Evaluate: Juggernaut Case Smartphone Ecosystem

Whereas there’s one thing to be mentioned in regards to the capability to outlive a disaster with none help from digital gadgets, the fact is that most individuals won’t instantly default to bushcraft or primitive survival strategies when catastrophe strikes. Fortunately, whether or not it’s provide shortages, rolling blackouts, riots, or pure disasters, only a few trendy disasters embody an absolute shutdown of mobile, Wi-Fi, or energy grid infrastructure. In previous articles, we’ve highlighted apps and strategies that let you use a smartphone for the whole lot from safe communication to navigation to a beacon for assist. However, identical to taking pictures, emergency smartphone use requires two-prong planning that covers each software program and {hardware} options. Probably the most complete {hardware} options we’ve come throughout for this objective is Juggernaut Case.

Juggernaut has an extended historical past of offering case and mounting options to navy and first responders. Organizations starting from Tier 1 Particular Operations items to Federal legislation enforcement and municipal first responders depend on Juggernaut to not solely defend the telephones themselves — typically known as EUDs or end-user gadgets in navy parlance — but additionally to combine that immense processing energy into different programs, from automobiles to physique armor. This enables everybody from EMTs to Navy SEALs to remain linked even below probably the most demanding, most austere circumstances.

Above: The Juggernaut Case IMPCT (left) is designed to be extra modern and EDC-friendly than the rugged military-spec SLEEV (proper). Each are made within the USA.

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Happily, their merchandise are additionally out there to civilians who can leverage Juggernaut’s know-how, which is actually battlefield-tested, to maximise our telephones’ utility into a wide selection of preparedness functions. We have been in a position to take a look at and experiment with a wide range of instances and mounts for this text, and what we discovered was a cohesive, near-seamless ecosystem of phone-mounting {hardware}.

Juggernaut Instances and Capabilities

Above: Juggernaut presents a number of case choices that may combine with their line of cable adapters and mounts.

We examined two of Juggernaut’s instances: the SLEEV and the IMPCT. The shape issue and design rules have been related for each instances, however the SLEEV is the beefier of the 2, with hinged ports on both finish. The highest port, used to load and unload the cellphone from the case, snaps closed with a molded-in clamp. The underside port, used to entry your charging/knowledge port, truly screws closed to utterly seal the underside of the cellphone. The IMPCT has two small bumpers that may be absolutely eliminated. The IMPCT can be top-loading, and the underside rubber bumper will be utterly eliminated. For every day carry, we left this piece off for simple entry to our charging/knowledge port all through the day, however some customers could want to maintain it in place for additional safety from mud and particles.

It needs to be famous that each one Juggernaut instances are open-faced. There’s no glass or polymer display protector constructed into the case. The open-face design additionally ensures most use of touchscreen capabilities. However the instances are designed to suit very snugly, so when you use a peel-and-stick display protector, you could have to take away it simply to slip your cellphone into the case. Each case fashions are absolutely suitable with the complete spectrum of mounting choices, which we’ll cowl under.

Juggernaut presents instances for a variety of cellphone makes/fashions; they provide a number of sizes of case. Their webstore presents an easy-to-follow sizing chart on virtually each particular person product web page, in addition to a shop-by-model filter operate. We used a Samsung S21 for the whole thing of this text, which makes use of a medium-sized case and medium sized mounts. The entire in-mount photographs seen right here have been taken with the IMPCT case, because it’s the smaller of the 2 instances and the more than likely to be chosen for every day use and pocket carry.

We additionally had the chance to check Juggernaut’s IMPCT Cable, which is a substitute backside bumper than features a hard-wired USB cable and gasketed USB-C port for connection to the cellphone. Merely take away the gentle rubber bumper that comes with the IMPCT case and substitute it with the IMPCT Cable. For the reason that cable is mounted to the bumper, this piece isn’t one thing you’d depart in your cellphone on a regular basis. However when you plan to connect the cellphone to a car mount for lengthy journeys, a battery pack for prolonged charging, or a USB photo voltaic charging panel, it’s a nice-to-have addition. The SLEEV additionally has a line of screw-in cables that may be ordered for that case, must you be utilizing it. Each variations will be ordered with USB or 6-pin “Mighty Mouse” adapters on the lengthy finish, or “unterminated” to hard-wire the cable right into a car or different platform for everlasting attachment.

