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

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Top 10 Favorite Affordable Bluewater Sailboats

Image
I've always said that my favorite boat is whichever one I currently own. Being able to call it "mine" makes it my favorite by default. My first boat was a $400 derelict that I loved (still love) deeply. And she loved me back. However, that doesn't mean there aren't other boats I love that I'd like to call "mine" someday. The following is my personal ranking of my favorite affordable (available for ~$50k) sailboats. I've rather arbitrarily set the price limit around $50k and called it "affordable" in hopes that one day one of these boats might fit my budget and help my family and I to sail far and live free. Also note that other than the top 3, these rankings change in my head almost daily and I really struggled to narrow the list down to just 10.   As you peruse my list, you'll notice that they're all bluewater cruisers . You won't find any modern designs, fin keels, spade rudders, sugar scoop transoms, carbo...
Read more

Go Small and Go Now! 5 Pocket Cruisers to Take you Anywhere

Image
"Go small, go simple, go now!" -Lin & Larry Pardey Iconic cruisers Lin and Larry Pardey are well-known among cruising enthusiasts for the above statement. Can it really be that easy? Grab yourself a small boat, outfit it properly but simply for offshore work, and get going while your dream and your body is still alive! Lin and Larry not only made the statement, they lived it. If you're looking to do the same, maybe some of the micro- or pocket-cruisers I've listed below can serve as your "go small" portion of the equation. Going small and choosing one of these or several other pocket cruisers will lead to trade-offs. Of course first and foremost you'll be giving up length, both on deck and at the waterline. This often leads to less storage space, less weight capacity, and slower sailing. But the upside is presumably less maintenance (less paint, less wood, fewer systems) and more affordable expenses. For example, replacing the s...
Read more

Escape to the Sea: How to get from the Great Lakes to the Caribbean

Image
Let's say winter's chill was something you could no longer take as a Great Lakes sailor. Or perhaps you just want to extend your sailing season beyond the boundaries of summer. What options do you have?  You could just opt for a bareboat charter somewhere in the Caribbean and consider the itch scratched. But then you'd miss out on all the adventure of moving a boat between the Great Lakes and the Caribbean. And you wouldn't be sailing  your  boat. I'm here to convince you that the best option is to sail your own boat south. What follows is an overview of the route you could take to get you and your boat to warmer water and weather from the Great Lakes. Route 1: St. Lawrence Seaway (including Lake Champlain shortcut) You're adventurous if you choose this route. From most starting locations in the Great Lakes, you'll also be seeing the most scenery and passing the ...
Read more