Protect your phone battery with Cold Case

By Henry Howard

Jon Rosenberg set out to solve a problem for his wife. What he created was a solution for runners, hikers, skiers and other outdoor adventure seekers.

Rosenberg’s wife, Deirdre, is a photographer who was trying to capture images while camping on New Year’s in Rocky Mountain National Park. But the cold sucked the battery life out of the camera batteries.

“As it turns out,” Rosenberg recalled. “Extreme cold and batteries don’t get along great together. We devised a solution.”

He ended up creating the West Slope Case, named after their home on the western edge of the Rockies. (Visit the company’s website, Cold Case Gear.) The American-made West Slope Case offers thermal protection, physical protection and water protection.

Here’s how it works: Smartphones have lithium ion batteries, which use a liquid electrolyte to move energy around the battery. In the cold, the liquid freezes, draining the battery. The case uses aerogel insulation and an air-tight closure to keep the phone warm.

Test case

As a fellow UltrAspire athlete, Rosenberg was kind enough to send me a complimentary case to test and review.

I’ve taken it out on a few runs and found the case to work as promised. My iPhone 12 and its case fit snugly in the case. There has been no issue when listening to my podcasts on my runs. And I have not noticed any decrease in battery while being out for one- to two-hour runs in single-digit or colder weather.

For a thorough list of compatible phones and other FAQs, refer to the website.

The case can easily be used by hikers, skiers, campers and others. It is meant to attach to a jacket or backpack, or fit inside of a jacket pocket. I’ve been able to stash mine inside a running vest and even fit it into the pocket of thermal pants I sometimes run with in bitter temps.

Rosenberg says the case is waterproof, too. I’ll have to trust him on that since I’m not going on any polar plunge any time soon.

The accidental entrepreneur

Admitting he started the business by accident, Rosenberg has successfully navigated obstacles.

“The biggest hurdle has been overcoming a lack of knowledge and resources,” he says. “I dropped out of college twice and only found entrepreneurship through my love of camping and hiking. Believing in myself to get the job done has been very difficult.”

But now he’s proud of what he has assembled, allowing outdoor adventurers to pursue their passions without fears of dead phone batteries.

“I've really learned that it's all about mindset and confidence,” he says. “If you are open, willing and eager to learn, and driven, you can accomplish just about anything. I was totally blindsided by discovering my love for business development and everything that goes into turning an idea into an actual product.”