, it tucks away easily under seats or in side cupboards in smaller campervans. I also take it away in the car for trips, which makes it dead useful when travelling light. We can pull it out and use it wherever it is needed, whether that is inside the van, down by the river on a fishing trip, or on a quick weekend away. The build quality feels solid enough to handle being moved around, chucked in the back, and used properly outdoors.
Anker Solix C300x in action Solar panals over my campervan windows great setup up by the railway track
Technical Specs & Performance Numbers
For anyone wanting the real numbers before buying, here is what the full setup gives you:
Anker Solix C300X Power Station
Battery Capacity: 288Wh LiFePO4 battery with 300W continuous output (600W surge)
Port Selection: 8 ports total (3 AC outlets, 3 USB-C, 1 USB-A, and a 12V car socket), allowing you to charge up to 7 devices at once
Solar Input: Handles up to 100W solar input through the matched panels
App Control: Full monitoring through the Anker app over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to check charge percentages and input wattage without getting up
Operating Noise: Properly quiet in use, with no loud, annoying fans kicking in to ruin a quiet evening outdoors
Anker Solix 100W Solar Panel
Power Output: 100W rated output (21.6V / 4.63A) using high efficiency monocrystalline solar cells (up to 25% cell efficiency)
Design & Features: Bifacial dual-sided capture with integrated adjustable kickstands
Durability: IP68 waterproof and dust proof rating built for outdoor weather
Weight & Size: Weighs just 2.8kg; folds down compactly (51.0 x 60.0 cm) with clip buttons for quick van storage
Connection: Uses standard XT60 / XT60i connectors for direct plug and play into the C300X
Few Common Questions
1. Anker Solix C300X for Laptop Charging on the Road
The Answer: You're getting somewhere around 3 to 4 full charges out of it for a standard laptop, plenty for keeping FFF ticking over while we're away.
The Advantage: It's got proper fast-charge USB-C ports, so we're not even bringing a charging brick with us when we're editing photos or getting a blog post written up from the campervan. Going straight through USB-C rather than a plug socket also means less power's wasted in the process, so it stretches further when we're off grid for a few days at a time.
2. How Long It Takes to Solar Charge
The Answer: Give it a proper sunny day and a 100W panel and it'll be fully charged in around 3 to 3.5 hours.
The Context: It's got a controller built in that caps the solar input at 100W, so pairing it with a proper 100W panel, same as we sometimes run over the front campervan windows, gets you charging at that speed.
3. How Long It'll Run a Fridge
The Answer: Around 12 to 18 hours on a standard 12V fridge set to keep things cold, which is exactly what we run with the Totalcool 35L in the back of the van.
The Context: It pulls a bit more while it's actively cooling down, but once it's up to temperature it barely sips anything off the battery. Fine for an overnight at somewhere like Panwnton Farm or Pebbly Farm, though if you're out longer than that, you'll want the panels topping it up through the day, which is exactly what I do.
4. Small Enough for Tent Camping
The Answer: Genuinely yes, it's compact for what it does and doesn't eat up much floor space at all, handy for anyone pitching up on a fishing trip rather than running the full campervan setup.
It's got a little pop out lantern built into the top too, handy if it means one less thing to pack for the tent.
The Verdict
We would genuinely struggle to go on a trip without this setup now. Fast to charge, simple to use and store, and something we build trips around rather than worry about. If you are spending proper time off grid, particularly in a small or medium campervan, or doing wild camping stints away from hookups, the Anker Solix C300X and 100W solar panel combination is the kind of upgrade that quietly makes everything else easier.
I couldn't go camping without these items, A must buy for me.
If you buy both together there is a great deal on at the moment i wish i had brought them at this price, just my luck
Overall Rating: 9/10, An absolute staple for off grid camping that delivers reliable power without the hassle. 👍👍
Related Reads
The 5 Best Campervan Fridge Freezers Our rundown of the fridge freezers worth having in the van, including what's actually kept our food cold and our beer cold.
Coco's Wild Camp in Wales A stay at this Welsh wild camp, what the site's like and whether it lives up to the setting.
The 5 Best Camping Sinks The washing-up setups that actually make sense in a van, rather than another bit of kit taking up space for nothing.
Thanks James | Fishing Field Fork
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