The Mophie Juice Pack Plus for the iPhone 5 and 5s is a battery case that can more than double the time you can go between plugging up. With the flip of a switch, this stylish and rugged case goes from being simply a good phone case to one that is now charging your phone.
Granted, part of the joy of the outdoors is getting away from it all and not being connected. Being unreachable is not a bad thing. However, your phone can be a vital and possibly life-saving tool in the outdoors, especially in emergency situations. Whether you need a map to find your way or a means of calling for assistance, a cell phone can be invaluable. The Mophie gives you extra peace of mind that your cell will have plenty of charge should it be needed.
Prior to having the Mophie Juice Pack Plus, I was forced to carry external batteries and cables on my ultra-long rides and races, in particular those on gravel back country roads where you see more animals than people. Now I can simply grab the encased phone and roll. I have had some close calls on training rides when I got off-map and was forced to use my phone to navigate back or to pick alternative routes when “roads” ended or when what appeared to be small creek crossings turned out to be unbridged rivers. Long periods of navigation with the screen brightness set high so I could see it really taxed the battery and there was a time or two when I thought I was going to run out of power. That’s no longer the case, because of the case.
The Mophie Juice Pack Plus fully charged provides 2100 mAh of charge capability. I found this took my iPhone 5s from 6% charged to 100%. There was additional juice leftover after this charge. When I next needed a charge, the Juice Pack gave it another 7% before being fully drained. The current level of the Juice Pack Plus battery is indicated by the four lights on the back of the case.
The Juice Pack Plus weighs just 3.2 ounces. The case is about 2 5/8” wide, 5 9/16” long and about 11/16” deep. The case gives a more substantial feel to the phone which isn’t a bad thing. The case provides enhanced grip, even with sweaty hands, and the case is surrounded by a rubberized band that acts to protect the phone in a fall. The coating of the case, though grippy, does not make it difficult to remove the phone from pockets. In fact, the curved edges and back make the phone easier to remove.
As I sit with my laptop writing this review of the Mophie Juice Pack Plus, I was given a reminder of another situation where the Juice Pack Plus is a welcome tool to have. That is in regards to emergency preparedness at home. A significant summer storm just rolled through, and I now am without power. I doubt this storm will have the power out for a significant amount of time, but I’d be really happy to have the Mophie in the event of one that does.
The Mophie Juice Pack Plus is an excellent case that lets you go longer without frantically looking for an outlet to charge your dying phone. Whether you are delayed in an airport, on the road without a car charger, navigating through the woods, checking in on a weekend adventure, or there is a long power outage at your home; the Mophie Juice Pack Plus is invaluable. I hope the power is back on soon, but I’m glad I have the Juice Pack Plus in case it’s not.
The Mophie Juice Pack Plus is available online at Mophie’s site for $119.95 for the iPhone 5 and 5s. There is a 2000 mAh model for the 4/4s for $99.95. Mophie makes packs for a wide range of phones and tablets. So even you non-Apple users should check them out.
– Alex (Steak Sauce)
Have you had a chance to use this on any endurance rides?
Nothing over about 5 hours yet. I got a few big ones coming up early November. I will be out in the woods training for them next month.
Cool. I looked into one of these earlier today for my Samsung Galaxy S4 after reading your article. eBay seems to be having good deals on these! It’s definitely on my wish list now!