We earlier reviewed Nomad’s Chargekey – a key shaped USB lightning charger you can put in your keyring to always have a charger handy. The company – Nomad, has rebranded itself and have come up with an updated version of the Chargekey (now called NomadKey) and 2 new products which they claim are tools meant for the modern nomad. Essentially targeting the segment of customers who are mostly on the go. They sent us a review kit with all 3 of their latest products. I have been using them for the past few weeks and so far, they have proved to be delivering on their promise. Lets look at each one of them.
Nomadkey
The updated version of the ChargeKey (now called NomadKey) now has a metallic USB plug and feels much more robust than its predecessor. It has a super strong and flexible stem which can literally bend in any direction. I tried twisting, turning & bending this thing and it took it all. This image should tell you what this thing is capable of:
As you can see, this thing can bend, still charge your device, and retain its shape. That is some serious tensile strength there. The idea behind shaping the charger like a key is that you usually never forget your keyring. So you will always have a charger with you wherever you go. The NomadKey measures 6.6 x 0.5 x 1.9 cm and weighs just 7g. It is also 2.5A ready. So if you have a high speed charger that outputs 2.1A, you can use it with NomadKey to charge your device faster.
The NomadKey is priced at $24.95 (Apple Lightning version) & $19.95 (Micro USB version). You can buy it here.
NomadClip
Carabiners are awesome. They are not just for climbing. They are useful everywhere to hold things. And people use them a lot to hold keys – lots of keys. NomadClip is a carabiner with a hidden USB charging cable. Weighing at 53g, the NomadClip is sized at 8 x 4.2 x 1.3 cm and is 2.5A ready. It is made with some really tough materials and has an amazing build quality. The USB & charging plugs are located on the opposite side of the clip and you have to pull the corners out to reveal them. They are connected via a tough flat cable, so you can move them in case you need to plug them to a recessed port.
Keep in mind that taking out the ports will require some strength. But that’s a good thing considering what this thing is meant for. You do not want to have your USB port pulling out every time your carabiner is dragged against a wall or something. This thing is tough. And thats what makes it awesome.
NomadClip is available in Apple Lightning & Micro USB versions and is priced at $39.95. You can buy one here.
NomadPlus
We have all seen portable chargers. They are battery packs shaped like cigarette lighters or portable USB drives which you have to charge using a USB cable. Most come with a pouch to keep the charger and all the cables together. Nomad has thought out of the box in making their version of the portable charger. Apple’s USB chargers are iconic in shape. You insert your Apple USB charger in the NomadPlus which has an appropriately sized compartment with a male USB port. Once the charger is inserted and flush leveled with NomadPlus, you can plug it in any wall outlet.
The NomadPlus is a 1800mAh portable charger weighing only 60g. Its decently sized with dimensions measuring 5.3 x 5.3 x 3.1cm. Its slightly larger than the Apple Charger that comes with the iPad and outputs 5V/1A. When its plugged into a wall outlet, it charges your device first and then charges itself. When not plugged in, you can use it to charge your device on the go. The Nomad logo next to the USB port doubles up as indicator of the amount of charge remaining in the battery.
Note that NomadPlus is built to house the Apple Charger tightly so that it doesn’t come out accidentally or while pulling out of the wall outlet. This means that its rather difficult to take out once you get it inside. You will need to insert a paper clip in the holes in the pins and then pull it out. In my last few weeks of usage, I have actually never felt the need to take it out. Its overall small size lets you easily carry it around wherever you go.
The NomadPlus is priced at $39.95 and is available here.
