Field testing during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe quickly exposes the flaws in modern mobile electronics. Squeezing in two or three reviews a day while writing across draughty pub corners, chaotic press rooms, and cafes demands continuous power across mismatched kit. When your setup involves juggling a phone, a Kindle Scribe, a USB keyboard, and high-capacity battery packs over 16-hour shifts, keeping the right connectors on hand becomes an urgent logistical concern.
The Krafted Connex multi-cable adaptor hub aims to eliminate loose-lead tangle by condensing several legacy and modern leads into a single folding pocket block. While it works as a rugged field insurance policy, its considerable bulk and shared power constraints earn it a measured 3/5 rating.
Build quality and physical form factor
The Connex resembles an oversized, rubberised Swiss Army knife. Built with an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) shell, nickel-plated steel reinforcer plates, and flexible silicone rubber arms, it prioritises survival over refined aesthetics.
Krafted brands this as a compact all-in-one charging solution with a keyring loop, but the device is far too substantial for everyday keychains. Measuring 95mm long, 31mm deep, and 19mm thick, and weighing 87.5g, it feels like a dense rubber wedge in a trouser pocket.
| Specification | Manufacturer Rating | Real-World Finding |
| Dimensions | 95 × 31 × 19 mm | Dense, chunky footprint; unsuitable for keyrings |
| Weight | 87.5g | Noticeable in pocket; best carried in a dedicated pouch |
| Materials | ABS shell, silicone rubber arms, steel plates | High impact resistance; resistant to scrapes and drops |
| Peak Power Rating | 25W (5V at 4.5A peak) | Standard throughput rests at 15–16W (5V at 3A) |
| Fast Charging | Single-device USB-C Power Delivery (PD) | Only 1 PD port charges fast at any given time |
| Data Transfer | Supported on designated PD line | Functional for emergency file transfers |
The folding silicone arms do not flick open smoothly like a quality pocketknife. Instead, the connector arms tend to stick together, requiring deliberate prying to deploy the exact plug you need. In practice, this stiffness helps: connectors don’t flop loose in a backpack, and the unit can handle being shoved across wooden pub tables before slipping into dark venue rooms.
Real-world connectivity and power distribution
The hub integrates a comprehensive spread of connections, providing USB-C input conversion alongside USB-C, lightning, micro-USB, and USB-A output formats.
Power distribution operates through an automated management system that divides current depending on how many sockets are populated:
- 5V / 3A Input: Two connected outputs split current at 1.5A each; three active devices receive 1.0A each.
- 5V / 4A Input: Two outputs draw 2.0A; three draw 1.3A; four draw 1.0A.
While useful for keeping low-draw hardware alive, multi-device charging drops down to a trickle. Only one connected device can draw Power Delivery fast charging at a time, with overall throughput naturally settling around 15–16W during regular loads.
Data transfer functions reliably across the primary PD connection, providing a handy fallback for rescuing drafts from a dying handset to another device. However, don’t expect high-wattage laptop charging or rapid battery-bank replenishment across multiple ports at once.
The reach problem: peripheral pairings
Wall outlets in older Edinburgh pubs and venue corridors are almost universally positioned down on the skirting boards. Because the Connex has short, folding silicone limbs, plugging the hub directly into a wall adapter or floor-level socket leaves your phone resting on a grubby pub floor. Nobody wants to hand their phone to the bar staff to charge, but leaving fragile hardware on the deck among trampling crowds is equally unappealing.
To make the Connex genuinely functional in the wild, pairing it with a short, coiled extension lead, such as a flexible extension cable like the Amazon B0529q9cf, is practically mandatory. Adding a flexible lead restores necessary reach, letting the Connex rest securely on a tabletop while connected to low-set sockets.
Value and long-term utility
Priced around £30 on Amazon and directly from Krafted, the Connex initially disappoints out of the box because of its chunky profile and lack of a sleek finish. It will not appeal to ultralight everyday carry purists who count every gram.
Yet after weeks of field use, its practical utility keeps it inside the bag. Whether bailing out a colleague with an older micro-USB gadget, passing power to a friend during an evening show, or prepping for long convention weekends at the NEC, it removes cable-compatibility anxiety.
It is a rugged, imperfect problem solver: heavily built, physically awkward, and limited by slow multi-device current splitting, but reliable enough for emergency power in unpredictable environments.
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Disclaimer: My Connex was provided free for review.
