nonda ZUS Kevlar reinforced USB-A to Lightning Cable for Apple devices [Review]

When you are constantly on the go -- and who isn't, nowadays? -- your smartphone becomes an indispensable tool. With all of this phone usage, you will probably need to charge the device a lot. This means having a charger and cable ready in your car, bag, or pocket.

The problem? These cables tend to take a lot of abuse and can become damaged over time. Quality cables -- especially MFI certified Apple Lightning variants -- are expensive, and buying replacements can become costly. A new cable -- the ZUS Kevlar Charging Cable by nonda -- is both affordable and built to last. It is available in Type-A to Type-C, micro USB, or Apple Lightning. I have been using the Lightning variant for a couple weeks now, an I am ready to share my impressions.

When I opened the box, I saw something familiar -- a Lightning USB cable. Visually it is attractive, but you must feel it in your hands to truly understand the quality. The braided cable feels indestructible, but it is much more than a feeling. Internally, it has strands of Kevlar -- the thing of which bulletproof vests are made -- designed to protect the functionality of both charging and data transfer. The braiding prevents tangling too.

To test the durability, I abused it on purpose. The first thing I did was slam it in my car door. After doing this a few times, I plugged it into my car charger and my iPhone charged without issue. Staying with the car theme, I also drove my Crown Victoria -- a rather heavy vehicle -- over both the ends; both came out unscathed.

Without question, claimed durability is the real deal. Hopefully you never actually abuse the cable in such a way in real life, but when accidents happen, you are covered. If the cable does stop working, however, it comes with a lifetime warranty.

The cable comes in only one length -- four feet -- which the company claims is ideal for car usage. In the company's testing, it found that three-foot cables were deficient in reaching all the necessary spots of the vehicle. While the added length is appreciated, I didn't find it necessary. I do not mount my iPhone on my windshield, instead sticking it in a dashboard tray or on the passenger seat. If you do have a larger vehicle, or like to mount your phone on your window, this length should meet your needs.

The really cool design aspect, however, is the 90 degree USB Type-A end. This allows the cable to be inserted into tight places. Again, like the added length, I did not really have a need for this, but I see the value. In a car with strange angles near the USB or lighter port, this could prove quite convenient. When plugged into my laptop, however, the angle made things look neater, pointing the cable towards the front or back, depending on which side it was plugged.

Overall, if you need a new Lightning cable, there is no reason not to choose this one over others. At a reasonable $17, it is extremely high quality, a decent length, and MFI certified. Quite frankly, why even bother buying an official Apple-branded cable? The ZUS Kevlar reinforced cable is just as fast for charging and data transfer, only more durable. This Kevlar cable is the one you want, y'all.

If you are interested in buying this cable -- USB Type-C, micro USB, or Lightning -- you can get it on Indiegogo here. It is currently crowdfunded more than 3000-percent of its goal, and June 20th is the final day to get in on some of the discounts.