Quad Lock is a convenient case and smartphone mounting solution for active consumers.
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Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored review. All opinions and thoughts expressed within this review had no bias or outside influence. We may earn a commission on referred sales, but content integrity is our top priority.
Features
Compact smartphone mounting solution for various scenarios such as to bikes, motorcycles, boats, tripods, desks, and cars. Quick yet reliable way to secure or remove your smartphone from the mount.
Function
Highly versatile implementation and a more secure connection than virtually any other mounting solution on the market. Some Quad Lock mounts may be more durable or offer more adjustments than others.
Price
Pricing ranges from $14.95 up to $79.90 depending on Quad Lock case, mount or mounting kit that you purchase. Our review unit was the Quad Lock Bike Kit for iPhone Xs Max which ran us just under $70.
Pros
- Highly versatile mounting options
- Native cases for any modern iPhone or Samsung smartphone
- Universal adapter can attach through adhesion to any other smartphone or tablet
- Mounting design is highly secure and reliable
- Poncho accessory will fully seal your smartphone for full weatherproofing
- Easy to install onto your phone as well as your mounting surface
Cons
- Premium pricing for a smartphone mounting solution
- Poncho design isn't the best (though unnecessary for modern smartphones with weatherproofing)
- Some mounting solutions are in fixed positions that may not be ideal
Price
Setup & Installation
Features
Performance
Review Verdict
Having used the Quad Lock case and standard bike mount accessory for two months, I can say this mounting system is the real deal.
It is the most secure and reliable smartphone mounting solution that I have tested to date despite it being the most expensive option.
If you can get past the premium pricing, it is more of an investment as you'll never have to worry about buying another mount in the future given the Quad Lock's modular design.
However, I'm considering replacing my standard bike mount with the Our Front Pro mount. This is due to the positioning of my iPhone Xs Max, which is a bit too bulky on the stem and sits at an awkward angle.
3.5/5
A Good Buy
The Ideal Buyer
The Quad Lock case and mounting system are ideal for consumers who are looking for a reliable and secure mounting solution on their bike, vehicle, desk, or virtually any other surface. Given that it has a premium price-point, it won't be an ideal fit for those who must remain on a limited budget, but the beauty of the system is that it is modular to accept a different case or accessories should your device, or mounting needs change.
In the tech world that we live in today, people are tied to smartphones and their functionality often helps us with tasks throughout our day. Some of the most useful ways to incorporate your phone into your daily life are for navigation or fitness tracking.
While most modern phones are capable of offering directions or giving you a look at your fitness statistics, the size and bulk of a device can be cumbersome for either task. This is one of the reasons that smartphone mounting solutions have become so popular over the past few years.
There are many different products and mounting systems on the market, but today we are going to take a look at a popular option called the Quad Lock case. Designed for simplicity and security, the Quad Lock is an affordable solution that is capable of adapting to virtually any mounting requirement.
The remainder of this article will be a full, in-depth Quad Lock review. Keep in mind, this review is NOT sponsored by Quad Lock, and we purchased our review case off their website like any other consumer. All opinions expressed within this review are based on our own hands-on experience with a Quad Lock case.
Review Shortcuts (Jump To A Section)
Supported Devices, Case/Mount Types & Pricing
Quad Lock: Supported Devices, Case/Mount Types & Pricing
The Quad Lock mounting system is comprised of two main parts: the case and the mount. Within the Quad Lock universe, all the cases work with all the mounting solutions and vice-versa. This allows you to adapt your current case to new mounting requirements or keep your mounts while upgrading to a new device which may require a different Quad Lock case.
Which Smartphones & Devices Are Supported?
In my situation, I was looking for a mounting solution for my iPhone Xs Max while riding my Specialized road bike. However, Quad Lock offers specialized cases for most iPhones (from iPhone 5 up to iPhone Xs Max) or Samsung Galaxy devices (S7 Edge up to S10+).
For those who have another miscellaneous smartphone or Android device, there is a universal adaptor that can be purchased. This adapter isn't a case like the iPhone and Galaxy devices use, but instead is an adhesive piece that sticks directly to your device or current smartphone case to support the proprietary Quad Lock mounting solution.
