Best Truck Batteries for 2024 | RealTruck (2024)

There's nothing worse than heading out to your pickup in the early morning hours, only to hear those ever-familiar relay clicks and groans from the starter as you twist the key in the ignition–the battery is shot.

Especially with cold winter months putting an extra strain on the charging system, it's not uncommon to notice a gradual decline in charging ability, leading to slower starts and, eventually, none at all.

If you're looking to juice up your ride's charging system this season but need help knowing where to start, you're in luck! The experts at RealTruck have hand-selected a list of the top five batteries that'll work just as hard as your truck, ensuring reliable starting power with each key crank.

Our experts analyzed various essential factors before compiling this list, ensuring that only the best-of-the-best batteries were considered. These include specifications, technology, real-world reviews, warranty information, and cost-effectiveness.

That being said, the RealTruck team doesn't simply regurgitate information found on the internet; we're also enthusiasts like you! From truck owners to Jeepers, the Real Truck staff understands the importance of a reliable charging system. For this reason, our experts have only included products we'd use in our rigs. Now, let's get started.

No one battery is a be-all-end-all; in reality, every driver expects something different from their trucks and, therefore, has different demands from their battery. Several considerations come into play when selecting the correct truck battery, including environmental factors like climate and storage conditions and usage factors like the average downtime between starts and the planned electrical load.

Every driver's unique situation should be considered when selecting the ideal battery, but what makes one battery different from another in the first place? Let's quickly dive into the specifications that separate weak batteries from the stout performers on this list.

• Voltage: Voltage is an indicator of "pressure," but not in the way that we're used to using the term. Voltage pushes stored electricity through a circuit; in the case of a truck battery, voltage pushes electricity through the starter, converting the electrical energy to mechanical energy, thus turning over the engine. Depending on various conditions, a typical 12V battery pushes between 12.6 and 14.4 volts.

• Battery Type: Car and truck batteries come in various designs, each sporting advantages and disadvantages. The most common types include standard lead acid, valve-regulated lead acid (VRLA), starting-lighting-ignition (SLI), and wet cell or flooded batteries.

• Cold Cranking Amps: Batteries are often labeled by their cold cranking amperage (CCA). This value measures the amount of amperage a battery can produce over a 30-second span at 0ºF while producing 7.2 volts or above. Most batteries range from 450 to 750 CCA; the higher the number, the easier your vehicle should start in sub-freezing temperatures.

• Reserve Capacity: This measurement depicts how long–in minutes–a battery can withstand a 25 amp draw and remain above 10.5 volts. Starting your vehicle at that low voltage becomes an impossible task, even if you remove all other electrical loads. Higher reserve capacities are usually preferred with an abundance of auxiliary electrical accessories like lighting, audio equipment, and onboard tools.

• Price: This one's simple; cost is almost always a factor when purchasing parts and equipment for your ride. In the case of a truck battery, cost relates more to the bang-for-you-buck value rather than the overall lowest cost. If you opt for the cheapest battery you can find, it likely won't be the best performer.

OPTIMA REDTOP AUTOMOTIVE BATTERIES

• Type: Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM)

• Warranty: 3 Year

Optima's Red Top AGM battery line is renowned for its durability and starting power, featuring its proprietary spiral-cell construction and a durable polypropylene plastic case. This battery is 15x more vibration-resistant than competitors and features a spill-proof design that can be mounted in any orientation, making it ideal for use off-road.

As an AGM battery, the Optima does an excellent job storing its charge for extended periods, allowing it to deliver a powerful starting punch even after sitting idle. However, it's important to note that the red top is designed for starting power and standard electrical loads rather than excessive electrical draw from additional accessories.

ODYSSEY EXTREME SERIES AUTOMOTIVE BATTERIES

• Type: Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM)

• Warranty: 4 year

Odyssey's Extreme battery series is built to outperform the competition in nearly all conditions, regardless of temperature, load, or time spent idle. Each Odyssey Extreme battery is packed to the brim with virgin lead plates rather than the less-effective lead alloy plates used by most competitors. Pure lead equates to more charging capability, better power production, and unmatched deep-cycling abilities.

If you don't mind paying the hefty price tag, Odyssey Extreme batteries won't disappoint.

ODYSSEY PERFORMANCE SERIES AUTOMOTIVE BATTERIES

• Type: Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM)

• Warranty: 4 year

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While not boasting as impressive of a specification list as other entries on this list, the Odyssey Performance series battery is still a worthy competitor. Like Odyssey's Extreme series, the Performance series offers exceptional reliability, impressive deep-cycle capabilities, and powerful starting. However, its specifications are geared more toward the everyday driver than the extreme enthusiast.

However, the Odyssey Performance series battery is tough to beat for a reliable battery in a generally stock application.

OPTIMA YELLOWTOP AUTOMOTIVE BATTERIES

• Type: Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM)

• Warranty: 3 year

Optima makes a list for a second time with the Yellow Top, an advanced AGM battery engineered for rigorous abuse and next-level performance. While slightly more expensive than the company's similar Red Top variant, you're undoubtedly getting more functionality from this battery. Unlike the Red Top, ideal for most stock applications, the Yellow Top is designed for applications with a severe electrical draw from additional accessories.

The Optima Yellow Top utilizes the company's proprietary spiral cell technology for exceptional energy storage, while its rugged construction provides 15x more vibration resistance when compared to traditional batteries. Coupled with the Yellow Top's spill-proof case, this battery is ideal for even the most rugged adventure machines.

SHURIKEN RESERVE POWER CELL BATTERIES

• Type: Advanced Glass Mat (AGM)

• Warranty: 1 year

Unlike the other entries on this list, Shuriken's Reserve Power Cell batteries aren't engineered as starting batteries; instead, they're designed for use with high-performance audio equipment, primarily SPL (sound pressure level) competitions. In SPL competitions, competitors aim to produce the loudest decibel reading with their custom audio systems, requiring tremendous power from the vehicle's charging system.

That's where Shuriken comes in, producing a series of high-quality, virgin-lead-packed AGM batteries in differing sizes and amperage ratings for use in nearly any audio application. Though comparing a Shuriken product to the other entries on the list is like apples to oranges, we've included the specifications for the company's only comparable group 34 battery for this comparison

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