BougeRV F01 and F02 Camping Fans: Two Battery-Powered Options Compared

Introduction

BougeRV has released two battery-operated camping fans that are quite different in size and purpose. The smaller F01 is built for camping with a built-in battery and a light, while the larger F02 is more of a job site fan with a swappable battery. Both promise long run times, but they take very different approaches to power and design. Here is a closer look at what each one offers and where each one shines.

BougeRV F01: The Compact Camping Fan

The BougeRV F01 is the smaller of the two units and includes a built-in 20 amp hour lithium battery, good for up to 33 hours of run time. It has a 9-inch blade and a metal stand with a display screen on the front that shows the exact percentage of battery charge. The whole unit weighs only 3.3 lbs, making it easy to pack and hang.

The F01 also has a built-in light that you can activate with a switch on the back, offering off, low, and high settings. It provides bidirectional USB-C charging on the back as well as an output-only USB-A port, so it can double as a power bank. A built-in timer, controlled by a separate switch, allows you to set it for up to eight hours. This is also the only one of the two fans that can be controlled remotely with the BougeRV app.

BougeRV F02: The Larger Job Site Fan

The BougeRV F02 is the larger of the two fans and uses a proprietary swappable 144Wh or 8 amp hour 18V lithium battery. BougeRV positions this more as a job site fan than a camping fan because it is larger and heavier with a swappable battery. It is quite powerful, with a 750 cubic feet per minute brushless 7.5-inch fan. It also has a front-mounted light with off, low, and high settings, just like the smaller model.

The F02 has USB-C and a USB-A output on the front, but these only work when the battery is plugged in. They do not work off the included AC power pack, and the battery and barrel plug cannot be plugged in at the same time. To run the fan from AC power, you have to remove the battery and plug the fan directly into an AC source. This fan weighs just under 12 lbs and has a claimed 8 hour run time, presumably on high.

Run Time and Charging

Both fans rotate, and each has its own hanging solution. The F02 has a set of hooks on the back for hanging, while the smaller F01 has a typical plastic hook on the bottom that you can hang in a tent. Both come with a 12-month manufacturer’s warranty.

In testing, the smaller F01 fan with a claimed 33 hours of run time actually ran a whopping 44 hours on low. The F02 fan outlasted the battery on the power station running the time lapse. After 44 plus hours, the F02 still had three out of the four lights on the battery, suggesting that on low this larger model could run for about a week on a single charge. The 8 hour run time listed on the website likely reflects full blast operation, which is far better than many comparable job site fans.

Both fans charge with USB-C, but neither comes with a charger. The F01 does come with a USB-C cable, though you still have to supply your own power source. The F02 has no way to charge out of the box, so you have to supply both the cable and the charging method. In testing, the F01 took about 3 hours to top up, while the F02 took four to 5 hours to top up from dead. Both fans are practically silent on low. On maximum setting from a meter away, the F01 measured about 57 decibels, while the F02 was louder at about 66 to 67 decibels.

Which One Should You Buy?

The F02 has a ridiculously long run time on its included 8 amp hour battery, but it has a significant oversight: there is no way out of the box to charge the battery. The battery should have been designed to charge from the AC power brick, not just USB. Also, the USB ports do not output power when running on the AC power brick, so you need the battery installed to get AC power out of the fan. For the price, it definitely should have come with a charger.

The smaller F01 fan is much better for the money, especially for camping. It is better designed because you get the light, a front-mounted display, and a bidirectional USB port. It is also a lot smaller and lighter with its built-in rechargeable battery, and it has a ridiculously long run time. It is app controlled for those who care about that kind of thing, and the timer feature is useful because you can set it and forget it on hot nights. It will auto shut off and save the battery for the next day. It is also half the price of the larger model.

Conclusion

Both BougeRV fans deliver impressive run times and useful features, but they serve different purposes. The F01 is the clear top pick for a portable camping fan that can be used in a tent or vehicle, offering a great balance of size, weight, features, and value. The F02 is more powerful and suited for job site use, but its lack of an included charger is a notable drawback. If you are looking for a reliable camping fan, the F01 is the better choice. If you need a powerful job site fan and already have a USB-C charging setup, the F02 is worth considering.