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Native Union USB Lightning EDC & Travel Belt Cable Review

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

USB Cables are a dime a dozen. Lightning cables are more expensive but come in all shapes, sizes and quality. Most cables are perfectly acceptable sitting on your nightstand at home but if you carry it with you (EDC) or travel with it, then you need to make sure you pickup something that can withstand the torture it will endure.

Native Union is a boutique accessory maker that seems to put some thought in their designs and charges accordingly. No $2.99 cables here. The question is :

“Can the Native Union Belt cable stand up to the rigors of everyday carry and travel?”

A colleague was nice enough to lend me his cables for testing. He had bought them from Amazon.com for $25US a piece.

Specifications

Let's get the basic specifications out of the way. 

  • comes in 1.2M (belt) and 3M (belt XL) variants
  • It is a tangle free braided cable
  • has a leather cable tidy
  • is apple MFI certified so you won't get an accessory not supported message (on Apple products) like many cheap Amazon copies.

Cables are cables, don't expect anything revolutionary. One side connects to a USB power brick (or computer) and the other to your device. The difference between a good cable and bad one is the quality of the material and workmanship.

Native Union seems to have used to shelve high quality materials which makes the cable feel sturdy. The "belt" leather strap is functional but nothing to write home about. It works by keeping your cable organized.

Using the Native Union Belt USB & Lightning Cables

First I tested the power output of the Native Union lightning cable connected to an Anker brick capable of pushing 2.4A/5V with an iPad Air 2. The original Apple provided cables was able to transport 2.4A/5V (measured with a USB power meter.) The Native Union lightning cable performed exactly the same.

I then tested transferring files from a Moto X 2016 using the Motorola cable and then the Native Union cable and transfer times were similar. 

The cable is more stiff than the original Apple or Motorola cable so using the device while connection will need some getting use to but nothing too dramatic.

After use, wrapping the cable and tidying it with the belt is simple. The ultimate durability test was throwing it in my main laptop bad accessory pocket (a RedOxx CPA bag) and using it day in day out. While most cables break after a couple of weeks, the Native Union Belt actually looked as good on day 20 as it did on day 1. 

Conclusion

I'll be the first to admit $25 is a lot to spend on a cable but it is worth it for the business user or traveler that relied on his gadgets being charged regardless of where he/she goes. Obviously Native Union chose premium materials (except the belt felt a bit cheap) to design a cable that will last many many years soI wouldn't be gun shy to recommend buying these. Unfortunately there isn't a USB-C option yet but I have to believe one is on the way.

So my closing remark is buy it if you can find it. I know the USB version is out of stock on the Native Union website and is selling at a premium on Amazon ($30). The Lightning version seems available everywhere.

 

Best Travel USB and Lightning cable - Chargekey

technologyEdward Kiledjian

I have tested lots of USB and lightning cables but most of them die a quick and horrible death from the extreme pressures of travel. Most end up broken, cracked or otherwise unusable. 

That's until I discovered the wonderful Chargekey from Nomad. 

I wrote a review about it (link) that I encourage everyone to go read. In summary it is a durable, flexible, keychain attacheable USB or lightning cable that goes everywhere with you. 

I have tested other ChargeKey clones from Amazon, DHGate, DealExtreme and AliExpress but none of them are build as solid as the original ChargeKey. For an Everyday Carry (EDC) USB or lightning cable, the ChargeKey gets a 5 out of 5 from me.

 

Most portable USB or Lightning charging cable

technologyEdward Kiledjian
Plusus_LifeLink_1.png

 

Plusus is releasing a very portable charge cable solution called Lifelink which is the size of a credit card and 2 credit cards thick.  

Plusus_LifeLink_2.png

Once opened up, it give you almost 7" of cable so you don't need to shove it next to the charge source (laptop, adapter, etc) 

Plusus_LifeLink_3.png

The flexible cable is reinforced with unbreakable Teflon so it will last a long time. when clipped to your keys, it is light and you will hardly know it is with you (until you need it). 

Make sure you follow this special link to get 50% off during the pre-order phase by signing up for their newsletter.

50% off link 

For transparency, I have no financial benefit from the above link (referral or otherwise). I am providing it as a service to my readers.

PlusUs LifeLink 

Ikea will only sell LED lights by 2016

technologyEdward Kiledjian

IKEA wants to be the first US furniture retailer to sell only LED lights (by 2016). It cites the environmental benefits as the main driver and has committed to delivering them at the lowest price in the market.

Ikea says its LED lights will last around 20 years. Currently the main LED light providing comparable performance is the Philips product selling for between $20-60. Obviously the market may not be ready for a $20 light so let’s hope they find a way to bring the price down.