Building on its earlier magnet-free mounts, The Joy Factory is offering an updated line of semi-magnetic iPad mounting solutions, including Tournez C-Clamp Mount with MagConnect ($100) and Tournez Clamp Mount with MagConnect ($170), among others. The versions of the mounts we received for review come with Smart Cover-compatible second-, third-, and fourth-generation iPad shells; they’re also available without cases for $30 less. Both use the same general structure and materials, but are designed for different uses.
Both mounts come with the exact same iPad shell, which uses a nothing special design very similar to alternatives we’ve seen before. It does, however, add a fair amount of protection to the iPads back, and serves as the primarily way you can attach your iPad to the mounts. Each black plastic shell is covered in a textured, hard rubber material. Like many middle-of-the-road shells of its kind, it stops short of the top and bottom edges, and leaves all ports and buttons exposed without any sort of coverage. The one unique feature is the round magnet in the center of the case, with a screw hole in the middle; this is how it attaches to the mounts, but a cover is included for when the shell is being used on its own. It’s worth noting that some other Joy Factory cases include MagConnect compatibility, should you want to pay the extra cash for something more protective.
Tournez C-Clamp Mount is the more compact of the two mounting options, and it’s made up of three distinct components. The base is a heavy metal clamp, capable of being attached to a flat surface such as a desk, or alternately to a pole, including music stands, thanks to the C-shaped grips on either end. It’s easy to tighten the clamp by hand, using the plastic grip underneath to get to the desired grip.
From there, there’s a 6” carbon fiber arm attached to the mount by a ball joint, with a second at the other end. Each has a plastic tightener, allowing them to be positioned however you’d like and then locked into place. The rod itself is incredibly sturdy, and feels like it’s capable of taking a beating. It’d be appropriate for uses ranging from home to industrial settings.
At the far end of Tournez C-Clamp Mount is the iPad connector. Not only does it magnetically attach to the back of the shell, but spinning a red disk tightens a screw into the hole, providing a hold that won’t slip. It’s very easy to attach and lock into place. Because the ball joints are so adjustable, it’s easy to get the iPad in the exact position you want it, including either landscape or portrait orientation. It can support an iPad with its bottom edge floating roughly three inches off your desk in landscape orientation, or two inches in portrait orientation.
The more expensive system, Tournez Clamp Mount, shares most of the same features as C-Clamp Mount, with the biggest difference being the length. Instead of a single 6” arm, this one has two arms, each 10.5” long. This obviously allows it to be more useful in different scenarios where more length is needed, and provides a greater degree of positioning. The other big difference is the clamp element, which doesn’t have the C-style inserts and is made to attach to flat surfaces, not round ones. Otherwise, it works largely the same way, though the extra arm length gives you enough distance to mount it further on the edges or back of a desk, rather than up closer to the front.
We were quite impressed by how incredibly solid both models of these Clamp mounts felt, and how well they actually did as mounting solutions. Once you have your iPad positioned how you want it, it’s going to stay there until you’re ready to move it again. The industrial look won’t match all tastes, the shells aren’t ideally designed, and of course not everyone needs these sort of accessories, particularly at $100-$170 prices. However, they’re good solutions for those who want extra adjustability and are willing to spend the premium for superior build quality. As such, they’re both worthy of our general recommendation.
Our Rating
Company and Price
Company: The Joy Factory
Website: www.thejoyfactory.com
Models: Tournez C-Clamp Mount, Tournez Clamp Mount
Price: $100-$170
Compatible: iPad 2, iPad 3rd/4th-Gen
