Although I use the Twelve South Fort on my bedside table to dock my Apple Watch every night, until last week I lacked a convenient option to go with it. Enter the Standout Helix Dock, a compact and convenient charging solution for the Apple Watch.
The Helix is an Apple Watch dock made from injection molded polycarbonate plastic. It stores a 0.3-meter and two-meter Apple Watch charging cable and Apple’s official USB wall charger in a compact and convenient housing, available in clear, black, white and a phosphorescent glow-in-the-dark color options.
I was sent all four colors for the purpose of this review, and the white was my personal favorite; However, the glow-in-the-dark version is a unique idea for night use. If you purchase the glow-in-the-dark version, note that the phosphorescent components require some exposure to bright light before they glow.
The housing consists of an outer part that holds the Apple Watch charging puck on top and an inner part that you tightly wrap the charging cord around. The wall charger then slides into the middle, its prongs extending through the plastic cutouts, and you plug the USB end of the Apple Watch charger into it.
The assembly process is easy and took me less than a minute, but the cord can get in the way unless it’s wrapped very tightly around the inside — the compact design leaves very little extra room. The snug fit can make sliding the exterior a bit of a challenge, and I’ve also found that the charging cable is exposed when I remove the exterior no matter how careful I am.
The Helix comfortably fit into the power outlets around my apartment, in tight spaces, and most importantly it worked properly. I have a stainless steel Apple Watch, but the dock works with any model. However, it is used in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and other places where the Type A plug/socket is used.
The Helix Dock retails for $19.99, which is a bit expensive for what are essentially two small pieces of plastic — nothing else is included in the box. But what you’re really paying for is an innovative idea for charging your Apple Watch at home, at work or on the go. The product is designed and manufactured in the USA.
Several options exist for Apple Watch chargers and docks to date, and the Helix competes well in terms of price, size, and simplicity. It’s especially handy to throw in a backpack before heading out somewhere like the gym or the airport, and having one less cable to tangle with is always a plus.
how to buy
The Helix Dock retails for $19.99 on Amazon and the Standzout website in clear, black, white, and glow-in-the-dark. Free standard shipping is included within the United States, while international shipping is available to other countries.
Note: Standout provided MacRumors with four free Helix Docks for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