Belt Clip

Obtainable in each vertical and horizontal carry configurations, the belt Clip Mount is precisely what you’d count on — a molded-plastic clip, with built-in bracket, that may be hooked onto your belt, seatbelt, or different straps for true EDC. This makes your Juggernaut case simply as handy for every day use as it’s for catastrophe use. Whereas it might appear to be the handfuls of different belt-clip cellphone holsters you should buy off Amazon, that is solely the casual-carry element of a whole hard-use mount ecosystem.

Tek-Lok Belt Mount

That is the following step up from the belt clip, consisting of a devoted cellphone bracket connected to a Tek-Lok mount. Whereas this Belt Mount is completely viable in an on a regular basis use position, we discover it somewhat overbuilt for that job. So, we added it to our Arbor Arms SALT battle belt. Whether or not you utilize a battle belt for vary coaching, lessons, or a waist-mounted bugout rig, the Juggernaut Tek-Lok, with it’s included spacers, will be match to virtually any bigger belt system like 1.75- or 2-inch rigger’s belts. Since many battle belts now embody cutout channels to weave the interior belt by a padded MOLLE sleeve, you don’t have to fret about hard-attaching this mount to MOLLE channels. If you happen to’re OK with the additional bulk, this makes the Tek-Lok Belt Mount excellent for bouncing between a every day put on belt and a battle belt as circumstances require.

Above: The Tek- Lok Belt Mount works nice for bigger, thicker battle belts like this Arbor Arms SALT belt system.

Forearm Mount

The Forearm Mount permits you to use your smartphone like a digital “chief’s board.” First made in style by skilled soccer gamers, who used them to maintain a cheat sheet of performs proper on their arm, these elastic sleeves have been quickly “weaponized” by navy and legislation enforcement tactical groups who used them to maintain the whole lot from radio frequencies to maps of the battlefield inside literal arms’ attain. Juggernaut’s answer is a bit more elegant, that includes an armband manufactured from Cordura, nylon webbing, and efficiency material that cinches down by use of the Boa “click on” system, which sizes to suit after which locks down on the desired snugness. The sleeve is supplied with the now-familiar cellphone bracket to maintain your cellphone seen and accessible all occasions. If you happen to don’t have a PALS-equipped plate service or chest rig to mount your cellphone to, this can be a good fallback answer that additionally works once you don’t want or need different tactical gear in your individual. If you happen to don’t thoughts carrying the additional bulk in your arm, this mount can stand in for the PALS mount, Pack Adapter, or belt mounts mentioned elsewhere on this article. Mixed along with your favourite ballistic calculator app, this setup works effectively as a digital, adaptable model of the standard sniper’s armband.

PALS Mount

Above: PALS mount on an Arbor Arms CAS Plate Provider.

The PALS Mount was particularly designed for navy use on MOLLE or PALS plate carriers. This enables Particular Operations Forces to maintain their cellphone accessible for hands-free use of navigation or situational consciousness software program like ATAK. It additionally permits your smartphone to be built-in right into a “dual-comms” radio system, like these provided by Silynx or Safariland. We connected it to an Arbor Arms CAS, or Communicator Armor System. It is a full-blown “assaulter’s” plate service with particular options built-in to accommodate the in depth integration of the aforementioned military-style communications tools.

There’s additionally a model of the PALS mount (not proven right here) that features inductive-charging functionality. If you happen to put on an armor system as a part of your job and want auxiliary energy to maintain your cellphone operating, you may put on a battery pack mounted in your plate service and hook the included cable straight into your powered PALS mount for prolonged mission use.

