A few months back I came across a really interesting and potentially useful new card.

Now I’m guessing that most of you assume that I’m talking about a new credit card from one of the popular banks like American Express, Barclays, Chase, Citi or US Bank etc…

This card is issued by Nomad and it’s called ChargeCard. The ChargeCard won’t earn you any miles or points but it will help to give your mobile device a charge and it comes in a tiny package.

A little about the ChargeCard:

From Nomad, ChargeCard is a thin smartphone cable that’s designed to fit into even the slimmest wallet. It works like your normal cable for charging and syncing your phone – plug one end into a USB port and the other end into your mobile device.

I reached out to Nomad and they were happy to send me a ChargeCard and one of their other products (for use with my iPhone) to review!

Here are my thoughts about ChargeCard:

When the ChargeCard arrived I was definitely impressed by what I saw.

First impressions– ChargeCard is a thin, lightweight charging cable designed in a really smart way. I like how the product allows you to eliminate the need to carry long, bulky wires with you to charge your phone. ChargeCard is around the size of a credit card. The lightning cable end permanently sticks out of the card on the top left corner while the USB adapter part is attached to a short, bendable rubber piece which snaps in place to get stored in the middle of the ChargeCard. The only problem I saw with the design was the fact that the plug was so short & didn’t have much reach. Unless plugging my iPhone into a computer or portable charger, it might be hard to use ChargeCard.

There have been many occasions where I didn’t have a plug to charge my iPhone and wished that I had one on me. With the ChargeCard this doesn’t have to be an issue. The first thing I tested was how the new card fit in my wallet. Yes it takes up one slot, meaning I have less room for another credit card but it’s for a good reason.

Chargecard fit in my wallet without a problem. I usually can fit 2 (or squeeze 3) credit cards into one slot but the Chargecard isn’t quite as flat as a credit card. If needed I was able to slide a credit card behind my CC allowing me to not give up as much real estate.

I keep my wallet in my back pocket so I wondered how well the ChargeCard would hold up. The card is made from a high quality plastic and after around 2 months in my wallet, it’s shown no signs of weakness or possibly breaking. It looks just as good as when it first arrived.

Trying out ChargeCard: Unlike other non-Apple plugs, my iPhone responded immediately when plugged in to the ChargeCard. My account even pops up right away, letting my know if my phone has an update or allowing me to sync with my computer if necessary.

Plugging ChargeCard into a computer is probably the ideal way to use the product. Due to how short the cable is, (unless you feel comfortable leaving your phone on the floor) pairing the ChargeCard with another USB friendly wall plug doesn’t work so well. I also tried using it in my car which also isn’t the best option. I have a USB slot in the middle console (between driver & passenger seats) in my car. If I use the ChargeCard in my car then I have to close the lid making it impossible to use the phone. This isn’t a big issue for the driver but if a passenger wants to plug in their phone and use it- good luck!

Like I mentioned above, I was impressed by how fast my iPhone started charging when plugged into the ChargeCard. Based on how well my phone synched with my computer, you’d think I was using an Apple product.

ChargeCard is really awesome & useful for international travel. One of the biggest problems that I come across in accommodations is that there are never enough outlets or we don’t have enough converters.

During our stay at the Le Meridien St Juliens in Malta there was only a couple of outlets in the room. With lots of devices to charge (laptop, iPad, camera batter & 2 iPhones), I was able to use one outlet to charge the laptop and an iPhone. Talk about a big help!

What does a ChargeCard cost? ChargeCard sells for $29 while a lightning to USB cable from Apple goes for $19. With the ChargeCard you are paying a small price for easy portability which I think has a value. I don’t work from an office and move around a lot during the day for work. I like to know that I always have a lightning to USB cable on me for emergencies so I see the value in the ChargeCard.

Nomad also has a way for you to get a ChargeCard for free. If you refer 3 friends (and they become customers) you’ll get one of their products for free!

Recap: While the ChargeCard isn’t a cable for everyday use, it does have a place in my wallet. I love the product for plugging my phone into my (or other) computer to get a quick charge since I rarely carry a lightning wire with me. It’s also a great item to carry for emergencies. I don’t like to get stuck without a cable to charge my phone. As long as I can find a USB port, I know that I can charge my device anywhere.

Nomad’s ChargeCard is available in 2 varieties:

• Lightning Cable for iPhone 5/5S/5C, Lightning iPad & iPad Mini
• Micro USB for Samsung Galaxy, HTC, Nexus, Windows Phone, BlackBerry, Lumia, LG, many more

Find out more and purchase a ChargeCard here.