There’s a quiet terror that hits right before any major trip: the cable audit. You know the one — the moment you dump every charging cord you own onto the bed and try to figure out which ones you actually need, which ones are duplicates, and which cursed cable belongs to a device you haven’t used since 2018. Every time I swear I’ll simplify. Every time I fail.

And then Nomad sent a curveball.

Earlier this year they dropped something weirdly brilliant: a universal USB-C cable with a full Apple Watch charging puck built directly into the connector. Not dangling off an adapter. Not a removable accessory. Literally baked into the cable. The kind of idea that seems obvious only after someone else designs it.

I brought this hybrid cable with me on a recent trip, fully expecting it to fall into the “cool but not actually useful” category. Instead, I ended up charging everything — my Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro, even my Steam Deck — entirely off this one cable. I’m not saying it replaced spiritual fulfillment, but it definitely replaced three chargers I normally carry out of fear.

The Cable: Sturdy, Smart, and Weirdly Versatile

On both ends, it’s USB-C to USB-C. But one of those ends has an Apple Watch charging puck built right under the connector like a little tech parasite in the best possible way. Plug either side into a USB-C wall adapter (Nomad doesn’t include one), and you’ve got a multi-device charging setup that’s ridiculously convenient for anyone drowning in Apple ecosystems.

If you’re a MacBook Pro user, particularly the 14- or 16-inch models, just pair it with a 100W adapter and you’re good. That’s the fastest it goes — 100W max — so this isn’t the mythical 240W cable people keep hoping will magically appear, but for 99% of travel scenarios, 100W is more than enough.

Build quality? Classic Nomad. Thick kevlar-reinforced braid. Textured sheath that feels like it could tow a car if you were desperate enough. My cat, who treats cables like chew toys sent by the universe for enrichment, hasn’t put a dent in it. It even comes with a silicone tie permanently attached, which means you can’t lose it — something I deeply appreciate as someone who has lost 17 cable organizers in my lifetime.

The only quirk is length. At 1.5 meters, it’s perfect for bedside charging. But at a café, airport lounge, or hotel desk where outlets are a mythical concept, I did catch myself wishing for an extra half-meter. Not a dealbreaker. Just mildly inconvenient if you’re living your entire life away from a wall socket.

As for Apple Watch charging orientation — I use a Braided Loop band, which doesn’t open all the way. So when the cable is stretched between a power brick and another device, letting the band wrap around the puck isn’t an option. Solution: flip the band up and stick the watch on top. Problem solved. Not elegant, but it works.

Otherwise, performance was smooth: fast USB-C charging for the iPhone, fast charging for Apple Watch, entirely compatible with every device I abused during the trip. And frankly, that’s the metric that matters.

The ChargeKey: The Tiny Cable I Didn’t Know I Needed

While testing the universal cable, I also carried Nomad’s USB-C ChargeKey — a little keychain-sized USB-C to USB-C connector with magnetic tips. It’s one of those products that barely looks like a cable until you need it.

It ended up saving me multiple times.

Need to top up your phone from a power bank? ChargeKey.
Need to dump camera photos into your MacBook? ChargeKey.
Need to connect an SSD to your iPhone for ProRes recording? ChargeKey again — because yes, it supports up to 10Gb/s data transfer.

It’s tiny, durable, magnetic, and always with me. The kind of tool you forget exists until it quietly solves a problem.

Bottom Line

Nomad’s Universal Cable for Apple Watch is one of the smartest travel-friendly charging solutions I’ve ever used. It’s durable, compact, and powerful enough to juice everything from an Apple Watch to a 16-inch MacBook Pro, all without needing multiple cables tangled in your bag like spaghetti.

It’s also expensive — AED 299 is a lot for a cable, even a tough, dual-purpose one. But if you’re a traveler, a minimalist packer, or someone who loves modular gear, it justifies its existence.

The ChargeKey, meanwhile, is a no-brainer at AED 99. It’s the kind of accessory that earns its keep the first time you forget your usual cable.

Where to Buy

Nomad Universal Cable for Apple Watch — AED 299
Nomad ChargeKey — AED 99