Review: KraftGeek JustTap Magnetic Phone Tripod – The fastest way to the perfect shot

Every once in a while, a product comes by and you think, “Why don’t we have this already?” This is particularly relevant with the KraftGeek JustTap Magnetic Phone Tripod.

When it comes to new gadgets, I often find myself asking, “How will I have to adapt my life to incorporate this product?” You see, most new innovations come to the market with the best of intentions and to address a “perceived” need, which makes the product appeal only to a narrow customer base. In my opinion, however, anyone with a smartphone (and according to Google, that’s approximately 4.7 billion people) will benefit from the JustTap tripod.

In the box

The absence of extraneous items in the box suggests the simplicity of the product. Inside, you will find the tripod, a small bag containing the user manual, a USB A-C charging cable and a metal ring with a peel-off adhesive side.

The tripod body measures around 13” long. It has a decent weight, which feels nice to hold and looks well-made. Along the shaft of the body, there is a magnetically detachable Bluetooth remote control. At the top end, there is a magnetic attachment onto which you place your phone or other device. The supplied metal ring can be fixed to a device that isn’t MagSafe or doesn’t have magnetic compatibility.

The remote control detaches from the main body and can be charged with the supplied charging cable.

Setting up

As the “JustTap” name suggests, the base of the shaft is home to a spring-loaded button, which, when tapped with the palm or preferably, the ground, ejects the three legs, which are fixed and hinged at the top and they separate from the body in a Transformers-style motion. The tripod can now be extended by gently pulling the telescopic arm from the magnetic attachment end. When fully extended, the tripod can reach the maximum length of 168cm / 65 inches. At the end of the telescopic arm, there are two axles which allow the phone/device to be swivelled or rotated 180º, providing the perfect shooting angle.

I’m notoriously nervous when it comes to pairing Bluetooth devices, so I was a bit apprehensive about using the remote control. Sadly, the user manual is printed in grey ink with a very small font size (for my weary eyes!) I did have to go online and search for how to pair the remote control with my phone. I learned that pressing the button on the remote control for 2 seconds changed the colour of the LED from red to green, which puts it in pairing mode. After a quick refresh of the Bluetooth devices on my phone screen, KraftGeek appeared, and pairing was successfully achieved.

Sum up

I genuinely believe the KraftGeek JustTap tripod will be a welcome addition to my array of photography-related gear. It’s small enough to take on vacation or day trips. Its portable and compact form factor gives the user instant kudos when others see it being deployed. With the remote controller, everyone can be part of the picture. Parties and family gatherings can finally be captured without sacrificing the photographer out of the shot. Being extendable to 65 inches, it doubles up as a good Selfie Stick too.

As with any other product, there is always going to be room for improvement and with this tripod, the only observation I’ve made is that the tripod works best on even ground. On uneven surfaces, the user might struggle and require additional props to keep the tripod standing upright.

The strong magnet will ensure your phone is secure in almost any environment. I wasn’t able to test the tripod in extremely windy weather, where I feel it may succumb to toppling over, but who honestly takes photos in gale-force winds?

Where to buy and cost

The KraftGeek JustTap Magnetic Phone Tripod is currently priced at $42.99 USD and can be bought directly from their website – www.kraftgeek.com, where you will find all you need to know about this and all of their other cool products.