The Stabile iPad stands from Thought Out have a well-earned reputation for being solid if expensive accessories for the discerning iPad owner. With the Stabile Coil Pro, Thought Out twisted itself way from that solidity and went for total flexibility instead.
This new stand resembles a steel snake with an iPad mount for its head. The mounting bracket is the same excellent one used the the Stabile Pro — which allows 80° of movement on its pivoting steel ball — but it comes attached to a 54″ flexible steel coil coated in black vinyl. This allows you to turn and twist the stand into just about any shape you like, although some are far more stable than others.
With the iPad attached, it can be tricky to get the Stabile Coil Pro into the exact form that you want without it tipping over, but with a little experimentation, you should be able to find a solid arrangement fast enough. As the disclaimer on the website reads:
While extremely strong for its size, the Made in USA Certified® coil cannot defy the laws of physics and gravity. Installations and uses cannot exceed the ability of the coil’s strength. Coil should not be used in a manner that allows more than 18 inches from the supported end to the holder end (where the device is).
By placing a counterweight like books or the edge of a chair on the far end, you can have some fun coming up with innovative ways to use it. Even just placing it on your desk with most of the coil looped below the iPad makes it easy to place your iPad at the exact height at which you want it, something that most stands can’t come close to pulling off.
Couple this with the optional Grapple Pro — a customized rubber cord with a vinyl-coated hook on the end — and you can even use the stand to position your iPad in ways that would normally cause it to tip or fall out. You can even hang the iPad upside down. The Grapple Pro can be positioned at two preset lengths, allowing you to secure your iPad in either landscape or portrait orientations. It also has enough give that you can still use it with iPad still inside the case of your choice.
At $100 for the stand and $15 for the Grapple Pro, this isn’t an inexpensive setup, but if you need the flexibility it offers, it’s an excellent solution.
Disclaimer: Thought Out sent a review copy of this stand.
