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Quad Lock phone mount

Written by Fiona

April 24 2017

The Quad Lock is a mobile phone case and mount that allows you to safely use your phone while running, cycling, in the car and for a generally active life.

I have tried several different types of phone mounts for active people before. I had never been too impressed because I found them variously too heavy, flimsy and tricky to use. But the Quad Lock is one of those inventions that you suddenly wonder how you lived without.

The Quad Lock case can be chosen to fit a wide variety of phones, including iPhone and android. The case itself fits very neatly and tightly so it is very secure around the phone. It is a bit of a squeeze to get the phone into the case but that makes it feel all the more secure.

I have a thin glass protector on the screen of my iPhone 6 Plus and when combined with the Quad Lock case, my phone seems quite robust and knock proof. The case is not as protective as some, such as those heavy duty cases that keep the phone safe even if you drop it from a tall building, but it’s a good balance of protection, case size and overall weight.

The case comes with a plastic over-sleeve to keep the phone waterproof if you are using it in the rain.

The back of the case has a round contact point that allows you to attach your phone to a number of different Quad Lock mounts. I have been testing the car, arm and bicycle mounts.

Quad Lock car mount

Quad Lock for the car.

The car mount suckers on to the front window. It took a few goes to make sure the mount was fully suctioned to the glass but once I’d mastered this it has stayed put for months. It allows the phone to be positioned close enough to see navigation details. I do worry that phones in cars offer too much of a distraction for drivers but many people do use them for route finding.

The Quad Lock is robust and secure and seems very good quality.

Quad Lock running mount

The arm mount is meant for runners. It attaches to a solid mount that is secured around the arm with a wide elasticated band.

I found the whole thing to be a bit heavy and cumbersome for my thin and weedy arms. It does stay put on the arm if you tighten it enough and it is useful to have somewhere to carry a phone while running but I think it will suit people with stronger arms.

The other slightly annoying thing is that if you are running or walking while listening to music the wires of the headphones get into a fankle. I couldn’t decide where to put them and they ended up loose and flapping about. I think you would be better to use wire-free bluetooth headphones for running.

I confess I have returned to carrying my phone in my Flipbelt (another of those great inventions).

Quad Lock bike mount

Quad Lock bike mount bits and pieces.

The best mount by far, in my opinion, is the Quad Lock bike mount. It fits on the handlebars and offers an incredibly secure mount. I was worried the mount or the phone would fly off, especially as our roads are so rutted and bumpy, but after hundreds of miles of use I can say with complete confidence that it is a superb device.

The small mount is secured with strong elastic bands. I was concerned, as you might imagine, that these might break or ping off but they have been strong and durable. There is an alternative fixing which uses cable ties but this fixes on the mount until you cut it off so I have preferred using the elastic bands because they allow you to move the mount from bike to bike.

Quad Lock mount on bike.

The phone twists into place on the mount and sits very securely on top. To remove it, you need to reach under the mount with both hands and several fingers and pull down a release mechanism. It can be a little fiddly but it means the phone stays firmly attached to the mount until you remove it and I like this.

It’s a brilliantly secure and robust system that gives great confidence.

The mount allows the phone to be positioned right in front of you as you cycle, which means you can easily use navigation apps and maps. I even took a phone call from a business colleague while cycling a quiet road on Mallorca. I switched the phone to speaker and chatted as I cycled. I wouldn’t advise this for busy roads but it was a very quiet back road and I had just a quick call.

Waterproof cover.

When you leave the bike, you twist off the phone from the mount and leave the mount on the handlebars.

The only bit I do not like is the waterproof cover. It does keep the phone dry in the in but it doesn’t allow you to easily use a touch screen on the phone. The thick plastic makes it difficult to make touch screen contact.

I took the mount (which is small and easy to carry when off the bike) with me to Mallorca for a recent cycling holiday. It attached easily to my hire bike.

See Quad Lock to find out more. The prices seem quite reasonable, too.

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