Close Encounters of the Traveling Kind

I didn’t set out to find a new travel charger.  Instead, I found myself in need of one.

I was in an airport with a phone down to its last ions, doing the familiar scan for a place to charge. Every public USB port I tried had already lost the fight — broken tongues, half-sheared plugs permanently lodged inside, the quiet graveyard of good intentions and bad cable pulls.

The only charger I had with me was a large wall unit I usually unpack once I reach my destination — plenty of ports, enough power for everything, and absolutely no interest in fitting under an airplane seat or between gate chairs.

After a few laps through various electronics shops, I resigned myself to powering the phone off for the rest of the layover and the next four-hour flight. No podcasts. No quiet distraction. Just seatback cards and my thoughts.

Then I noticed one last hallway kiosk — barely more than a wall of hanging gadgets and a register — and saw something familiar.

Why This One Stuck

I’d already been using Nimble’s Apollo wireless chargers at home, scattered quietly around the house because they simply work without needing attention. Seeing their products in that kiosk felt like a small stroke of luck.

That’s where I found the Wally Ultra.

Unlike most single-device wall chargers — which tend to be blocky, square, and awkward to pack — this one was strikingly flat. About half an inch thick. A little taller and wider, yes, but slim enough to disappear into places most chargers fight against.

I bought it, plugged in, and immediately got my phone back into the safe zone.

It hasn’t left my bag since.

Where It’s Been Since

The Wally Ultra now lives in my travel pack full-time.

It’s been with me through:

• Airports with limited seating and worse outlets
• Overnight business trips
• Coffee shops, hotel rooms, and borrowed wall sockets

It’s the charger I reach for when I don’t want to think about charging at all — which, in travel terms, is most of the time.

What It Does Well (and What It Doesn’t)

What it does well is exactly what I needed that day — and what I keep needing since.

• Slim, low-profile design that fits comfortably in pockets, jackets, and narrow backpack slots
• Solid construction that feels durable without being bulky
• 30W of power delivered cleanly to a single device
• Bottom-mounted plug that keeps it stable in crowded or awkward outlets

What it doesn’t try to be:

• A multi-device hub
• A conversation piece
• A replacement for a full desk setup

It’s unapologetically focused — and better for it.

Why I Still Pack It

At some point, I stopped thinking about whether to bring this charger.

That’s the real test.

It’s flat enough to pack anywhere, powerful enough to be useful, and simple enough that there’s nothing to fiddle with when you’re already tired, late, or juggling a boarding pass and a coffee.

It solved a very specific problem once — and then kept quietly solving it over and over again.

Who This Is Actually For

This charger is for travelers who:

• Carry one primary device they need reliably charged
• Value slim, packable gear over all-in-one solutions
• Want something that works the same way every time

If you need to charge multiple devices at once, you’ll want a different tool.

If you want a low-profile, dependable charger that disappears into your bag until the moment you need it — this one earns its keep.

Roamwell’s Note

Travel rarely goes sideways all at once. It’s usually undone by small failures at inconvenient moments.

Anything that quietly prevents one of those moments — and keeps doing so trip after trip — earns a permanent place in my pack.

— Roamwell

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