Rokform VS Quad Lock: The Vibration-Dampening Phone Mount Cage Match
I have a Google Pixel6 Pro. This review nearly ended before it began because Rokform only makes cases for Apple and Samsung phones. The rest of us can go pack sand or glue a universal adapter to our phone. I decided to buy the universal adapter and soldier on. I didn’t read the site nearly closely enough, though.
Is metal better than plastic? Define “better.”
Am I doing Twitter right?
I posted the obvious comparison via my newly-created Twitter account. Surprisingly, both companies replied. I decided to make the purchase and find out.
I placed my Rokform order via their website. I wanted to use the universal 1” ball mount adapter ($50) intended for use with a Ram mount I still had in a drawer but I didn’t know if it was V1 or V2. Luckily, I had the correct driver bits (Torx T10H and T20H) to disassemble it. They used red threadlocker and it was a nightmare to disassemble. I managed to do it appeared to be V2. So that’s what I ordered.
The good news is that it was delivered to my PO Box the day after I ordered it. The bad news is, after reading the website closer the night before picking it up, the vibration dampener is not compatible with the universal ball mount. This was confirmed when I received it and opened the box. If you don’t have one already, you have to spend $120 on a mount that will work with their dampener. The cost of entry is more than I’m willing to spend. I was going to glue the Rokform universal adaptor to my Quad Lock case and do a direct comparison but I’ll do my best without it since the Rokform products are being returned unused.
ROKFORM
The 1” ball adapter fit my Ram mount and the case fit my (at the time) Samsung Galaxy S9+. The interface between the phone case and mount was very tight. I often struggled to mount and dismount my phone from the mount. I’m sure it would loosen up over time but it never did for me in the three months that I used it.
Build quality of the dampener was good, though not overly complicated. It is basically two pieces of metal attached to each other by six rubber isolators. I did not disassemble the dampener and cannot say whether there is more internal dampening other than the external isolators. However, it does not appear so.
The case for my Samsung was made of black and transparent plastic. It includes a magnet which is useful for sticking it to your car or other ferrous metal objects for whatever reason. I liked the magnet in the case but it created a few issues.
The magnet is not centered and phones are long and heavy. If I stuck it to the side of my car in a vertical position, it would often spin around.
I could not wirelessly charge because the magnet’s protrusion interfered with the wireless charging pad. You can buy a wireless charger that will work with their cases from them but it will set you back another $50 and isn’t waterproof.
I wasn’t sure if it was safe to put the magnetic case in the same pocket as my wallet for fear of damaging the magnetic strips on cards. This issue was never realized because everyone mostly uses chip readers now. Maybe my titanium Ridge wallet helped save the cards but probably not. I don’t have a degree in credit card magentology. I didn’t go to school for that.
You’d think Rokform could make the dampener (left) work with the ball adapter mounting plate (right) but it looks like they designed it not to be compatible on purpose.
A single screw is required to attach the dampener to the mount (if you have one) and the package comes with the screw and driver. If I wasn’t sending this unit back, I could have made it work by filing down the dampener attachment point or forcing the two surfaces to fit together with a hammer. It is that close to working. Maybe they didn’t make it work because the ball mount is not intended to be taken apart but they could have very easily made it an option for those who wanted to do a little extra work.
QUAD LOCK
When you order the ball adapter (or any other mount) from their website, you are given the option to include the vibration dampener in the order. I placed this order along with the case for my Pixel6 Pro. Installation of the vibration dampener was straightforward and simple. Like the Rokform, it only takes the removal of a single screw and replacing it after installation. Unlike the Rokform, it uses an allen/hex screw instead of Torx and there was no sense of tightness in the interface between the phone case and mount. It just worked.
Build quality of the dampener was also good but plastic. I see no issue with plastic from a material perspective. The dampener reduces vibration via three thicker rubber isolators that allows for a noticeable amount travel. You can see the phone moving around on the mount while riding down the road.
The case is black plastic. There is no magnet but the mounting system still does not allow for regular wireless charging. You can buy two different wireless chargers; non-waterproof ($50) and waterproof ($75).
