Introduction
The Gomite Tiltpod seems like it might be one of those little gimmicky devices you see advertised in those catalogues that grace your doorstep every once in a while; quite clever but destined to never be used beyond its first week. But, in actual fact it’s a genuinely brilliant idea.
Available as either a compact camera version or a mobile version compatible with iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, the Gomite Tiltpod is a tiny, keyring mountable stand for holding either your camera or phone steady when taking a photo.
Instead of using a number of adjustable legs like a tripod it uses a flat rubber foot to grip whatever surface it’s on then the top section pivots so you can aim and straighten your shot.
What really makes the device is just how small it is. The rubber foot is only about 6cm long by 4cm wide, and less than 5mm thick, meanwhile the pivoting top only adds another few millimetres in height – you really can wear it on your keys and it’ll be only as noticeable as a normal key fob.
Gomite Tiltpod Mobile/iPhone
Although quite useful for use with a compact camera, it’s the mobile version that has really caught our eye. The top pivoting section grips the side of the iPhone 4/4S securely and allows you to really easily set the phone up for effortless photo taking.
But crucially, it’s useful for more than just photography. You can also use it to prop up and aim your phone for video chatting, or just provide a comfortable video watching platform.
The phone version is particularly secure too, staying firm whatever angle we put the phone at, and no matter how much rocked the boat.
At around £10-£15, we think it’s a brilliant little purchase, especially given the robust build quality.
Gomite Tiltpod
The case for the non-mobile tiltpod is a little less clear cut. For a start it’s that much more likely that if you’re taking your camera, it’s not that much more of a hassle to take a small Gorilla pod, which is more versatile.
Moreover, the pivot mechanism can’t cope with anything more weighty than the smallest of compact cameras, and unlike the mobile version the camera mount isn’t tethered to the base via a piece of string, making it more likely to get lost.
But if you really do want to travel as light as possible, this is a great option for keeping on your keys, in a coat pocket or even just kept dangling from the camera – a wrist strap is included in the box for looping through the base.
You get two camera mounts in the box; one with a standard tripod screw fitting and another with a double sided sticky-tape tab on it for use on cameras with non-central tripod mounts.
Again, for £10-£15, it’s fairly priced and could prove to be a really useful little tool.
