This clever USB-C cable doubles as a stand for your phone [Gallery]

One of my favorite things about the rise of magnetic wireless charging has been the prevalence of chargers that hold my phone upright on my nightstand. But, when travelling, that tends to be a bit more cumbersome, or at least a little more expensive. The folks over at Statik have come up with a clever solution, a USB-C cable that has a kickstand for your phone with no added bulk.

The Statik PowerStand is a pretty straightforward idea. A USB-C cable that has a kickstand at the end. Simple idea, plenty of room for a poor implementation, but this is really quite well done.

One end of the braided cable is a standard USB-C plug, while the other side has a right-angle plug on an extended base. Admittedly, it feels a little clunky on its own, but it makes sense once you plug in a device. The USB-C plug is angled slightly and on a raised base, easily connecting to your phone even if it’s in a case. Two foldable “feet” swivel out and let you either stand the phone up vertically – perfect for charging – or put it horizontally for something like watching a video.

The implementation here is really quite good. The vertical orientation is surprisingly well-balanced and I never felt like my phone would just fall over. Don’t get me wrong, a shove will definitely let it fall over, but it’s not just going to fall on its own. The spacing for cases also worked perfectly on a Nomad case I have for my iPhone or my wife’s Peak Design Pixel 10 Pro case, but the plug didn’t feel insecure on my case-less Pixel as a result.

The foldable “feet” also slot into place quickly and lock into position pretty well. It’s a good balance between strength and easily being able to adjust the position.

This isn’t some shoddy cable either. It’s a 240W cable with USB 2.0 data transfer speeds and is measures 6.6ft long too. The braided texture feels sturdy and it’s nice that the design still lets you use the kickstand end with a laptop.

The Statik PowerStand easily earned a permanent spot in my travel bag, and for $20, it’s definitely worth your consideration too.

Statik, by the way, is the same brand that makes those magnetic cables that are easier to store because they attach to themselves. Another cable in its lineup that the company sent out with the PowerStand is the PowerPivot Pro, an all-in-one cable with USB-C and USB-A ends on one side with a USB-C tip on the other end that can rotate in any direction. I’m not quite as keen on the functionality there, but Statik points out the one place it might come in handy – the car. For Android Auto/CarPlay, I could see this one being good for having your phone perhaps stuffed into a tight spot. It’d been even better, though, if both ends of the cable had these rotating tips. If nothing else, Statik says this is 20x tougher than a normal cable, and I believe it after feeling it in person.

PowerPivot Pro is also available for $20.

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