Holdmate Gear Avis 

Received today and find it totally useless. The tether does not stay out and you must hold it all the time extended. Makes it heavy. Will put in donate box. Will never use and had ordered several.

I bought the holdmate for an upcoming skitrip and it literally broke on the first day using it.
I sent photos to Customer service showing clear evidence it was a manufacturer default.
They initially said they would replace part of it, but then said they won't replace it as I purchased it over 90 days ago.

Product is quite flimsy and low quality plastic. It looks good on social media, but is not worth it when you can actually see and feel it.

Don't waste your money.

Rubbish -- phone fell off, company just not interested. I had to send it back to China -- didn't know it was a Chinese company -- and paid postage as well, and haven't heard a thing. Scam company.

UPDATE (7/1/2026) HoldMate Customer Service was very responsive to my complaint about the hassle and expense of returning the product to CHINA! They offered me a 50% refund and I don't have to send anything back. Better than nothing, but I now have 2 HoldMate phone holders that we won't use. Off they go to the local thrift store donation bin! The refund has processed to my credit card, and I have removed the billing dispute. Just be careful before you order anything online....
After reading Instagram reviews and examining the product online, and reading the company's assurance of a refund if not fully satisfied, I ordered the 2-pack. My hopes were that (1) I could eliminate the neck lanyard I currently use for my phone; and (2) that I could get my husband to keep his phone secure while we are walking around in European cities where "Apple Picking" seems to be a sport.
Sadly, these items are SO heavy and distracting AND the cord is under constant tension so using the Holdmate is totally exhausting.
I reached out about a refund the day after it was received. Customer Service response has been prompt ... HOWEVER, they tell me that in spite of the fact the product was shipped from a California address, I must ship everything back to CHINA. I must pay shipping, fill out customs forms, etc. This is, to me, is a bit of a scam. By the time I spend all day at the post office filling out forms and pay for shipping to CHINA, and then mail a copy of the shipping receipt to the company, I will have more invested in the return than the product is worth. I will definitely NOT be posting a favorable review on Instagram - or any other site - for this product. My bad for not checking to see if I could order it through Amazon, then running like crazy if it wasn't!

TERRIBLE customer service. My parcel was not delivered and over a month on, HoldMate are refusing to provide a refund.

This company simply gets generic products and puts their label on it. They then seem to sell these at a premium price. You can buy the same product for much cheaper. Or buy from a reputable store. The sales like up to 60% Off are exaggerated. I went through every item in their website. I could not find 1 single item at 60% Off.

I really wanted to love this product because the concept is fantastic. Having quick access to your phone without digging through pockets or bags is a great idea, especially for hiking and other outdoor activities.

Unfortunately, after using it on a hike for the first time, I found it more frustrating than helpful. The biggest issue is that the tether is always under tension when extended, which makes it difficult to comfortably use your phone for things like taking photos or checking a map. The constant pull from the retractor means the phone never really stays where you want it. If there were a way to lock the tether at a chosen length, it would be a huge improvement.

I also found that when the phone is retracted, the weight of the phone causes it to bounce around on the tether while walking. Again, some sort of locking mechanism to keep it secured in place when not in use would make a big difference.

In practice, I didn't find it much better than simply keeping my phone in a pouch attached to my backpack. For hiking, where I'm frequently checking maps and taking photos, I probably won't use it again.

That said, I haven't completely given up on it. I may try attaching it to my dry bag while paddleboarding, where I don't need to access my phone as often. It seems like this product may work better for activities where your phone stays mostly stowed and only needs occasional access.

Overall, I love the idea, but the current execution didn't meet my expectations.