Kenu Zipper Pull on Jacket
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Kenu Highline Review: A Bungee Cord for Your iPhone

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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 its 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.

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

Phone dangling from curly cable against a wall, alongside a large wooden mask

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

Kenu Zipper Pull on Jacket

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

Jacket Zipper Pull

Kenu Highline on the Zipper Pull

Affixing the Highline to your jacket zipper pull is a piece of cake. Loop the cord through itself and attach it to your phone. With your phone securely attached, you’re ready to take that self-portrait.

The cord can extend further than your arm can reach, but you’ll get a slight pull at your collar if you have long arms like I do. As the cord reaches its maximum length, the stress on the jacket and phone becomes noticeable.

Kenu Highline Cord

The cord connects to your phone on the “screen-side” (photo above). So if you want to take a self portrait, you’ll need to use the iphone’s front-facing camera which has a considerable poorer quality than the rear-facing camera.

If you want to turn your phone around to use the better camera, you’ll notice the extra stress on your phone as the spiraled design of the cord must wrap back around the connector (photo below): a minor inconvenience.

Of course, taking a self-portrait without being able to see the display screen is a bit of a technique itself that takes time to master, so for many, this may not be a big concern.

Kenu highline on an iPhone

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 you’re not extending the cord beyond a “comfortable” range.

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.

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Overall Value

Kenu highline Attached to Phone

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 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.

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One Comment

  1. Dustin Main Dustin Main says:

    Since 1/2 of all the people that I know with iPhones have smashed screens, these things should be selling like hotcakes.

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