Tuesday 6 December 2016

Review - Cradlz Smart Phone Holster

We've all been there. We're out practicing, striking golf balls and in the age of social media we want to share our golf swing with our friends and followers. So, we strategically place our phone on top of our golf bag where it's precariously perched in between two golf clubs. After making sure that the shot is set up just right you address the ball and then... the phone falls not to the ground but down to the bottom of the golf bag. So you unceremoniously empty your golf bag and flip it upside down and retrieve your phone.

Okay so that scenario likely hasn't happened to many of my readers but if I have to be honest (and I should be) it happened to me. The number of times that I have tried to get video or pics of my swing for the purpose of analysis is staggering. Even though I hate seeing myself on camera or video the reality is that it's a necessary evil. Luckily for golfers there is a product out there that can effectively eliminate the above scenario from unfolding and send you on your way to breaking down your swing.

Cradlz by Stinger Smart Phone Holster is a simple effective tool brought to you by Stinger Golf. Going back to the history of the company (based in Northern Ohio) some golfers may recollect their previous endeavor Stinger Golf Tees which are known for being the original performance golf tee. Once upon a time I used them and liked them a lot because of their slim design, ease of inserting into the ground (including hardpan) and the "cup" the ball sat on was very small. The brand has wanted to expand their market within the golf industry with the purpose of offering golfers... "more". More is what they've been able to offer with the Cradlz Smart Phone Holster. When I say more I mean it as more chances to learn about your golf swing, more opportunities to get actions photos of any activity and simply more uses than you can shake a stick at. 

Louis Rittberger is the President of Stinger Golf and I want to take this time to thank Mr. Rittberger for the opportunity to test out the Cradlz device. When I wrote Stinger asking for the opportunity to test out their product Mr. Rittberger was very forthcoming. The package arrived from Ohio in no time at all and it's always nice to see fast shipping. Fast shipping and positive customer service go a long way in making a company successful. Upon opening the package inside was a neatly packaged item. The Cradlz device was in two segments inside of a nice mesh bag. Made from a high impact plastic the company's branding is on full display neatly on the front of the holster. There is an adjustable clamp that can clinch virtually any cell phone firmly in place and attaching the tripod to the clamp is a thing of ease. Using a threaded screw you simply screw it together and the device is ready for use. The tripod is really what I like about Cradlz. For me, it's the tripod that really seals the deal on the ingenuity of the device. The tripod has flexible legs that are extremely malleable. They can twist and curl around nearly anything. Essentially the Cradlz device can be attached to almost anything.

When it came to the testing of Cradlz it was easy to pass a positive judgement on it early. The two pieces were easy to put together and attaching it to my golf bag, a bag stand or anything else for that matter was simple and quick. I have used Cradlz extensively as I have finally obtained a great way to capture swing video to analyze with software like V1 Sports. As a matter of fact just the other day I was out at the range getting in a December session. I employed Cradlz by attaching it to a bag stand securing it by wrapping the legs around the top brace. A couple of days later I wanted to see my swing as I had some minor issues with my striking. Because of the solid design I caught video that was clear and shake-free. I was horrified when I slowed down the video frame by frame and saw me standing up and losing spine angle. Without my ability to capture that image using Cradlz I would never have known what the issue was. My last round of golf I used it to capture a swing on a Par 3 as the sun was setting. It made for a nice picture without a photographer. The uses continued to exhibit themselves as I attached it to the steering wheel of my boat while fly fishing on the Lower Niagara River. I've used Cradlz for getting video of me putting on the greens, to capture video of me hitting an approach into the green for a review to be posted later this week. Really the uses of Cradlz are infinite. Ultimately, if there was one negative thing to say about the design or the device it's that i would love to see the fit be a little more snug. It could be the case on my phone but it did manage to fall out a couple of times. Honestly though... it really is no big deal.

I'll be doing a piece that is coming out on the weekend on holidays buys for golfers. With a value of $29.99 USD the Cradlz Smart Phone Holster is on my recommended to buy list. It's uses are too many count and it's value is immeasurable. I highly recommend this product to golfers and active people in general. The practical applications are wonderful and the design durable. Have a look at their website.  http://www.cradlz.com/

Until The Next Tee!

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