If you haven't read my review of the Joby GorillaMobile for iPhone 4 then go ahead and take a quick look here.

Eversince I discovered the concept of iphoneography, I fell in love. The idea of using your smartphone, the only device that is always with you, to capture the important moments in life is fantastic. First I chose my iPhone camera apps, 645 PRO and Camera+. Then I downloaded iPhoto, Perfectly Clear and SnapSeed to retouch my images. To get tack sharp images, there was one more element missing…. A tripod. There is no way you’re going to carry a full size tripod with you so the next best thing is a mini tripod you slip into a pocket and use anywhere for clean, crisp, shark pictures.

Why I love Joby products 

Before buying my first Joby, I bought a bunch of much cheaper imitations from eBay. After a couple of uses, these cheap replicas broke down, became wobbly or wouldn't grip my iphone anymore. Did I really want to risk cracking my iPhone screen? Of course not, so I bought a Joby and realized how much better their products are. I have thrown their products in laptop bags, luggage, my Scottevest jackets and have never been let down by the durability.

Why I love the new GripTight GorillaPod

Until now, most of their products required me to use a dinky plastic bumper case so in most situations, I use to connect my Glif to their tripod. One problem this caused was that I had to remove my battery or Otterbox case every time I wanted to take a picture and this was just annoying.  Not anymore!

The new GripTight has a smartphone independent grip system that works on most smartphone with or without a case. 

Here you can see it holding an iPhone 4 with a LifeProof case

As you can see, the grip arm is adjustable and spring mounted so it works for a naked phone or one with a case. I tested it with an iPhone 4s with a Lifeproof case, Phonesuit battery case, Mophie Juice Pack Air, Otterbox defender and it held wonderfully in every situation.

 

The Grip

The grip mechanism is wonderful. First thing I like is that it folds completely flat which make carrying this thing very easy.

With this side picture, you can see the little rubber pads which hold the phone snugly and the little fingers that make sure your phone never falls out. As you extend the grip to hold your phone, you notice there is enough tension to hold the phone in place but not enough to damage the side of your device (even if your device is made of soft plastic.) 

 You attach the Grip to the legs using the provided  screw mechanism. I tested this piece with the Glif and it also works perfectly (aka its a standard mount size).

To ensure the grip isn't mistakenly released from the legs, the designers at Joby even built a locking mechanism into the leg piece. You simple turn the little rubber ring and it locks the grip mechanism in place.

 

The Box

There isn't anything special about the box. It is clean and to the point.

The front

The back

Presentation of the contents

Conclusion

I didn't write about the legs but they are the standard multi joint legs you have come to expect from Joby. They are tensioned just right : easy to place them in the exact position but solid enough so they won't move on their own.

I love the quality of the product and the fact that I can use it with my current smartphone and whatever model I buy in a year or two (I even used it with a Canon S100 point & Shoot). The GripTight is a solid product that will provide years of service, even if you abuse it a bit. I give it two thumbs up and recommend you buy one.