Sometimes a product is so well made that a catchy or creative name just won’t do, it needs to be called by its mere description, as with these…
“We designed 3 ultra rugged charging cables from the ground up and built them from military-grade materials like Kevlar and ballistic nylon… So they can keep up with your lifestyle. “ -Nomad
I’ve done many gear reviews but never thought I would be doing one for something as common as a USB (and Lightning) cable. Although to be fair, I did cover the then unique Chargekey USB, also made by Nomad.
With an official product name like “Ultra Rugged Cables”, you better live up to that name-description.
Before the now ubiquitous and constant need for USB cables, you wouldn’t have thought you needed them to be rugged, especially not ultra rugged. It’s just a wire that connects electronic devices, right?
But because of our increasingly demanding use for them, yes, they do need to be tough. We need to rely on them, not just to work all the time but to last a long time.
It’s come to the point where we rely on our cables as much as the devices they’re made for. This is why the Nomad Ultra Rugged Cables are such a welcoming addition to my vagabonding packing list.
These things are bad ass, truly. The cable is armored with 1000D braided ballistic nylon which is tear and abrasion resistant but feels good and grippy in the hands.
Under the braiding is a thick protective PVC jacket which covers the reinforced RF shielding, that enhances faster data syncing.
Then finally, protecting the fast charging 20AWG wire core is braided Kevlar. Yes, that kind of Kevlar.
These Mil Spec cables may be built like a tank but they aren’t cumbersome. They’re quite flexible and somewhat malleable for hassle free active use while being tangle resistant.
Add to that is an integrated vulcanized silicone rubber cable tie for cable management. And this aint no gimmick afterthought. This thing is a joy to use and works well with the generous 5 foot (1.5 meters) cable.
There are 3 different models in the Ultra Rugged Cable Series: the 3-in-1 Universal Cable, Lightning Battery Cable and the basic Lightning Cable (not reviewed).
The Lightning Battery Cable has a charge capacity of 2350 mAh, and it charges my iPhone fast, really fast. The battery is reliable and always charged since it’s integrated into the cable itself. The dynamic status light with an on demand button is a nice touch.
The 3-in-1 Universal Cable is Micro USB, USB Type C and Lightning. The integrated adaptor “tips” are cleverly designed to work seamlessly without getting in the way.
Get one of these Ultra Rugged Cables and you won’t be needing another one for a very long time, you can pass it down to your next device… and the next.
Nomad even offers an impressive 5 year guarantee on these – that’s quite something for just USB cables.
Other Options
- USB Charging Cable for Rugged Radios RH5R(Using BAT-RH5R-XL) & V3 Handheld Radio
- Allows You To Charge Your RH5R & V3 Handheld Radio with USB
- Connector Type: USB-C to USB-A
- Rugged, tough and built to outlast, reinforced strain relief in notorious weak spots for remarkable strength, longevity
- Braided nylon combats fray and tangles
- Bend/flex-tested 10,000 times for rigorous use
- Includes OtterBox limited lifetime warranty (see website for details)
- Ideal for connecting USB 3.0 enabled PC peripherals such as hard drives, printers, network hubs and more
- Enjoy SuperSpeed USB 3.0 data transfer rate at up to 5 Gbps, 10x faster than USB 2.2
- Premium Micro USB 3.0 cord engineered with molded strain relief connectors for durability and grip treads for easy plugging and unplugging
- Perfect replacement for original cable.
- Compatible with: LaCie Porsche Design / Slim / 9000459 / 9000480EK / P'9230 / Rugged Mini / Triple | SONY SL-BG1 / HD-S1A / SL-BG1 / HD-SG5 / HD-E2 / HD-E1 / HD-EG5 / HD-EG5U | A-Data (Adata) HD710 | Buffalo MiniStation | Freecom 35610 | Fuji X-T2 / Fujifilm GFX 50S | G-Drive | HGST Touro Mobile MX3 External Portable Hard Drive
- USB A TO C CHARGING CABLE: Coiling cable stretches up to 3.3ft (1m) and contracts to 1.2ft (38cm) preventing it from being tangled; Strong but soft flexible TPE jacket, makes it easy to coil and put away in vehicle console or glove compartment
- RUGGED DESIGN: USB A to USB Type-C cable reinforced with aramid fiber for increased tensile strength; Tested to withstand 10000+ insertions & 5000+ bend cycles at 180° angle; Durable TPE jacket and strain relief; TPE is non-toxic, halogen free
- FAST CHARGE AND SYNC : Supporting up to 3A for fast charging from a USB-A port or Quick Charge power adapter, this high quality cord is designed to charge and sync your USB C devices
- USB-C COMPATIBILITY: Heavy duty data transfer cable allows you to charge and sync your USB Type C devices including your iPad Pro, iPad Mini, Samsung Galaxy S8, S9, S10, S20, S20+, One Plus & Google Pixel 3a, 3, 4, 5, 6 series
- SPECS: Length: 3ft (1m) | Color: Black | Cable Type: Coiled | Connectors: USB-C to USB-A | Performance: USB 2.0 | Material: Aramid Fiber | Power: Up to 3A | Jacket Type: TPE | Shielding: EMI Protection with Aluminum/Mylar
- USB Charging Cable for Rugged Radios RH5R Handheld Radio Charging Base
- Allows You To Charge Your RH5R Handheld Radio via Charging Base with USB
- Charging Base Sold Separately - #CHA-BASE-5R
5 Comments
Just ordered the Universal cables…. thanks for the review!
So rugged, you can probably use the cables as survival rope.
Thanks for the review, gonna get the iPhone battery one. Been wanting something like that but never knew it till now. Great price to.
Im not sure if you covered this but does the univseral one also have mini usb?
Ive had some problems with aftermarket cords not fitting in the port on the hitcase shield for the iPhone 6s. Does this one fit without removing the case?