Ive been messin around with phone rigs for a long time and honestly, the best way to handle a heavy phone like the 16 Pro Max is to go the DIY route. Most of those all-in-one kits under a hundred bucks are just too flimsy. Just go with a solid metal mount from a brand that specializes in vlogging gear and you cant really go wrong. I usually prefer to buy the phone clamp separately and then just screw it onto a standard tabletop base or even a small light stand. Mixing and matching parts lets you get a much more stable setup than those plastic travel tripods. If you get a clamp that has an Arca-Swiss base, you can basically use it with any professional gear you find later on. It stays rock solid and wont tip over when you try to use the screen. Definitely better than buying a cheap bundle that just ends up in a junk drawer.

@Reply #6 - good point! honestly those plastic mounts are total junk and wont last more than a few months if you leave them in a hot car. i learned that the hard way back in 2019 when i was doing a cross-country drive through death valley. it wasnt just the mount though, the heat in that jeep was insane and basically melted everything that wasnt metal.

• my dashcam mount turned into a pretzel
• the adhesive on my solar panel failed
• even my spare sunglasses frame warped i spent three hours trying to scrape melted plastic off my windshield with a credit card at a gas station while some guy tried to sell me a dusty turquoise necklace. it was a total nightmare and i still have a tiny scratch on the glass from that. anyway lol sorry i kinda went off topic there.

Hey! I've tried many. For your iPhone, the Joby GripTight ONE Micro Stand is surprisingly stable. It's tiny, fits in your pocket, and I've used it for time-lapses. Super simple to use. Costs around $30. Worth a shot, right?

Skip flimsy tripods! Phone's heavy. Consider a used Manfrotto Befree – rock solid. Check the head's weight rating carefully; bigger is safer. Be careful of cheap clamps; they can fail. I'd suggest testing stability with a similar-sized phone before buying. Make sure it's actually stable.

Forget fancy. A $20 Joby GorillaPod works great and is super versatile. It's lasted me years!

Skip the cheapos! Manfrotto's mobile tripods are pricier, but based on market data, they last. I've seen too many $20 tripods fail after a few months.

Be careful! Joby GripTight ONE GorillaPod is stable, but always use a safety strap. Don't risk your phone!