I’d like to mount my Librem 5 in a holder on my car dashboard to use for navigation. Has anyone tried different options for phone holders? I’d like to know which options can fit the width and thickness of the Librem 5 and hold its weight.
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The L5 is relatively heavy, so the shape and angle of your dash, as well as possible mounting points, would be the likely determinant of success.
Although I haven’t tried to mount the L5 in my car in any way, I do use a degoogled Android tablet with Osmand (maps app) for navigation, and it weighs about the same as the L5. I actually use one of the cupholder/magnetic mounts sold by this brand (also available in shops or online marketplaces) to hold it, and it works pretty well, even with its case on, if I angle the tablet backwards a bit; otherwise it tends to fall off the magnet after a bump. The mount comes with a metal plate that has a sticky side that adheres to the back of the device.
What would also work is a cupholder mount with easy-release “arms” to hold the L5, such as the ones from that same brand.
Possibly, a mount with non-slip clamps that insert into an air vent on the dash, with easy-release arms that hold the L5 might work, too.
It depends on your dash/cupholder configurations, of course.
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Thanks for the suggestion. So far I’ve been just leaving my Librem 5 in my cup holder with no mount since I don’t have any other place to hold it. The problem is the GPS reception is quite weak, so navigation doesn’t work consistently when the Librem 5 is in the cup holder. I was hoping to find a mount that can hold it up near the windshield where it could perhaps get a stronger GPS signal.
I see the website you suggested has a lot of different designs aside from the cup holder style mounts. A suction-cup mount like I had on my old Garmin GPS would be ideal, as long as it doesn’t fall down under the weight of the Librem 5.
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I use these:
The big rectangular magnet works best, as does the big rectangular plate. Room for those in my truck, but nerd to use the small round ones in my car.
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Can you link directly to the product on the manufacturer’s website?
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I also use a magnet on one of those plastic mounts with a gimbal.
The plastic nut that holds the magnet in place however, breaks down in the sun heat after a couple years and you have to replace it. Buying the whole thing just to replace a new nut about $15 USD. (Or 1500 Rubles.)
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