The new Passport III is available in three colors and includes a pass-thru power outlet for almost ... [+] every type of power plug.

Although it’s been a while since I’ve been away on a business trip or a foreign holiday, I haven’t forgotten how much of my carry-on luggage allowance always seems to get taken up with a heap of power adapters. 

Usually, I need one for my laptop, another for my iPad, plus a third for my wireless speaker and smartphone. Then I need power adapters so I can plug my power supplies into all those different electrical outlets found in hotels around the world. What I need is one power supply that can do everything.

Zendure makes some great power banks and power supplies that I’ve reviewed here before, and they are genuinely well made and hard-wearing enough for life on the road. The company’s latest product seems like an answer to my prayers. The Zendure Passport III is a power adapter that can fit in almost any power outlet on the planet and has a power pass-thru so you can plug in another device whatever power plug it uses.

Imagine a single power adapter that can replace all those power bricks you usually use... even the ... [+] power adapter for your laptop.

What makes the Passport III special is that it’s a compact GaN charger that can pump out up to 65W of power, enough to drive and recharge many laptops. Unlike a lot of chargers, the Passport III looks nice and is available in a choice of cheery colors with a vibe that harks back to trends of the mid-1990s and early 2000s.

While the outside of this new travel adapter has a slightly retro feel, the inside is completely up to date. The primary USB-C port can deliver up to 65W, enough power to charge an iPhone to 50% in under 30 minutes or fully charge a 13-inch MacBook Pro in just two hours. It’s also got sufficient power to charge and power an iPad or other power-hungry device. Passport III uses GaN semiconductor technology to deliver high conversion power in a small form factor without the danger of overheating.

The Passport III can work in over 200 countries and regions thanks to a range of connectors and it is compatible with a broad range of AC voltages ranging from 100 to 250V up to 10A total load. It’s versatile enough to replace a pile of proprietary charging bricks, whether you’re working in your home office, a coffee shop or a hotel room halfway around the world.

The Passport III can handle multiple devices and works with power outlets around the globe.

In addition to the primary USB-C outlet serving up to 65W of power, the Passport III has three more USB-C ports that can provide up to 5V of power up to 3A, enough for charging smartphones or cameras. There’s also a regular USB-A outlet for charging legacy devices.

Unlike many other chargers on the market, the Passport III has a built-in intelligent auto-resetting 10A fuse that immediately cuts off the flow of power if the temperature of the adapter exceeds 120°C. Once the charger has cooled down, the fuse resets itself and the charger will work normally again. Many other power adapters use a physically replaceable fuse that must be renewed if the charger cuts out.

As I said earlier, the Passport III has slide-out controls that push out prongs to match almost any power outlet whether that be US, Shuko, UK or Australian/NZ types. The charger can accept virtually any type of power plug. This means you can, for example, plug the unit into a European wall socket and then plug in your US hair drier into the Passport III and use it without any problems. However, the Passport III isn’t a power converter so be sure that the device you plug into the Passport III power outlet is multi-voltage or matches the voltage of the country you happen to be in.

If you’re traveling and want to dump the power adapters you usually need to carry, the Zendure Passport makes a lot more sense and is the ideal travel companion. I’ve been testing a prototype for a few months now and it’s a versatile power supply that is the Swiss Army knife of power adapters.

Pricing & Availability: The Zendure Passport III is launching today on Kickstarter. Early birds can grab one for $35/ ￡25.86 / €30.63. 

More info: www.kickstarter.com

The Zendure Passport III is a perfect travel companion.