What Types Of Mounts Are Available?
Depending on your needs, chances are Quad Lock can mount to whatever type of vehicle or scenario that you require.
One of the most popular uses for the Quad Lock system is for bicycle or motorcycle use as they have two different solutions for mounting to a bike's handlebars.
However, they also offer mounting solutions for:
- Car (Windshield or Dash)
- Adhesive Wall Mount
- Scooter or Motorcycle (Mirror)
- Camera (GoPro Mount or Tripod)
- Utility Belt or Armband
- Desk Mount (Includes Charging Capabilities With Supported Devices)
Pricing: How Much Do The Cases & Mounts Cost?
Due to the vast array of cases and mounts offered by Quad Lock for different devices and mounting locations, it is hard to summarize the pricing simply.
Most of the time, you'll want to start with a pre-packed bundle which includes the necessary Quad Lock case along with the proper mounting solution that you need. From there, you can purchase additional mounting attachments or cases for other devices and interchange them as you see fit.
In our case, we purchased the iPhone Xs Max Bike Kit which retails for $69.95, but fortunately, we were able to get an additional 10% off using this link through Quad Lock's website. This brought the total down to $62.96 with shipped free as we met the $35 order threshold to be eligible for free shipping:
Depending on the bundle that you choose, it can range anywhere from $29.95 up to $79.90. The cases themselves if bought individually (outside of a bundle) start at $29.95 for both iPhones and Samsung devices with the universal adhesive adapter sold for $14.95.
The mounting accessories sold individually start at $9.95 and go up to as high as $49.95. However, the most expensive Quad Lock mounting solutions tend to have charger electronics within them, which make it more costly to produce.
It is true that Quad Lock is not the cheapest solution for mounting your device, but the system's compatibility, versatility, and most importantly, reliability help it warrant the premium price-point. Keep in mind, there are financing options through a company called Sezzle, but realistically we don't think you should be financing anything under $100.
Return Policy: 30-Day Money Back Guarantee
Some may be wary of the functionality of the Quad Lock for the price. To combat this and allow consumers to get a chance to test the device without any risk, Quad Lock has implemented a 30-day money back guarantee which states:
“If you purchase a Quad Lock® product from us and don't like it, you have 30 days to arrange for a return and refund. No questions asked.”
Available On Amazon
Keep in mind, Amazon stocks almost all of the Quad Lock cases, mounts and bundles but there is no Prime shipping available at this time. If you order some of the cheaper accessories they may also charge you for shipping. While we prefer to shop at Amazon over directly from the retailer, it may make more sense to buy directly from Quad Lock's website in order to get the 10% discount.
Design & Build Quality
Given that we ordered the Quad Lock bike kit for iPhone Xs Max as our review sample, I'll directly be referencing the particular elements within this kit within this section of the review. Keep in mind, a different kit or mounting accessory may differ slightly in design or build quality than my experiences.
What's In The Box?
Included within our $69.95 bike kit was the following:
- 1 x Quad Lock® iPhone Case
- 1 x Quad Lock® Poncho
- 1 x Quad Lock® Bike Mount PRO
- Mounting Hardware
- 2 x Small EPDM mounting o-rings
- 2 x Large EPDM mounting o-rings
- 2 x Nylon zip ties
Design & Form-Factor
The Quad Lock case offers a rather simple design. Harnessing edge to edge protection of your iPhone or Samsung device, the Quad Lock case is slim enough for everyday use. The case offers unobstructed access to all phone ports, buttons, and switches. The back of the case has a slight bump near the middle where an ‘X' style indent is present (this is where the Quad Lock gets its functionality).
Included with every new bike bundle is a clear “Poncho” accessory. The Poncho is a front cover for the standard QuadLock case which is a weather resistant covering that protects your device from rain, sweat, mud or dust. Unlike the base case, the Poncho creates a seal all major phone ports and buttons. Despite its 360-degree protection (coupled with the case), it still allows full use of touchscreen and FaceID capabilities.
