Thirty pounds is a real backpacking-adjacent limit and a soft car-camping limit. Explorer 2000 v2 (39.5 lb) misses it. Everything below is on the manufacturer weight line, not on our scale.
| EcoFlow RIVER 2 | Jackery Explorer 500 v2 | EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro | Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 256 Wh | 512 Wh | 768 Wh | 1070 Wh |
| AC output | 300 W total AC (surge 600 W); X-Boost 600 W on UK page | 500 W continuous, 1000 W peak (Jackery EU / ESS News citing launch) | 800 W total AC (surge 1600 W); X-Boost up to 1600 W | 1500 W rated, 3000 W surge (3 AC ports, 1500 W total) |
| Weight | Approximately 7.7 lb / 3.5 kg | 5.7 kg (about 12.6 lb) | Approximately 18.2 lb (7.8 kg on EU pages) | Around 23.8 lb (10.8 kg) |
| Chemistry | LFP (LiFePO4) — EcoFlow “safe LFP” copy | LiFePO4 | LFP | LiFePO4 |
| Cycle life (mfr.) | RIVER 2 Series: EcoFlow states 3000 cycles / ~10 years on the Pro page; confirm RIVER 2 (non-Pro) manual | Jackery UK markets 6,000 life cycles — confirm on the NA spec sheet | 80%+ after 3000 cycles | 4000 cycles ≥70% |
| Max solar input | 11–30 V, 8 A, 110 W max (UK spec block) | 200 W max (DC8020, 16–60 V, 10.5 A) per Jackery EU | 11–50 V, 13 A, 220 W max | 400 W max dual-port (16–60 V); 200 W single-port |
| Expandable | No | No | No | No |
| Charge temp. | See manual | Unknown on the NA sheet we checked — verify before winter use | 32–113°F | 32–113°F (0–45°C) |
| Discharge temp. | See manual | Jackery UK claims −20°C to 45°C operation — confirm NA manual | 14–113°F | 14–113°F (−10–45°C) |
| Warranty (mfr. copy) | 5 years (EcoFlow marketing) | 3+2 years (Jackery EU listing) | 5 years | 3+2 years (typical Jackery.com terms) |
What 30 lb actually buys
RIVER 2 will run lights and phones and a very small compressor cooler if the watts fit 300 W. It will not run a kettle. Explorer 500 v2’s 500 W / 512 Wh is the “mini-fridge + lights” camping class on paper. RIVER 2 Pro adds X-Boost to 1600 W but only 220 W of solar. 1000 v2 is the first of these that looks like a 1500 W kitchen inverter you can still carry from the car to the picnic table in one trip.
Not on the list: AC180 (~16 kg / 35 lb), Explorer 2000 v2 (39.5 lb), Anker C1000 (28.44 lb — technically under 30 lb, but it is a 28 lb brick; include it only if you want 1800 W and expansion). C1000 is 28.44 lb so it clears the cutoff; we parked it off the “camping” shortlist because 28 lb plus panels is a second trip. If that is still your constraint, it is eligible.
Official store — EcoFlow RIVER 2 Amazon search (no ASIN)
Official store — Jackery Explorer 500 v2 Amazon search (no ASIN)
Official store — EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro Amazon search (no ASIN)
Official store — Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 Amazon search (no ASIN)