iPad Accessory Review: Skadoosh Stand for Apple iPad

We’ve reviewed numerous iPad stands here on Gear Diary, but of all the stands I have personally had the chance to review, the oddly named Skadoosh Stand for iPad just might be the most substantial and flexible of them all. The Skadoosh has a unique design that is rather unique and, as a result — well lets put it this way — this is the first time I’m traveling since I got my iPad, where I had no second-guessing about iPad stand I wanted to bring along. To start with the conclusion, I like this stand so much, and am so taken with the thought and design that went into it, that I am going to proceed with this review in a slightly different manner than usual.

Jadu-Industries, the company behind the stand, does such a good job of describing the stand and its features on their Web site that I’ll quote their text and then add my “color commentary” to it.

So here is a look at the Skadoosh.

Lots of Angles and Perfect for Typing

The Skadoosh Stand for the iPad has an innovative design that combines adjustability, portability, stability and good looks. A hinged arm flips out for stability and folds neatly under the base for compact travel. A simple push-button lock holds your iPad at just about any angle. So what we’re trying to say is…the Skadoosh Stand is the perfect accessory to stand your iPad.

Okay, so this doesn’t really make the Skadoosh seem all that unique, but it does point to two of the key features this little wonder has to offer: the fact that the angle at which the iPad is held is locked into place by a simple but substantial push-button AND the hinged arm that, despite its small size, makes this one of the most stable stands imaginable.

Firm, but Gentle, Grip

The plastic rocker in the Skadoosh cleverly maintains two things at once: minimal contact with the iPad surface and a firm hand. Two rubber inserts grip the front bezel while the back of your iPad gently rests on two rubber o-rings. It’s gentle but stable with your iPad, whether it’s in a case or bare, in portrait or landscape mode. In other words, however you want to stand your pad, the Skadoosh will rise to the occasion.

One of the concerns I have had with some of the stands I have tried along the way is it is too easy for the iPad and the stand to come into contact in a manner that might scratch the iPad’s polished metal finish or damage the screen if bumped hard enough to force iPad and case into one another. There is no such concern with the Skadoosh thanks to two design choices that were made along the way.

First, while other cases come into contact with the iPad along the entirety of one of the sides or the other, the Skadoosh doesn’t actually touch the iPad in more than a few small, strategically placed places.

Second, at those points where the two DO come into contact there is a substantial use of rubber so that there is no chance there will be metal on metal. Honestly, while using the Skadoosh or, more importantly putting the iPad into it or removing it, I don’t worry about the iPad at all. With EVERY other stand I have tried I do.

In addition, a small cutout in the center of the rubber toward the front leaves the Home button accessible if you are using the iPad in portrait.

It is just the right size for you to easily access the all-important button.

Thanks to the hinged arm at the bottom the small stand it is still totally stable when used in this way despite the potential for the unit to be top-heavy.

Lots of Angles and Perfect for Typing

What’s your favorite angle? 45 degrees? 70? Whatever keeps the glare off the screen? Well, adjusting the Skadoosh to your desired angle couldn’t be easier. Hold down the button, tilt your iPad where you want it, and let go. The released button locks it in place. With the Skadoosh you can use the touch screen abilities of the iPad with peace of mind: that thing isn’t going anywhere. The low pivot point of the rocker let’s you lay your iPad back and type that email with the ease and comfort of using a desktop keyboard.

Many stands offer one or two different viewing/use angles or, if you are really lucky, three positions. The Skadoosh offers ten different angles from which to choose. That means you can always find the right angle for whatever activity you are doing. Better still, the stand securely locks into place at whatever angle you choose.

Once set the angle isn’t changing until you consciously push the release button in and move the angle yourself. In other words, with the push of a button you can choose one angle for viewing a movie and then an entirely different one for typing.

This is a serious stand for people who make serious, and varied, use of their iPad.

Super Duper Portable

Weighing in at just over half a pound, the Skadoosh won’t weigh you down. Simply fold it up, slip it into the included carrying pouch, and the Skadoosh Stand is as portable as the iPad itself. Just imagine all the magical places you could take it…

I wouldn’t call the Skadoosh tiny, but it is compact and relatively light… especially for a stand that is as substantial as the Skadoosh. Thanks to its small size it is perfect for traveling. The company recognized this and threw in a carrying bag for the stand. No, the bag isn’t anything to get the least bit excited about, but it does a decent job of letting you take the Skadoosh with you and is large enough to let you throw a few additional items in as well. (In my case I put in a few pair of headphones and a headphone splitter so Elana and I could watch the same movie.) There is no question that the Skadoosh will have a place in my gear bag going forward.

