Magnetic Mounting for Handheld Devices - Scosche Magic Mount Review

Simple solutions. That could be a sailing cruiser's credo. And in that vein, the Scosche Magic Mount is a super simple solution for mounting portable electronics at the helm or the nav desk down below. I've been using the Magic Mount Original for about a week now with my iPhone 6 Plus and have been really happy with the functionality and ease of use.

But before I get into the likes and dislikes, what is a Magic Mount? Well, it's essentially a magnetic mount that allows you to dock and undock devices quickly and easily in either landscape or portrait orientation. The base is similar to a lot of other mounting systems and allows for twisting, pivoting, etc. The base of the Magic Mount original (the model I think will be most useful to boaters) attaches to just about any surface using a sticky adhesive pad. If this semi-permanent arrangement is an issue for you, I suggest you consider one of the window mounts that use a suction cup instead.

Magic Mount Original from Scosche

What sets the Magic Mount apart is the magnet on the surface of the mount and the small, thin metal plate that gets attached to your device. Once attached to your device, all that's required is to get the metal plate on your device close to the magnet in the base and voila...it's mounted and conveniently where you need it. It works really well and feels strong and solid. However, my biggest quibble with the mount is that the metal plate gets attached to your device with adhesive, so it adds a tiny bit of weight/thickness to your device and of course a potential eye sore too. Note - You can order the metal plate in a variety of colors to match the surface of the device you'll be sticking it to so it's not as noticeable.  I mounted the plate on the exterior of my iPhone's case, so it's not on the iPhone itself but it's still visible. Not a big deal to me, but you should at least be aware of this if you're considering a Magic Mount for your phone, tablet, handheld VHF, portable GPS, etc. And speaking of those other devices, the Magic Mount's magnet is super strong and had no problems holding my iPhone 6 Plus or my Garmin 76.

Get more details and a look at how the Magic Mount functions in this video:


Comments

  1. Anonymous12 December

    put a magnet that close to your compass? WW

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SailFarLiveFree14 December

      Good point! Folks should also be aware of autopilot head units (which also often use a compass) when choosing a mounting location.

      Delete

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