When I moved up to a larger iPhone, especially the iPhone 6 Plus, I ran into a problem I did not expect: my old phone mounts just did not feel right anymore.
Some of them technically fit, but the size and weight of the bigger iPhone made them feel less secure than I was comfortable with. Since I use my phone for photos, video, tripod shots, and quick mobile setups, I needed something that actually felt like it could hold the phone safely.
Quick Answer
The Shoulderpod S1 looks like a solid answer if you need a simple smartphone rig for a larger phone like the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus. It clamps around the phone with rubber V-shaped pads, includes a threaded tripod mount, and can also work as a handheld grip or small stand.
In this first look, the S1 held the iPhone 6 Plus securely without needing to be overtightened. My main nitpick is that when the grip is extended far enough for a large phone, there is a small amount of movement in the plastic extension area. It still felt secure, but I would have loved tighter tolerances or an aluminum version.
Why I Needed A New Mount
The bigger iPhones changed the equation for mobile mounting. The iPhone 6 Plus is larger, heavier, and not shaped exactly like the older flat-sided iPhones many mounts were designed around.
That meant my older mounts either did not fit at all or did not inspire much confidence. When you are putting an expensive phone on a tripod, confidence matters. I do not want to be looking at the mount the whole time wondering if the phone is going to shift or fall out.
That is what made the Shoulderpod S1 interesting to me. It is not just a little spring clamp. It is built more like an adjustable grip with rubber contact points and a threaded base.
What Comes In The Box
The S1 arrived in a simple retail box inside a paper shipping bag. The outer box had some damage from shipping, so I do think a small shipping box would have protected it better.
Inside the package, the main pieces were the adjustable grip, a grip extension, and a wrist strap. There were also instruction and guarantee inserts. Shoulderpod lists a two-year limited guarantee against manufacturer defects, which is nice to see on a small accessory like this.
The wrist strap has a leather-feeling end piece, and the bottom grip extension feels like aluminum. The main phone clamp itself feels like solid plastic. It is not heavy, but it does not feel cheap or flimsy either.
- Adjustable phone grip
- Grip extension
- Wrist strap
- Instruction insert
- Two-year limited guarantee insert
How The S1 Holds The Phone
The S1 opens and closes using a thumb screw. As you turn it, the clamp gets wider or narrower. For the iPhone 6 Plus, I had to extend it quite a bit, but it did open wide enough.
The phone sits between V-shaped rubber pads. That V shape matters because the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus do not have the same flat edges as older iPhones. The rubber pads help the phone settle into the mount instead of just being squeezed by flat plastic.
Once the phone was in place, I tightened it down and was surprised by how secure it felt. I did not crank it down hard, but the phone still felt locked in. I could see the rubber pads pressing into place, and the phone did not feel like it was going anywhere.
That was the biggest thing I wanted from this mount. I am cautious with my phone, and this felt secure enough that I would not worry about it falling out during normal tripod or handheld use.
Tripod Mounting
The bottom of the S1 has a standard threaded tripod mount. I tested it with a small flexible tripod, similar to a GorillaPod-style setup, and it screwed in smoothly with no trouble.
That is really the main use case I was looking for. I wanted a reliable way to put the iPhone 6 Plus on a tripod for video, photos, or desk shots. In that role, the S1 made a good first impression.
With the phone mounted, I could attach it to the small tripod and position it the way I wanted. The mount felt much more confidence-inspiring than the older mounts I had been trying to reuse.
Using It As A Grip Or Stand
The included bottom piece can also work as a handheld grip. You can attach the wrist strap and hold the S1 with the phone mounted, almost like a small mobile filming handle.
It is not a full stabilizer, but it does make the phone feel easier to hold. Wrapping a finger or two around the bottom gives you a sturdier grip than holding the phone by itself.
Shoulderpod also shows the S1 being used as a stand. I tested that briefly by extending the bottom piece and setting it on a surface. It works, but the angle is limited. I could see it being useful on a desk or for a simple downward-looking setup, but I would not buy it only for the stand feature.
The Main Nitpick
The one thing I noticed is that when the S1 is extended far enough for the iPhone 6 Plus, there is a little bit of play in the extension area. It is basically one piece sliding inside another, and because it is extended pretty far, you can see a small amount of movement.
This is me nitpicking, because the phone still felt secure. But if the tolerances were tighter, or if Shoulderpod made an aluminum version, I would like it even more.
For the price range I mentioned in the video, around the $35 area in the U.S. at the time, the build felt very good. If there were a more premium aluminum version with tighter tolerances, I would be interested in that too.
First Impression
As a first look, the Shoulderpod S1 made a strong impression. It solved the exact problem I had: finding a mount that could hold a larger iPhone securely and still work with a tripod.
It goes on easily, takes only a few seconds to adjust, and the rubber V-shaped pads make sense for the curved design of the newer iPhones. The included grip and wrist strap add some flexibility without making the whole thing complicated.
This was not a long-term review yet. My plan was to use it for another week and come back with a fuller review after putting it through more real use. But right out of the box, it felt like a practical and well-designed option for mobile video and photography.
Key Takeaways
- The Shoulderpod S1 fits larger phones like the iPhone 6 Plus and feels much more secure than older small-phone mounts.
- The V-shaped rubber pads help hold the curved iPhone edges without needing to overtighten the clamp.
- The standard threaded mount worked smoothly with a small flexible tripod.
- The included grip extension and wrist strap make it useful as a handheld rig, not just a tripod mount.
- There is a little movement in the extended plastic section when used with a large phone, but it did not make the phone feel unsafe.
- This was a first look, so long-term durability and real-world filming use still needed more testing.
Watch the Video
The video above above to see the full unboxing, how the Shoulderpod S1 adjusts around the iPhone 6 Plus, and how it looks on a small tripod and handheld grip setup.