The bike mount can be attached to the stem of your handlebars or the handlebars themselves using the rounded side. On this rounded end, there are four raised points which are meant to be used to secure the mount to your bicycle via the included o-rings or zip-ties. The opposing side of the mount offers a protruding ‘X' style mount which is how the Quad Lock system secures to the case.
Build Quality & Durability
As for the durability of the Quad Lock components, I can't say any of them feel of a “high quality” that would warrant the price tag on their own. The cost is really in the value and reliability that the Quad Lock system offers to its users.
Both the Quad Lock case and the poncho are made of a TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) material which is durable enough to withstand low to medium impacts, dings, and scratches. Each of these components is flexible enough to secure your phone without much of a fuss or hassle.
The handlebar/stem mount is made of a glass filled nylon and polycarbonate construction with stainless steel fasteners. It doesn't feel overly cheap. However, if anything were to break or malfunction down the road, it would bet that it would have to do with the mount over the case component.
Features
The Quad Lock system has been around since 2014, and the company has been improving its system with better cases, mounts, and accessories over time. As of this review, the Quad Lock team has achieved some pretty impressive results and metrics.
Lightweight & Compact
The Quad Lock system is lightweight and compact. For example, the bike mount weighs just 19 grams, thus making it the lightest bike mount on the market. While this isn't a factor to a casual rider, this allows more competitive cyclists the ability to train with their smartphone without adding a notable weight or increased resistance.
Durable & Strong
Quad Lock claims their mounting accessories are comprised of 100% engineering grade polycarbonate. This is comparable to the same materials that a race car windshield are made of. To demonstrate the strength of their Quad Lock mounts, they made the following video below. If you don't want to watch the video, the mount withstood up to 176lbs of pressure (80kg) but failed at their next step up to 220lbs (100kg).
https://player.vimeo.com/video/53909910
Secure & Reliable
The team behind the Quad Lock focused on security as their #1 priority as they know the value of the expensive smartphones that we all use today. To combat this worry, their dual-stage locking mechanism (which is currently patent pending). This allows you to lock the mount into the Quad Lock case's embedded ‘X' inset and then utilize a spring-loaded locking collar to ensure further the connection will not come undone.
Highly Versatile & Modular
Investing in the Quad Lock system isn't the easiest decision for many consumers. However, the versatility and modular design of the product allows you to adapt to your current device or mounting needs as time goes on without reinvesting in the entire Quad Lock system.
While I purchased the bike mount bundle for the iPhone Xs Max and have that functionality, if I decide to switch to a Samsung device down the road or a smaller iPhone, all I'd have to do is a buy a new Quad Lock compatible case for that device.
At the same time, I can use my existing Quad Lock case for iPhone Xs Max and purchase individual mounting solutions if I want to be able to use the system when in my car, at my desk, on my arm or a tripod. Realistically, the versatility of my phone mounting potential is endless as the array of mounts offer a flexible solution to virtually any scenario or need.
Performance & Function
Since receiving the Quad Lock bike kit, I've been using the system for my routine exercise on my Specialized road bike over about two months.
Installation & Setup
Conceptually, the Quad Lock bike kit makes a lot of sense and is pretty self-explanatory. However, depending on your bike stem, it may be a bit difficult to successfully attach the bike mount to your bike stem or handlebars. Reading some of the reviews online, we found using the zip ties resulted in not the tightest fit to the stem, thus giving it some room to wiggle.
Due to this, we decided to go the o-ring route although this involved some serious stretching of even the largest sized o-rings to be able to fully reach around the bike's stem and securely fasten on both sides of the Quad Lock bike mount. With some elbow grease, we were able to secure the mount, but some may find this difficult or nearly impossible hence why the zip ties may work better for others.
From there, attaching my iPhone Xs Max to the case is as easy as any other traditional iPhone case. Sliding one end into the Quad Lock case then using your fingers to push the other end over the remaining side seems to be the most logical method.
Once the Quad Lock mount is attached to your bike and the case is on your iPhone place the case's rear indented area over the mount lining up the ‘X' formation push down until it sets in and twist. The beauty of this design is that it allows you to set your device in either landscape or portrait mode well mounted to your bike.
