Ondrej Holzman When I first heard about Nomad's Battery Cable, I immediately thought how could someone not have come up with something like this sooner? This is a smart combination of a charging cable and a power bank, which is fixed on the cable between the terminals. And you can often really appreciate that. But it also has its disadvantages.
Nomad is known for usually striving to create robust and very durable products, and the Battery Cable is no exception. It's a 1,5 meter USB and Lightning cable that's braided with ballistic nylon, under which there's even twice as strong PVC sheathing of the cable itself, so you can be sure that you won't destroy the Nomad Battery Cable.
Similarly durable, military-grade cables aren't too unusual these days, but Nomad decided to add a battery to theirs, combining two products into one. The trick of the Battery Cable is that when you charge your iPhone through it, you also charge the connected power bank at the same time, which you always have ready.
Naturally, Battery Cable will always prioritize charging the iPhone when you connect the cable to the network/computer. But as soon as the phone is charged, the battery starts charging, thanks to which the Battery Cable works like a classic power bank. You connect it to the iPhone via Lightning and charge it. A small diode will then show you if there is more to take.
If you often have problems with the endurance of your iPhone and you already carry a power bank and cable with you in your bag or backpack, the Nomad Battery Cable is an interesting alternative that combines these two products into one. But it also has its shortcomings.
The capacity of the connected battery is only 2 mAh, which is enough for a maximum of one complete charge of the iPhone 350, or to top up the juice in the iPhone 7 Plus. For many people, for example, it will be enough to get through the working day, but with this smaller capacity, I could imagine a slightly more compact package.
Due to its durability and construction, the Nomad Battery Cable is not as compact as an original cable from Apple, which may not suit everyone. Even the battery could be a little smaller due to its low capacity. It is now about the length of two AA batteries, but much thicker. Someone can already carry a much more compact solution in their bag and, moreover, with a higher capacity.
In the end, it is mainly about whether you want or are looking for a universal (and it must be remembered that it is extremely durable) solution, or whether you can make do with an external power bank and connecting the cable. If you are only interested in Nomad's durable cable itself, which you can tame with a sturdy rubber clip that is attached to both cable variants, the company also offers a variant without a battery.
Alza already offers the Nomad Lightning Cable without a flashlight here for 899 crowns, the Nomad Battery Cable is only taking pre-orders and will cost 1 crowns. If you don't want to wait for the Battery Cable to be sold here, you can order directly on the Nomad website. With postage, it will cost 64 dollars (1 crowns), but unfortunately you have to count with customs and VAT.