When it comes to iPad accessories, small touches make a big difference. In the case of the Skadoosh there are two small touches that significantly increase the usefulness of the stand: you can use it when the iPad is in a case, and you can sync and charge your iPad without cables flopping around thanks to channels specifically cut into the base of the stand for this purpose.

Bare iPad or in a Case… It’ll Work

Here’s another sweet feature: the Skadoosh can hold your iPad in certain cases, most notably the Apple case. There is an adjustable crossbar attached to the rocker to provide a custom fit for your iPad or iPad/case combo. The crossbar doubles as an extra support arm with two small rubber rings to minimize and cushion the contact with your iPad. The Skadoosh can handle cases that add up to 3mm (1/8 inch) to the thickness of the iPad along the edges where it sits in the rocker.

A huge frustration with stand-alone iPad stands is that they tend to let you use your iPad with a case or without a case but not both. For me this “either or” dichotomy can be a bit of a pain since I tend to use my iPad in both ways at different times. With the Skadoosh you don’t need to make a choice since the channel that accepts the iPad is large enough to accommodate both while still holding the iPad securely thanks to a support bar in the back that can be adjusted with a screwdriver. (Not included) Of course the Skadoosh won’t work with all cases but the company is kind enough to include a list of cases that are known to be compatible and those known to be incompatible right on the site.

Keep it Plugged in

And one final feature that puts the Skadoosh Stand head and shoulders above the rest: there’s a slot in the rocker and the base of the stand. Why? It’s the perfect size for the Apple connector! Clearly, someone was using their head. Your iPad stays plugged in while it sits happily in the Skadoosh. Imagine your iPad is enjoying a refreshing beverage while reclining in an easy-chair. Nice.

If you aren’t looking for the two channels that provide cable management you won’t really notice them. After all, the industrial design of the Skadoosh is such that there are a lot of different angles and sharp-ish edges on the stand. As such, the cable channels look like they are just part of the construction design. They are but they are so perfectly placed that they guide the sync/charge cable through the stand and out the back… totally out of the way.

So the bottom line is this. When the review sample came I took one look at the Skadoosh and thought to myself “WHAT is this thing???” Then I started using it and was impressed. Then I realized that the hinged piece at the bottom flips out for stability and I was even more impressed. (Yeah, I know… I know… it would help to read the User Manual BEFORE I use something instead of AFTER when writing the review but… what’s the fun in that?!?!?!) Then I actually USED the Skadoosh for the last few weeks and I am, to be totally honest, completely blown away by this thing.

I should not be surprise that the stand is so good though. After all, the process of designing the Skadoosh took place in its own time frame and in its own, unique manner. Here’s the story behind it…

The design team behind it only began work on the stand after they had personally been using iPads for an extended period of time. Then they sat down and said, “Okay, all bets are off. We don’t care what other stands for the iPad, or any other device for that matter, look like. Let’s not start from old design ideas but rather LIST the things we need in a stand and move from there.”

Then they made their list. They wanted

a. A stand that could be used with the iPad in landscape or portrait.
b. A stand that had a wide range of angles at which the iPad could be held
c. A stand that held the iPad securely and was, itself secure when sitting on a table
d. A stand that could accept an iPad with or without a case
e. A stand that guided the sync/charge cable out of the way.
f. A stand that was as respectful of the iPad as it was useful
g. A stand that was small and compact enough to take with you without compromising on durability
h. A stand that would look as good as the iPad it was designed to hold and, in the process, serve as a conversation starter.

The list completed they then went through an assortment of designs until finally the Skadoosh was born.

Okay, none of that is true. I actually have no idea if this was the process the team went through… I don’t even know if it was designed by a team at all… but I do know this…

The Skadoosh does all of the things listed above and more. It looks cool, is amazingly functional, offers an amazing range of flexibility and is made in the good ol’ USA.

And I know this too… after using the review unit for an extended period of time it is my absolute favorite iPad stand.

Have someone who just got, or is getting, an iPad and you want a great gift for them? Get them one of these. They will look at you oddly for the first minute after they first see it… and then, once they use ot for the first time, thank you profusely and wonder why they ever doubted your choice in iPad accessories in the first place. The Skadoosh isn’t cheap but it is awesome.

The Skadoosh is available directly from Jadu-Industries in silver and black.

MSRP: $69.99

What I Like: Cool design; amazing flexibility of use; stable; compact and light; protects the iPad it is holding from scratches; channels guide the cable out of the way

What Needs Improvement: You need a screwdriver to change whether the Skadoosh is being used with a naked or an encased iPad and none is included; a bit pricey