Last month at CTIA we got our hands on a ThingSling. More accurately, a ThingSling got stuck to our phone. This elastic strap fixes to the back of any phone with a 3M adhesive. And boy does that thing stick.
We wrote some first impressions of the strap, but now that it’s been a few weeks, I thought I’d go a little deeper on my thoughts. The strap has a rigid plastic frame that anchors the adhesive. It sticks to just about any phone or case, though John Murphy, the ThingSling creator, said it doesn’t stick to silicone used in many phone cases. While it’ll come off easily when I want it off, I haven’t had any trouble with the ThingSling trying to come off the Cygnett Frost Case on my phone.
The half-inch-wide elastic strap is quite strong, and doesn’t show signs of stretching out any time soon. It gives me enough room to slip one or two fingers beneath, and not really any slack. I’ve used the ThingSling to hold my phone while briskly walking, running and even on my bike. The strap holds the phone securely to my hand, and keeps it stable so I can actually look at the screen and use the touch screen.
I’ve gotten some comments when people see it. After flashing my mobile boarding pass before getting on the plane I heard the gate agent exclaim, “Did you see what she had on her phone?” to the people in line behind me. It’s one of those, “why didn’t I think of that?” type of products. It’s simple, and it works.
The only complaint I might have is that my phone is nice and flat on the back, and this ads a hump that can sometimes be unstable when I set the phone down. I can position it to lay flat and the ThingSling is flat enough to let the phone balance well. But sometimes it’ll wobble when I set it down. The ThingSling is actually thin enough that I have no problem slipping my phone into a universal bike mount that holds my phone. You’d think the bulk on the back might make it too big, but it’s no problem at all.
The ThingSling is a natural way to hold the phone, and I find myself using it without thinking every time I pick my phone up. It’s a way to ensure I have a grip on my phone, and actually frees up my hands somewhat so I can carry other objects.
On a run, it’s nice to know the phone is strapped to my hand and won’t fly off if I stop paying attention. It’s a simple idea with lots of function.
The ThingSling is available in several colors (mine is Green) for $12.95.
httpv://youtu.be/DV5Rv8Ivg5c