Electronic Device - Anti-Drop Safety Tether

[petekadish]

Since my sweetie is my full-time navigator (along with my GPS device), I often will give her the assignment to also be my on-board photographer when we are riding. In addition to either our video camera or still cameras, she will also sometimes have to look-up information on my GPS or cell phone while we are riding. This involves her handling some rather expensive devices which I would be pretty upset if she happened to accidentally drop one of them. Now, my cameras have wrist straps on them, so they are pretty safe. But, neither my Garmin GPS or my Motorola Droid have wrist straps. Has anyone here figured-out a way to attach some sort of simple, safety tether to a small portable, electronic device? I wouldn't be surprised if someone actually manufacturers them. I'm thinking of something similar to one of these:

 

http://www.kabletek-flexweave.com/flexweave.htm

 

I'm just not sure how I would attach something like this to a cell phone, GPS or an iPod.

 

Any suggestions? I'm sure this isn't an original idea.

 

Thanks guys!

 

Be Safe!

Pete.

[Eddie Fulmer]

Look here. Some of the guys I work with use these to secure their tools while climbing.

 

http://www.cetaceacorp.com/tool-tethers-c96.html

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Has anyone here figured-out a way to attach some sort of simple, safety tether to a small portable, electronic device? I wouldn't be surprised if someone actually manufacturers them. I'm thinking of something similar to one of these:

 

 

Be Safe!

Pete.

 

I use the typical neck-strap tethers that you see for ID badges and small cameras. They have a small clip which can be attached to the device's wrist strap or case loop, and they normally have a small plastic buckle which lets you detach the device easily if needed.

 

Do a search for 'neck lanyard' and you will get a lot of results. Or any camera store will have them. Don't use those steel antitheft cables for ANYTHING involving personal electronics on a moving motorcycle. The chance of it getting hung up on something or someone and causing a problem are too great, and if push comes to shove it will simply break the attachment point of the device right off..or worse, take a wrist or finger with it.

 

I use these on my cameras when I'm taking pictures and video while riding. Sometimes the little strap gets in the way, but you learn to divert that with your fingers to keep it out of the way of your lens...at least in theory.

 

Several of my videos use these lanyards attached to my camera. If I need to quickly grab the bars, I can simply let go of the camera, and it will fall harmlessly against my belly...of course that video is MOSTLY edited out.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qV1FbzBh51g]YouTube- Riding.[/ame]

 

 

At around 2:30 on this vid you can see my lanyard flopping in the wind:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG95fo0KqS8&feature=channel]YouTube- palodurorun[/ame]

Edited June 29, 2010 by tx2sturgis

[petekadish]

Okay, I like both of those last two ideas. Thank you!

 

Okay, now for part two of this quest for a solution ...

 

What about an idea for some way to secure a tether to a device which has no anchoring point? For example - most cameras have little places on them on which to connect a wrist strap or a lanyard. However, neither my GPS or my cell phone have such a connecting point.

 

Again, I'm sure that there is some sort of connecting anchor which can be attached to a small electronic device or a tool. There just has to be a number of activities which require people to secure their stuff from fumbling fingers. I'm reminded about that astronaut who let some of his tools float away on a repair mission some time ago.

 

Thanks again.

Pete.

[Bubber]

Use double faced tape and attach a peice of plastic in the shape of a T, with a hole in the verticle part of the T.

Didn't know how to describe it any better sorry.:ignore:

Steve

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Most popular devices on the market have some kind of case available. If not, consider a stick-on anchor, like the little plastic hooks with a stick-on pad, like they sell at Walmart in the fastener/picture hanger aisle...as bubber suggested, or possibly a tough zip-lock style baggie?

 

And, camping and outdoor/sports stores such as Cabellas and Academy sell universal waterproof hardcases for cameras, gps units, and phones. They usually have some anchor points for a tether, although most are designed to simply protect the unit if dropped in the water or mud, but dont allow much functionality while in the case. There are some that do however.

 

And maybe some zipties fastened around a square device might allow you to clip a lanyard to it....failing all that..when you lose or drop something, make sure the replacement has a loop of some kind built-in!

 

[BoomerCPO]

I can lease ya a few pygmies to hang onto all of dat stuff.....

Boomer....who sez ya can never have too many hands when it comes to all dat lectronic gizmo stuff.....

[Flyinfool]

Use one of these as an anchor point for your neck strap

http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00cejQMvtnEGgA/Cable-Tie-Mount.jpg

 

They are available at most hardware stores in the electrical department as an anchor for cables.

[petekadish]

Good job! That's probably what will do the trick. I'll check in to those.

 

Be Safe!

Pete.

[Lone Eagle]

Pete, you going to check into the pygmies or that last idea - :rotf::rotf:Just having a little fun, bud.

[petekadish]

Actually, I was hoping for something a little smaller, and that I wouldn't have to worry about feeding. Simplicity is the operative word here.