To remove your attached device from the Quad Lock mount, press down on the locking collar with one hand and twist the device's position.
How Secure Is The Quad Lock System?
Since getting into reviewing products, especially smartphone accessories, I've seen and experienced hundreds of different smartphone mounting products. Most of them utilize some traditional clamping system that works okay for some users. However, this method can't be trusted when it comes to fast-paced, high movement scenarios as the risk of the clamping mechanism losing your device are rather high.
I wasn't sure what to expect when testing the mounting mechanism of the Quad Lock for the first time, but I was impressed almost immediately. While the design is dead simple, the implementation works. My iPhone locks in firmly in either portrait or landscape mode, and I can't see any way that my device will come unattached through regular use or even a pretty gnarly spill. In an unfortunate event such as this, you are more likely going to see significant damage to yourself or your bike over your smartphone or Quad Lock system.
While it is bold to say, I do think that Quad Lock is really onto something with their ‘X' design and it is one of the best mounting system implementations that we have seen to date. If you are looking for a mounting solution that is sturdy, reliable, and versatile to mount your device virtually anywhere while remaining compact, the Quad Lock system is going to be an ideal choice.
Our Riding Experience With The QuadLock Bike Mount
One of my primary reasons for investing in the Quad Lock system is to get a heads-up display of my riding statistics thus far using Strava as my desired app of choice. Having the Quad Lock mounted to my bike and my phone in direct view while riding has been very convenient without many downsides.
Being able to see real-time statistics related to the ride as well as standard smartphone notifications such as text messages or incoming phone calls is excellent. It is also a lot safer than having to pull my phone out of my pocket well riding.
However, you'll likely want to set your screen's auto-sleep feature off while riding or you'll find yourself having to unlock your screen mid-ride which can be annoying and dangerous. Doing so will require ample battery to power the screen throughout your ride continuously, but you can turn the brightness down to help offset this.
In terms of the downsides of the Quad Lock bike mount, they will depend on a lot of factors. In my situation, having such a large smartphone like the iPhone Xs Max, it does add some weight to my bike when you combine the phone, case and mount combination though most of that can be attributed to the device's bulkiness.
Additionally, with such a large display, mounting the iPhone Xs Max on the stem likely isn't the ideal location. It is awkward to look down at and puts myself in a less aerodynamic, more irregular riding position which is a pain even if it is just a glance. This would possibly help if the standard Quad Lock bike mount offered some angle adjustability, but it remains in a fixed position when attached to the stem.
Due to this, I'm thinking I'd be better off switching to Quad Lock's “Out Front Pro” mount which is rather expensive at $59.95 for the mount alone but pushes the device in front of the handlebars (in front of the stem). This will help keep the device out of the way while maintaining even weight distribution and more significant angle adjustment. The price for the Out Front Pro mount is likely so high due to increased manufacturing costs due to it being made of anodized aluminum.
For those wondering, I have NOT been using the included Quad Lock Poncho during my rides even in the rainy season which has already begun in Florida. There are two reasons for this decision. The first being that my iPhone Xs Max is waterproof and weather sealed already so there isn't much of a need (it'd be overkill in terms of water protection).
Secondly, I'm not a massive fan of the Poncho in general. It adds some bulkiness to the Quad Lock case, has small yet noticeable dots on the screen material and leaves a small gap between the screen and the poncho thus giving it a less responsive touch screen experience. The finish of the Poncho is also prone to fingerprint built-up and glare. Would I use it with a non-weatherproof or waterproof device in potentially rainy conditions? Yes, but in my situation, I see no good reason to use it.
Final Verdict
If you can overlook the premium pricing, the Quad Lock case and mounting system is one of the best on the market. Whether you are looking to secure your iPhone, Samsung or smartphone to your bike like I was or to another location, Quad Lock likely has a mounting solution that can cater to your specific needs.
While the initial investment is higher than a lot of other mounting systems, the versatility and modular design of the Quad Lock make it worthwhile in the long run. For now, my Quad Lock case for my iPhone Xs Max and bike mount suite my needs, but I expect to upgrade my case if I get a new phone as well as add more mounting accessories to my arsenal in the future.
