Ever been to Walt Disney World? If you have, you’ll start to notice a lot of digital leashes around mid-afternoon: adults and kids with long charging cables snaking from their backpacks to their constantly used phones in line. Whether you need to recharge your phone, power bank, headphones or your Chromebook, we’ve got some lengthy USB-C cables in two varieties: USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A, for whichever power bank or travel charger you use.
USB-C to USB-C cables
Ready for the road
Anker Powerline+ C to C 2.0 Cable (6ft)
Staff pick
This is the USB-C cable I carry most often in the parks, as it’s a highly-trusted brand known for quality cables and it comes with a handy magnetic and velcro carrying wrap. This cable is flexible without just swinging everywhere and won’t fall out of your USB-C ports at every bump and snag.
$16 at Amazon
LED indicator
Moshi Integra USB-C Charge Cable with Smart LED (6ft)
Moshi has a 6-foot C-to-C cable without the LED indicator, but really, why wouldn’t you want to know for sure that the cable is still plugged in and powering up your devices? This cable comes with a velcro strap for keeping it neat in your bag, and this cable is rated for up to 100W Power Delivery charging.
$30 at Amazon
Colorful C-to-C Cables
WiRoTech Blue USB-C to USB-C Fast Charging Cable (6ft or 10ft)
These cables are available in 19 color combinations and 3 length configurations, meaning that you can get everyone the size and shade they want. I’m partial to Blue, and the Green and Hot Pink, but it’s hard to go wrong with any of them — except maybe the Purple and Light Green.
$20 at Amazon
Basic but dependable
AmazonBasics Double Braided Nylon USB Type-C to Type-C 2.0 Cable (6ft or 10ft)
AmazonBasics offers cables and hubs of just about every size and shape you can imagine, and its double-braided USB-C cable comes in four lengths and four colors. While this cable isn’t rated for the same high-speed Power Delivery charging, it’s still a good cable that can take a beating.
$17 at Amazon
Right angle charging
ANSEIP Right Angled USB-C to USB-C Cable (6 or 10ft) (3-Pack)
Ever try to charge a phone while carrying it around in your pocket? It’s a royal pain. Enter these right-angle cables from ANSEIP. unlike most cables that are only right-angle on one end, these are right-angled on both, so that one end isn’t sticking out straight in your backpack or charger, and the other end is still sitting almost flat with your phone.
$14 at Amazon
Make it original
Design Your Own USB Cable from ZAP Cables
ZAP Cables makes some of the best-quality, best-looking USB cables I’ve seen in some time. Being able to choose all the colors you want, from the cord color, heatshrink, and even the options of doublesheeting or coiling the cable means you get a cable that’s durable and cool AF. Availability is limited, but an ordering window opens about once every two weeks.
From $21 at ZAP Cables
I’ve been biding my time with off-the-shelf cables like the Anker Powerline+ and Moshi Integra, but now that I’ve got a good collection of USB-C hubs and Power Delivery chargers, I’m going to agonize over my color choices and get me a custom ZAP Cable that I can show off when charging at Walt Disney World.
USB-C to USB-A
Gold standard
Anker Powerline+ USB-C to USB-A Cable (10ft)
This double-braided cable is long enough to stretch from that one outlet behind the hotel nightstand or across three seats at the airport lounge, and it’s Anker, so you know it won’t leave you powerless in a pinch on vacation. This cable should last you until you no longer use USB-A chargers.
$14 at Amazon
Technicolor multipack
UNISAME Rugged Bold Braided USB Type C Cable (10ft 3-pack)
This highly-reviewed three-pack of C-to-A cables comes in a few multipacks, but I like the Red/Blue/Green pack the best. This allows you to keep one in your backpack, one in your checked bag, and one in your purse — because you should always carry a spare.
$14 at Amazon
Got all the right angles
ANSEIP Right Angle Type C Cable (6ft or 10ft 3-pack)
When you’re charging on the go off a power bank, you don’t want your cables sticking straight up in your backpack — or worse, your pants pocket — as that’s just asking to break something when you sit down or lean over or anything else. Get a right-angle cable and some peace of mind.
$13 at Amazon
Beautiful, braided, branded
AUKEY USB C Braided Type C Cable (6ft)
This USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 cable supports 5 Gbps data transfer speeds if you need to download your vacation photos off your phone in a Wi-Fi-less hotel, and its will charge quickly with WC 3.0 or 3A charging.
$9 at Amazon
Diamond in the rubber
Alyee USB Type C Cable (6ft 2-pack)
This rubberized cable features a sturdy diamond shape that should help it avoid kinks and tangles, which is a wonderful feature on most days but especially when your backpack just got upended by TSA and you’re having to repack it at the gate. Available in red or black.
$9 at Amazon
Light it up
Xcentz Type-C to USB-A Fast Charging Cable with LED Light (6ft)
Fumbling for your charger cable at 2 in the morning after Extra Magic Hours at the Magic Kingdom is no fun, but this Xcentz charger has a light up tip that makes it easier to find and plug up in the dark; the LEDs power off automatically when charging so it won’t keep you up all night, either.
$13 at Amazon
We’ve finally reached a point where we have a ton of selection for USB-C to USB-A cables, and while it’s hard to go wrong with the Anker Powerline+ or Aukey Double Braided Cable, my next C-to-A cable might very well be the Xcentz light-up cable so it’ll be easier to find the cable and charge in dark hotel rooms and dark pathways in Fantasyland while I wait for the fireworks.
How long is too long?
When deciding on a length of cable for charging on the go, it’s very easy to slip into the mindset of, “Oh, I should get as long a cable as I can”, but you don’t want to be dealing with tons of excess cable tripping you up as you walk around or getting snagged on a pylon and breaking something. For trips, I traditionally tend to like 6-foot cables for charging in places such as theme parks and airports, as that gives you a decent length for snaking from your backpack to your phone or from the overcrowded outlets to the other side of the couch in the airport lounge.
For charging in unfamiliar locations with potentially obstructed or out of the way outlets like hotel rooms, 10-foot cables ensure that no matter how well a port is hidden, you’ll be able to snake your charger in and get your tech powered back up. The longer a cable is, the slower it tends to charge and the more likely it is to get in the way, but 10-foot cables make for good emergency cables for unfamiliar environments. 10-foot cables are also great if the whole family is tethered to a single, massive power bank in Mom’s backpack, as 10ft will give everyone a tiny bit of breathing room.
Again, be mindful of your slack when using long cables in public. Breaking a cable mid-morning and running out of power by mid-afternoon can derail your day and your mood. Charging cables at vacation spots tend to be short, low-quality, and severely overpriced, so it never hurts to bring a spare from home!
