Power in Your Pocket
Stay charged on-the-go with these iPhone battery bolstering devices
For all the access and entertainment an iPhone 5 provides, battery issues still plague ever-active, on-the-go users. But there are several alternatives to carrying around cords and scoping the scene for an outlet. As the summer season hits and holidays filled with innumerable power-sucking Instagram moments or weekend music festivals keep you outside for hours on end, investing in one of these extra battery packs can be invaluable. From cases and packs, to hubs and amps, here are a few we’ve tried that stand out for their convenient size, lasting power and ability to have your iPhone 5 back in the action in no time at all.
Mophie’s Juice Pack Plus tends to be the standard by which all slip-on cases are held. The impact-resistant, two-piece case provides up to 120% extra battery life. You can charge your phone while simultaneously charging your Mophie and its standby mode means you don’t need to slip it off when you’re done. Retailing for $120, it’s on the pricier side of the spectrum, but it’s a quality product from the tech industry’s most reliable brand.
The PhoneSuit Flex delivers 125% extra battery life. This aluminum hub serves up a quick charge, bringing an iPhone to 100% in around two hours. It attaches at the charging base, which means you can use it while a phone is encased. This micro battery pack will easily slip into your pocket and retails for $70.
If you, like some of us in the Cool Hunting office, have iPhone ornamentation (like the Grove x MapleXO iPhone 5 SkateBack), a Mophie might not fit. The myCharge Freedom 2000 is a case alternative. It feels bulkier than the Mophie, but fits any phone that has slight modification. A retractable charging cable stretches to accommodate the phone port placement. The Freedom 2000 features stronger drop-proof protection thanks to its hard exterior, raised corners and single-piece construction. The handy case also has a standby function, so if the size doesn’t bother you, you can keep it on. For $80, you’ll get up to 110% more battery life and some added protection.
If you carry more than an iPhone, the Jackery Mini is for you. This portable battery is super-compact, stylish, can hold five hours’ worth of charge and as disperses energy through a USB slot so you can plug in any device you’ve got, so long as you’re carrying your charging cable. At $30, the Jackery Mini is reasonably priced for the power punch it packs in a pocket-sized way.
Images by Hans Aschim