THE SAME BUT DIFFERENT
Rokform Galaxy S9+ case (left) and Quad Lock Pixel6 Pro case (right)
It doesn’t take a rocket surgeon to see these two twist-lock mounting systems are very similar. Rokform is mostly metal and Quad Lock is mostly plastic but their mounting systems do basically the same thing. They both even advertise by sponsoring YouTube motorcycle channels. Rokform only carries cases for Apple and Samsung phones. Quad Lock adds Google and Huawei to the lineup but if you have any of the other phone brands, you’re going to have to acquire a glue-on universal adapter. I don’t feel comfortable riding at highway speeds in the Mojave Desert with my phone hanging on by a glued adapter but Quad Lock’s glue surface patch looks larger if you are braver than me and want to do it. I have no way to test the vibration dampening of either brand through any scientific method. I’m not entirely sure reports of handlebar vibration damaging phones is any more than anecdotal and dampening is merely a precautionary measure.
It is important to point out that the intention of the vibration dampener is to stop the high frequency buzz from reaching your phone. Any mount that introduces rubber between your phone and the handlebar should be able to accomplish that. Quad Lock’s dampener allows the phone to wiggle more than the Rokform does when mounted but that is due to difference in design strategy. Neither should cause nor prevent more significant shocks to the phone.
The main difference and the decision maker for me is a 1” ball mount and cost of entry. If you are anything like me, you have been using Ram mounts for years and have several different ones laying around. Ram mounts allow for very customizable configurations and phone positioning. You cannot use a Ram mount with the Rokform vibration dampener but it is nearly painless to accomplish with Quad Lock. If you already have a Ram mount, you can get into the full Quad Lock system including vibration dampener and phone case or adapter for around $80. A dampener and mount for Rokform is $140 plus $20 for a universal adapter or $40-60 for a phone case depending on phone model.
THE WINNER IS:
Two very different strategies to achieve basically the same thing. My unscientific opinion is that Quad Lock (right) would isolate shock from more directions than Rokform (left)
If you haven’t guessed by now, I’m sticking with Quad Lock. There is nothing inherently wrong with Rokform’s products. Their selection of mounting options is smaller but they are solidly built and anyone who decides to buy them will surely be happy. I’ve been using my Quad Lock mount on my Ural for about a year now and I see no reason to change back again. The Rokform phone case looks like it would provide better phone protection but I have been dropping my phone or it has fallen out of my pocket nearly every day with the Quad Lock case and it has survived just fine.
Rokform not offering compatibility with the ball mount really bothers me. Why couldn’t they have made it work in the two years of engineering since Quad Lock’s vibration dampener came out? The only possible reasons I can think of are 1) Rokform wants their customers to spend an extra $120 or 2) they don’t trust their customers to disassemble their existing ball mount. For an accessory that is specifically designed to be used on a motorcycle and already offering a non-dampening option with ball mount, not making these systems work together is a huge misstep. You can dump the entire Rokform system and buy everything you need from Quad Lock for less than the cost of Rokform’s mount if you want a dampener.
The only real downside of the Quad Lock is the advertising campaign featuring Charley Boorman. I have nothing against Mr. Boorman but those commercials feel forced and don’t make me want to buy the product. Outside of the “Long Way [insert a direction]” show, he isn’t well known in the United States and a lot of motorcycle riders I have spoken to don’t know who he is. Also, maybe they could offer a “premium” metal option for those discerning customers who feel they are too good for plastic.
AFTERTHOUGHT - RETURNS
I don’t usually look at online retailers’ return policies in detail because I don’t expect to return items. However, this is one more substantial difference between the two companies. While Rokform is technically longer (60 days), you have to call and get an RMA# over the phone along with a lot more caveats and restrictions on returns. You don’t have to call anyone to get an RMA for Quad Lock (30 days). It is handled entirely through email which I am more comfortable with and the RMA would be in writing for documentation purposes. I understand that these two companies are based in different countries (USA vs Australia) but I get the feeling that Rokform’s policies discourage returns by their language while Quad Lock is more laid back. Does anybody actually talk on the phone anymore?
When I called Rokform to return the items, the phone call lasted less than two minutes including a brief hold. Initial contact was less painful than their policy made me expect and they emailed me the RMA anyway. I had not yet mailed it back at the time this review was published. If there is any issue with the return process, I will update the review.
Disclaimer: I purchased Rokform and Quad Lock items from their respective websites. I have no association with with either brand and am not sponsored in any way by anyone.
