When I wore TFY’s Velcro Forearm Band for my iPhone to a friend’s house, she said “How can you wear such an ugly thing?”; it’s terrible!”

Terrible! Lighten up. It is actually an amazing device: an adjustable velcro band you strap around your forearm onto which you stick your phone (via velcro dot glued to its back). I workout hard in the park across the way and it has yet to come off. I cook with it, so I can talk on the phone using a headset, and often walk around town with it because it is so amazingly convenient. It beats belt phone holders and any other devices I’ve tried (most have been even MORE homely…below). It’s like a giant Apple watch (great for people with not-great vision).

Sally Schneider
Sally Schneider

It may look a bit dopey but its serious advantages trumps its looks. As with just about everything I buy, I hacked it a bit, and pushed its limits.

TFY’s Velcro Forearm Band for iPhone comes with a phone case with a velcro back in case you like to have a bumper on your phone. It also comes with Velcro dots which you stick onto the back of your phone, to be able to attach it directly to the wrist band.

Sally Schneider
Sally Schneider

velcro phone holder Amazon 1
TFY/amazon.com

I nixed the case and tried just one dot stuck onto the back of my phone.

Sally Schneider
Sally Schneider

It holds fast to the wristband. No matter what I do, it won’t come loose. These examples on Amazon are for real.

velcro wrist holder Amazon 2
TFY/Amazon.com

My one hack: I used an Exacto knife to take off the glaring label:

Sally Schneider
Sally Schneider

And I managed to get hold of a slightly better looking white version. For some reason the models for iphone 5 and 6 only come with a black wristband. TFY Sports Wristband for iPhone 4’s comes in white. I can’t see why it wouldn’t work for the iPhone 5 and the smaller version of the 6 (I haven’t tested out a larger phone but suspect it might be too big) , but haven’t heard back from the company.

Sally Schneider
Sally Schneider

And if you want a reality check for the range of ugliness in phone holders, check out this Phubby Spandex one, which and sent back because, contrary to what they say, you can’t see through the material…

Phubby Spandex wrist band for phone

What’s your verdict? Is TFY’s Velcro Forearm Band TOO weird and ugly or…strangely…cool…(or at the very least, liberating)…

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6 replies on “The Ugly Practical iPhone Holder I Can’t Live Without

  1. I love the “hack”. I am forever removing labels from things. My family thinks I’m a bit nuts but then again, aren’t we all…

    A little nail scissors works well too – and while we are on the subject, I surely could use some tips on removing labels from containers without resorting to chemicals. I’ve tried corn oil, Bon Ami, nail polish remover (yes, I know that’s a chemical), and last night, Vaseline. Any ideas?

  2. Remove labels with De-Sol-Vit, a citrus based melter of any goo out there. Spray it on, wait a few minutes, push it around with a fingernail, douse it with straight dish soap, massage it a bit, rinse it off.

    My disabled placard would not fit in any pocket in my automobile, so I cut it in half, punched holes in both sides, added small key rings to join them. It now fits in my bag, car, carry-on, unfolds & hangs fine.

    Ah, improvising!

    E Hill

  3. WD 40 works pretty well for lots of labels. I don’t know what’s in it besides some kind of oil, but it only takes a tiny bit to loosen most labels, so chemical exposure is small. Also, Goo Gone works, and I think it’s orange oil.

    As for the velcro phone holder, I try desperately to maintain a valiant, and sometimes futile, effort not to be a slave to my phone, so I can’t be enthusiastic about it. And it does look clunky to me, and as though it would feel awkward, but hey, what do I know? I still keep a land line!

  4. Coconut oil mixed with a little baking soda works beautifully for removing label goo.

  5. LOL! Yes it’s definitely a little “dopey” ad you described, but I’m also firmly in the “who cares!” camp 🙂 If you love it and it works for you, you’re very likely rocking the h*ll out of it!

  6. Yes, your friend was right, it’s horrible! And probably addictive.

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