Nomad Base One Max
If you don’t know the brand Nomad, well, you should. It makes gorgeous, brilliantly crafted accessories for iPhones, Apple Watches and beyond. Not just an iPhone case with the most tactile leather, so you can’t keep your hands off it, or the slickest AirTag holders. Its Apple Watch-compatible products aren’t limited to the Watch strap that Apple should have made and hasn’t.
Oh no, there’s more to Nomad than that. And its excellent MagSafe chargers now come in a sumptuously attractive color.
There are two products: Base One and Base One Max. One is a MagSafe charger for iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, while the other not only charges these phones but has a separate section for the Apple Watch.
Both have been available for a while in carbide gray and silver finishes and the new, limited-edition versions come in a luxurious white and gold finish. It looks wonderful.
If you’ve tried a MagSafe charger, you’ll know there’s one tiny problem. It’s not serious and it applies to most chargers—even Apple’s own. The issue is that the magnet attaches firmly so that to remove the iPhone from the base you either need two hands, to stop the charger lifting with the phone, or a clever twisting movement as you lift.
Nomad Base One
That doesn’t apply to the Nomad devices. They are solid, weighty and handsome. So, when you lift the phone, the charger stays put, making for a more enjoyable experience.
The Base One and Base One Max are both official, certified chargers with 15W fast wireless charging for the iPhone. The metal and glass design is eye-catching and deeply attractive. Even the cable, which is braided, looks great. And, as mentioned, the charger won’t accidentally move when you lift the phone or Watch, because it weighs 1.13 pounds (515g) in the case of the Base One, and 1.98 pounds (900g) in the case of the Base One Max.
The Base One costs $99.95 and the Base One Max, with its additional vertical Watch charging puck, is $149.99. Note that neither comes with a power adapter (rather like when you buy an iPhone) and you need a 30W power adapter to make it work. Don’t make the mistake I (briefly) made and connect a less powerful adapter to it.
If there’s a downside to these products, it’s that the Watch charging puck is not the fast-charge version that comes with the Apple Watch Series 7. But that’s hardly a deal breaker.
To be clear, this new product is chosen by me, and this post does not include any affiliate links. But if you’re tempted by the new MagSafe chargers, go to nomadgoods.com.
