A PERFECT FIT | These flat, semirigid USB cables are just 5½ inches long and have a clip at one end, like a ballpoint pen, to make them easy to stow. F. Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal

A SET OF USB CABLES is an essential addition to any electronics go bag—throw in a USB charger and you'll be able to power pretty much any portable device on the road. But wires—especially the pristine white ones—inevitably get sullied, crimped and tangled if left to fend for themselves. Many have tried to solve the problem: There are retractable USB cables, for example, which compress a cable into a compact coil, but their spring-loaded mechanisms are bulky and can malfunction. Contraptions to wrap cables around are handy but not especially space efficient.

Thankfully, Aviiq Ready Clip USB Cables offer a more practical and elegant solution. Because they echo the shape and dimensions of a ballpoint pen—each one is a trim 5½ inches—they're easy to slip into those skinny interior pockets that many bags and briefcases nostalgically provide for writing instruments. The cables also have a plastic clip at one end, so you can attach them wherever you'd slide a Bic pen—like the cover of a notebook (the paper kind) or, for the ultimate in geek preparedness, a shirt or pant pocket.

Ready Clip cables are available in three versions—one has a 30-pin connector (for the iPod, iPhone and iPad); the others come with either a mini or micro USB tip, which should cover most other phones and tablets, as well as e-readers, hard drives and similar portable gear. Four of these cables weigh less than an ounce. Don't, however, think of them as simply short, limp cords. Although they bend slightly, Ready Clips are much stiffer than you might expect, more like flexible sticks. They hold their shape, prevent tangling and have a solidness you don't often find in a lowly accessory. From $20 for two cables, aviiq.com

—Michael Hsu