With some upcoming travel and flights, I wanted to find a more convenient way of watching videos on my iPhone while on-the-go. I have a Quad Lock case installed on my iPhone 8, so mounting something else to the middle of my case isn’t really an option. A quick search for a phone kickstand on Amazon brought up the Amazon Choice Spigen Universal Kickstand for $10. Check out the video below.
Often when I’m traveling I have a computer with me for editing, and my phone. I usually try to catch up on some shows while on the plane but if I don’t want to pull my computer out I’ll watch on my iPhone 8.
There’s never a good place to put a phone for hands-free viewing so I end up holding my device in an ultimately uncomfortable position. I’m hoping this simple small accessory can help make that a better experience.
Out of the box
In the package, there is the kickstand and a second adhesive strip if you end up changing cases or want to find a different place to put the stand.
Spigen offers a few different color options. I chose “black” which looks more like a gunmetal grey. It’s a dark aluminum color, but I wouldn’t call it black.
Spigen Universal Kickstand: Video
At $10, I was afraid the kickstand could feel fragile, but its all-metal construction feels solid. Opening and closing the kickstand gives a satisfying audible click. Sure, this might seem trivial for a kickstand, but for a $10 phone accessory that you could potentially be using multiple times a day – I appreciate the quality touch and feel.
Installation
Installing the kickstand is pretty straight forward. Just peel the adhesive backing and place it on your phone or case. One note is that the adhesive will not work with leather textures but attached to my Quad Lock case, the kickstand seems to be pretty solid. Make sure it’s mounted to a flat spot and the kickstand should be sturdy.
Kickstand In-use
With its spring action and magnetic closure the Spigen Kickstand feels solid and is very easy to use. In most of the marketing materials, Spigen shows someone just flicking the kickstand open with the top of their thumbnail. At first I thought my nails were too short for this and I had to dig it out with the bottom side, but either I’ve gotten more used to it or it has loosened up a bit and I can now easily flick it open with the top of my nail. When riding a bike with my phone attached to the Quad Lock mount, the kickstand can open up over bumps, but it’s not really an issue.
When extended, the stand puts my iPhone 8 at a great angle for viewing on a desk or table. It does add some size and bulk to the back of the phone, but with the case I already have installed it doesn’t offset very much.
Conclusion
Obviously there are plenty of options out there for phone support. Check out our Smartphone Accessory guide for an ever-changing look at the latest and greatest. Collapsible grips are always a popular choice, but with my Quad Lock case, I wanted to see how this Amazon Choice Spigen Universal kickstand holds up. So far, it’s still on my case.
Buy the Spigen Universal Kickstand at Amazon
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