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Apple’s Lightning cable has been a thorn in side of Apple fans for a while now. Shortly after its debut alongside iPhone 5 in 2012, it became abundantly clear that Apple’s claims of ‘improved durability’ where specious at best. Apple-branded Lighting cables have failed time and time again.
Now it’s three years later and Apple has done nothing to address the durability of its Lightning cables. We’ve put together a roundup of ultra-tough Lightning cables that should last longer than your new iPhone 6/6 Plus…
Sewell 3-ft MOS Spring Lightning cable with aluminum heads, steel spring relief and exoskeleton braided jacket $29.95 Prime shipped
- MFi Apple-certified
- Deep Grey color
- Metal spring strain relief protects the most vulnerable part of the cable.
Belkin 4-ft MIXIT Premium Metallic Lightning cable w/ aluminum finish from $23 Prime shipped
- MFi Apple-certified
- Gold, Gray, Silver
- Premium aluminum finish in colors that match your iPhone 6 / 6 Plus and iPhone 5 / 5S
Just Mobile AluCable Twist 5.9-ft $24.95 Prime shipped
- MFi Apple-certified
- black
- Finished in premium aluminum, the Allocable Twist stretches from 10cm to 1.8m
- more info
RND 6-ft Lightning cable $12.99 or 10-ft $19.99 Prime shipped
- MFi Apple-certified
- multiple colors
- Durable design protects wire cores and resists kinks and tangles.
- more info
Moshi 10-ft Lightning cable $29.95 Prime shipped
- MFi Apple-certified
- white
- Encased in aluminum and shielded to reduce electromagnetic interference.
- more info
Skiva 3.2-ft flat Lightning cable $9.99 Prime shipped
- MFi Apple-certified
- white
- Flat and tangle-resistant design prevents the cable from tangles and provides flexibility to the cable.
- more info
Griffin 4-ft coiled Lightning cable $10.40 shipped
- MFi Apple-certified
- black
- The durable cable jacket protects wire cores and resists kinks and tangles
- more info
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I bought this #Zendure cable in emergency, My phone battery was about to die, and I left my charger home. this cable is 100% campatible to my iPhone, and iPod. It quickly charges my phone, plus can transfer data also.
The Lenken Techware cable has proven very durable for me and I am a heavy Apple user. Full aluminium shells and braided cord makes it very sturdy, see here http://lenkentechware.com.
Over the last few years, I have had great success with the AmazonBasics Apple Certified Lightning to USB Cable – 6 Feet. At only $13.00 US, it has worked exceptionally well for the price.
OtterBox has unfortunately designed the new Defender Series cases for the iPhone 6 with an opening that is far too small for the Amazon cable.
I am now stuck with the Apple 3 foot cables that are not very durable or road worthy.
Has anyone with both an iPhone 6 and an OtterBox Defender case found a travel worthy, longer cable that will work with this case?
the Luxtr 6.5′ cable is $14 and even fits the new lifeproof case for iPhone 6 I’m using one right now, is actually guaranteed to fit ANY case and comes with a lifetime no questions asked warranty http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QRCK7Q2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Stay away from Amazon basics. In 3-4 months it will start breaking at the end. I am on my third now.
it has a one year warranty from amazon -try it
yes amazon is great about warranty, but why buy something only to replace it? mine started coming apart at the lightning connector after a couple of months, been using it for a few more months but finally got a return label from amazon, shipping it back this week
Don’t go for the Griffin, I’m on my second and it’s starting to go bad.
dang, thanks for sharing your experience. Have you found a cable that you like?
Yeah. Griffin is terrible. I’ve had TWO griffin cassette adapters and an older iphone cable that came with their car charger go bad. Avoid Griffin Technology.
Which of these would fit perfectly with the Apple official iPhone 5s leather case on?
I see the pictures of damage, but I’m clueless as to how it occurs. I’ve been using Lightning cables for about 2 years now I think (iPad mini, then 5s) and have not had any damage whatsoever. Interesting, but then I never had problems with the dock cables either unless they were cheaper aftermarket units.
Auvio from Radioshack. Braided and super durable and a 1/3 of the price of Belkin.
I need one where the plastic around the connector is smaller than any of these – maybe not as small as Apple’s but still tiny. I have an LifeProof Nuud on my iPhone 5s and have a Belkin 6-foot cable I can’t use because it’s too big for the port. The Apple connectors fit fine. Any recs?
That’s going to be tough to find. Most durable cables have added bulk/heft to them.
Yeah, that’s what I’m finding. 🙁
I use the Amazon Basics lightning cable with my Nuud for 5s, but I just use a file to shave down the sides of the plastic around the charger to get it to fit. I only have to shave a tiny bit off, and it doesn’t make the charger any less durable.
That’s good to know. I’d have to take an awful lot off of this Belkin one (which I’m just using with my iPad mini) and if the Amazon one is closer then that’s an improvement.
I have two Apple l-cables that still work…one I keep by my Mac, it doesn’t leave home. Other one got ran over by chair and split outside casing, both ends are now frayed a bit, but, it still works fine. I have other non-certified l-cables that sync but don’t charge…not handy.
I got a “bungi” looking cable, much like the second one listed here, some time ago, and, the lightning connector end was very cheap, broke, had it replaced after few uses, replacement still feels fragile, careful with it, but, now I get the dreaded error and it doesn’t charge, so it’s useless to me. (got w/groupon or living social cheap, so, not doing that anymore.)
Would love to have a true bungi cable lightning cable. but, not likely, I know…I would like to know how durable the top two selections are in real use.
I have a Moshi cable, it’s great, but, would really like something thicker and tangle free, cloth (or cloth like) would be great, or should I just get the flat one?
I have heard great things about the durability of AwesomeCables’ Lightning offerings. Also, they are MFi so you shouldn’t get any of those nasty iOS errors.
Surprised Anker’s cable is not included here. Cheaper and tougher than Apple’s lightning cable.
I checked it out, but I didn’t notice any major design differences that would make it tougher.