PALS Pack Platform

That is truly a two-part system that requires the PALS mount mentioned above in addition to the Pack Platform adapter. For this setup, Juggernaut teamed up with Thriller Ranch to create a nylon panel-and-strap system that allows you to use a PALS mount with a mountaineering pack for mountaineering and backpacking use the place armor isn’t required. We connected it to a Stone Glacier Avail pack, the creator’s go-to weekend mountaineering pack. The Pack Adapter makes use of split-buckle sliders to connect to a pack’s shoulder straps and capabilities very similar to a sternum strap generally discovered on many trendy mountaineering packs. Identical to with a PALS mount connected to a plate service, the Pack Adapter retains your cellphone mounted excessive on the chest for utilizing navigation applications like OnX or CivTAK. In a less-urgent use case, we use the Pack Platform to have the ability to scroll by our Amazon Music or Spotify playlists on lengthy highway marches for bodily conditioning.

Automobile Mount

Internet Editor Patrick McCarthy coated the Automobile Mount in-depth as a part of his DIY overlanding truck construct sequence in Difficulty 52. In case you missed that, the Automobile Mount works along side a RAM ball mount, so you may swivel and regulate your display place. Whether or not you’re navigating with OnX Off Street, Google Maps, or simply making hands-free cellphone calls, the car mount is a handy method to make use of your Juggernaut ecosystem on the highway. Simply unclip your cellphone out of your belt, pack, or plate service, and snap it into the car mount earlier than you get behind the wheel.

Just like the PALS mount, there’s a powered model of the Automobile Mount (pictured right here) with a built-in USB cable that permits induction charging when plugged into your car’s on-board USB port.

Multi-Mount

Above: The Multi Mount is a flexible mounting answer restricted solely by your creativeness.

Because the identify implies, the Multi-Mount is a general-purpose mount whose use case is proscribed solely by your creativeness. Consisting of a molded plastic cellphone bracket with an extended Velcro strap, the Multi-Mount will be wrapped round something that’ll maintain the load of your cellphone. Branches, roll cages, PVC pipe, and something of comparable measurement is all honest recreation. The reverse aspect of the Velcro strap is coated with a grippy, semi-sticky coating that’ll adhere to itself in addition to no matter you’re attaching to. Want to make use of your cellphone’s flashlight whereas fixing a pipe below the sink? Wish to connect your cellphone to a tent pole for hands-free use at a campsite or hasty rally level? What about simply wrapping it round a tree department to movie a fast bushcraft video for social media? These sorts of miscellaneous makes use of are the place the Multi-Mount thrives and, when you’re going to put money into Juggernaut’s mount system, we advocate choosing one in all these up and holding it useful for conditions not coated by the extra purpose-driven mounts we’ve already coated.

Above: The Multi Mount is able to every kind of unconventional use instances, similar to organising an impromptu path cam.

Conclusion

Whereas we’ve coated a lot of the out there mount choices, this listing isn’t complete. There are different area of interest mounts for the whole lot from mountain bike handlebars to skydiving and Army Free Fall parachute rigs. By the point you learn this, Juggernaut will already be delivery their subsequent era line of cellphone instances, which incorporates three fashions — the ENDVR, ADVNTR, and OPRTR — scaled for the way extreme your residing/working circumstances shall be. We’ve been assured by Juggernaut that the brand new line of instances won’t solely embody a wider array of cellphone fashions but additionally be backward-compatible with the present mounting footprint. So, if you have already got a number of of the mounts listed right here, they’ll nonetheless be usable with the brand new instances, sizing however when you change gadgets. Additionally they have a line of pill instances, with some corresponding mount choices.
If you happen to’re in search of case and mounting options in your moveable digital machine that can stand as much as every day wear-and-tear in addition to in extremis survival conditions, we’d be hard-pressed to advocate a greater start line than Juggernaut Instances.

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Written by Tom Marshall