I think I give my iPhone a heart attack every time I travel. As an active adventure traveler, my poor little phone is used to dangling perilously over edges of cliffs, speeding down zip lines and not too long ago, over the mouths of hungry alligators at Gatorland whenever I want to capture my travels in photos. If it had a voice, I’m sure it would scream every time I put it in danger. Sure it’s protected from small bumps and bruises with it’s Otterbox case, but should it slip out of my hands… well, I might as well say farewell. It’s gator food!

Enter the Highline iPhone Bungee Leash by Kenu.

A Tether for Your iPhone

The premise is quite simple. the Kenu Highline loops through your jacket zipper pull, belt loop, carabiner or belly button ring (okay, not the last one) and secures itself to your iPhone. Have no fear, if you drop the phone the bungee cord will prevent it from careening down the Grand Canyon.

Is the investment of $19.95 for yet another piece of gadgetry to carry around worth it? Let’s take a closer look…

Strength & Security

The Kenu Highline exists for one reason only, to keep your iPhone from falling out of your hands. And with that specific purpose in mind. the Highline excels. Like a bungee jump from the Victoria Falls Bridge, the Highline will safely secure your iPhone to the cord. With a kevlar coil and stainless steel hook, you can bounce your iphone up and down all day long and it won’t fall off (I know, I tried).

The Highline separates itself from the phone by pressing the two buttons on the side of the connector . You’ll need to give them a strong push and wiggle to fully disengage. In short, your phone won’t be falling down anytime soon.

Usability

So yes, the Highline is strong, but is it practical? It depends on how you use it and for what purpose.

Jacket Zipper Pull

Belt Loop

As an alternative to the zipper pull, attaching the Highline to your belt loop offers the convenience of being able to view your iPhone screen while taking your photo, without the added stress since your not extending the cord beyond a “comfortable” range. But if you’d like to take a self portrait, it’s a bit more difficult due to it’s lower position on your body. You’ll need to plan your angles carefully. I also worry about the added stress on your belt loop a fully extended phone might cause over time. I could see the loops breaking if your pants aren’t strong enough, though this didn’t happen during testing.

Another benefit of the belt loop placement is the comfort in knowing that if your phone falls out of your pocket, it won’t be going anywhere.

Overall Value

Coming in at .2 oz (6 g), the Highline is the most lightweight object you’ll probably pack. And at only 6 inches long (152mm) it will take up virtually no space in your pack. The $19.95 (Amazon) investment for the Kenu Highline iPhone leash will give any active individual (traveler or otherwise) the piece of mind you need in making sure your phone never falls too far from your hands (and into the mouths of hungry gators) again.

Pros

• Strong
• Lightweight
• Takes up little space
• Easy-to-use

Cons

• Tough to take quality self portraits with the rear-facing camera.

You can follow Kenu on Facebook and Twitter, and pick one up for yourself from Amazon.

Kenu provided us with a Highline for review.  All of our opinions are our own.

Ben Reed

Ben Reed is an adventure travel blogger at adventureswithben where he encourages his readers to Do Extraordinary Things. Ben has walked with lions, jumped from a plane at 18,000 feet and is a member of the Sour Toe Cocktail Club (google it). You can find him on Facebook and twitter.