There are a number of products out there to mount your phone to your handlebars, but most of them have the same problem. Either you’re left with a massive case on your phone that is difficult to slip into your pocket, or you have to go through the hassle of installing the phone in the protective mount on the bars, or worse – you risk your phone jettisoning from the mount mid ride. iOmounts is approaching phone management from a different angle entirely. Instead of a twist lock, clamp, or bungee mount, the iOmounts Nomad relies on magnets.
Yep, the same thing you use to hang pictures on your fridge is supposed to be trusted with your pricey smart phone. While it may seem far fetched, when it comes to the nomad we’re actually pretty impressed…
Before we go any further, I’ll just point out that I’m not super keen on mounting my phone to my handlebars. It’s not something I’ve ever really thought I needed, but I must admit the ability to do so has come in handy a few times when I had no idea where I was and needed to navigate home. The Nomad isn’t really trying to convince anyone to run their phone on their bars, but if you’re already doing it, it looks like an interesting option.
After the mount was unveiled at CES, we were sent a very early prototype. A 3D printed prototype to be exact. The production models will be very similar with a few cosmetic changes and will be produced out of standard plastic instead of being 3D printed. Each Nomad will include the mount, two iOadapts, and a skin which allows the metal iOadapt pucks to be mounted to just about anything with a flat surface. Since the magnet is in the Nomad mount itself, the stainless steel iOadapts are only 0.7mm thick and can be attached directly to the back of your phone without a case. I prefer the added protection of a case at all times, so the iOadapt was attached to the skin with the 3M VHB adhesive. The skin allows for easy removal in the future.
As for the mount itself, the Nomad is pretty simple. The thick rubber strap is threaded through white mount and it automatically ratchets as you pull. There is a convenient loop on the end of the strap to help you make sure the mount is tight, and it can easily be mounted to your stem, bars, or anything else that is round from 0.5-2″ in diameter.
It probably goes without saying, but the rare earth magnet in the Nomad is strong. So strong that I had to ask if there were any problems with having a magnet that strong close to your phone. iOmounts assured us that they have done a lot of testing to see how the magnet might affect the phone’s performance, and the only issue they’ve discovered has to do with the compass. If the phone needs to calibrate the compass while it is attached to the magnet it will have trouble. However, simply removing the phone, calibrating the compass, and then replacing it on the mount allows it to continue to work properly. Every other function of the phone is unaffected by the magnet.
Since the iOadapt is slightly smaller than the Nomad mount, the phone really snaps into place and indexes inside the mount. This allows you to rotate the phone infinitely, but makes it very difficult to remove.
Basically, unless you are trying to remove the phone from the mount, it’s not budging. You can even lift up the front of the bike by the phone and shake it without it falling off. I’m not going to lie – the first rides were still pretty nerve wracking, but the Nomad really works. If you’re still scared of losing your phone, there will be an optional tether as another line of protection.
To me, the thin nature of the iOadapt is the best feature of the mount. You can use it with nearly any phone or phone case, and you really don’t notice it when you slip the phone into your pocket. Combined with iOmounts other products like the iOstand, iOwall, and iOauto, you have a system that makes mounting your phone or tablet where you want it incredibly simple and unobtrusive. Personally I think I would use the car mount more than the bike mount, but I’m already finding new places around the house to use it. Not to mention that having one solution that allows you to easily transition between parts of your day is pretty awesome.
Production versions of the Nomad will ship out on April 1, and are available for preorder for $60 which includes the mount, 2 iOadapts, and a skin.
