I recently joined the modern world of smartphones, upgrading from an iPhone 4 (it actually may have been a 3S) to the oversized iPhone 6-Plus.
The battery life on this relic could barely last a half-day, and was dinged up from frequent drops. The scratches on the screen weren’t doing much to help either.
To go along with my new handheld, which is significantly larger, and therefore more slippery than my previous phone, I found five great accessories to get the most out of it – from power to protection.
1. Don’t lose it!
The Kenu Highline is a security leash and protective case in one.
Have you ever taken your phone out of your pocket on the Summit Chair at Solitude and thought, “Wow, if I dropped my phone right now, it would not be good?” For someone like me who drops my phone sitting at my desk – a chairlift is a frightening place. No more with the Kenu.
The elastic leash clips easily to one of the loops inside my ski jacket and is retractable enough the cord doesn’t get in the way. The other end of the cord clips into the case via the charging port, which doubles as a combatant for dirt, snow and grime working its way into the opening.
kenu.com
2. Power it!
Ok, now that my phone is safely along for the ride, I can listen to tunes all day, track my ski vertical and runs with snocru ‘s GPS tools and still respond to emails on the lift ride back up. Even with a new battery, the cold weather and demand from my apps drains the battery before last chair.
The iFrogz GoLite 2600 is a bit bigger than chapstick, but smaller than a candy bar, and can recharge my phone quickly. I leave it stashed in my other pocket with an extra lightning cable wrapped around it whenever I need to add some juice.
The LED flashlight came in handy more than once, too.
ifrogz.com
3. More power!
The GoLite can charge my iPhone back to full strength once, which is usually enough for a day of skiing or biking. But, that is not enough for longer trips, say in a hut or car camping near a mountain bike trailhead.
Enter the iFrogz GoLite Traveler.
At roughly three times the size of the 2600, this puppy can power my phone back up SIX TIMES before it’s exhausted. If I had to choose between one of the two portable power options, it would be this model. Yes, it’s a bit heavier and bulkier, but the weight to power ratio makes up for it.
The real feature I love is the dual ports to charge two devices at once. This is a lifesaver if you have a phone, bike light for night rides and even a GoPro. Anything that uses a USB cord can be powered from this 9000mAh bank.
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4. Don’t scratch it!
Apple claims the phone’s screen is scratch-free. If anyone were to be the first to prove that advertising claim wrong, it would be me.
The first thing I did when I got my new phone was head to the Zagg store at City Creek and have Jared install the The InvisibleShield HDX. The words Military Grade reassure me that the powerful shock absorption layer will bail me out more than once if (when) I drop my phone face-down. Plus, the HD clarity glass they use I swear makes my photos look more vibrant than without the protector on.
The touchscreen works flawlessly though the glass shield and the cutouts around the home button and ear speaker look as though they were designed by Apple themselves.
5. Listen to it!
I bring my phone, like you probably do, on all my adventures.
The days of carrying a GPS, ipod, phone and camera are over, as modern phones do it all as good if not better in some cases than standalone devices. (Well, at least for us iPhone users – you droid people may need to GPS and Ipod still haha!)
On skin tracks and bike rides keeping fresh beats pumping all day keeps my energy level up, so I picked up a pair of the ifrogz FreeRein Bluetooth Earbuds. I went bluetooth, because traditional headphone cords are a pain.
Whether it’s taking a layer on or off or unstrapping a helmet ever pair of headphones I have tried constantly get pulled out of my ears. This is especially a challenge on bike rides, as corded headphones mean I have to leave my phone in an inconvenient pocket for pedaling, or make it inaccessible in my pack.
The FreeRein pair with my phone quickly and last for about four hours. On a full-day ride or tour I could use the portable charger pack (Number 3 above) during a lunch break to charge my phone and headphones back up for the afternoon session.
ifrogz.com
All five of these options total up to less than a pound, but extend the life of my device itself, as well as my hours of enjoyment each day, What good is a dead battery or a cracked screen on a smartphone? Only a dumb person will find out.
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