Offroam Phone Mount For 5th Gen 4Runner

Phone mounts with suction cups suck, and mounts with magnets aren’t that much better. The biggest complaint that I have about the former is that they leave rings all over your windshield, especially on hot days. Not only that, but they obstruct your view with large plastic arms that extend out toward you for “easier phone access”.

With magnets, the mounts are much sleeker but usually require you to permanently affix a metal plate on the back of your phone. I don’t know about you, but I’m reluctant to stick metal plates and magnets directly against my phone’s battery. That holds especially true with modern phones that utilize wireless charging.

So, what’s left? Phone mounts that clip onto your vents? That seems to be the only option left for me, but Offroam makes a product superior to the plastic ones that you’ll find online. Finally, we have the Offroam universal phone mount compatible with 2020+ 5th Gen 4Runners.

Offroam Build Quality

The Offroam phone mount has absolutely stellar build quality. Coming from numerous phone mounts that are entirely made of plastic, the all-metal construction of the Offroam is a welcome change. The spring hinge that secures your phone in place slides smoothly and adds to the mount’s overall solid feel.

On the inside of the mount’s clamps, there’s a 3M elastomer rubber backing that prevents your phone from sliding out. The material is supposedly thermally stable, meaning that extreme cold and heat shouldn’t affect its ability to securely hold your device.

I never thought that I needed a phone mount to be made of metal, or that it even mattered. However, now I know what I’ve been missing and can’t go back to those cheap plastic phone mounts. Offroam mounts are made of marine-grade aluminum and stainless steel. They’ll likely last just as long as your 4Runner, and will definitely outlive your current phone.

There’s a red rubber liner on the inside of the attachment points that helps make sure the mount doesn’t move and protects your head unit from damage. It does not block airflow from your vents, unlike other magnetic mounts that position your phone directly in front of them.

The mount can hold any phone with a total width (including your case) between 2.4-3.82″ and a thickness of up to 0.67″. These dimensions are inclusive of the most recent iPhone 14 Pro Max and Samsung S22 Ultra, which are arguably some of the largest phones currently on the market.

What’s In The Box (2010-2023 4Runner)

• 1x Offroam vehicle-specific mounting base with 20mm ball with included installation tool
• 1x Offroam double socket arm
• 1x Offroam phone holder with 20mm ball

Magnetic Phone Mount (Optional)

If you want to feel extra fancy, Offroam has even partnered with Peak Design to offer a wireless charging mounting solution.

I still have my reservations about magnets on the back of phones. However, if that doesn’t bother you, the option looks pretty slick. The Offroam Magnetic mount does require the use of a Peak Design phone case. Alternatively, the magnetic mount is also MagSafe compatible, which is found in the iPhone 12 and up.

Why This Matters For 2020+ 4Runners

If you’ve seen Offroam’s previous phone mount for 2010-2019 4Runners, you’ll notice that they mount using the head unit’s CD slot. For the 2020+ model years, Toyota updated the head unit and removed the CD player in 4Runners, making that mount incompatible.

That was a huge bummer when I first came across Offroam, as I have a 2021 4Runner. However, the wait is over, and now there’s a mount that is universally compatible with all 5th gen 4Runners, 2020+ models included. The new phone mount attaches to the top of the head unit’s vents, rather than the CD player slot.

Installation

The universal phone mount requires no drilling into the head unit for installation. In fact, all that’s required is a small Allen key, which is included in the box. Installation should take no more than a minute.

Step 1. Detach The Double Socket Arm From The Clamp

Turn the double socket arm’s knob counter-clockwise to detach it from the mounting clamp.

Step 2. Position Offroam Clamp

Offroam suggests positioning the clamp as close to the outer edge of the vent as possible, just before it curves upward. This is where the plastic is most rigid, thus making for a more secure mount.

Step 3. Tighten Clamp

Tighten the single mounting screw inside the ball mount with the included Allen key.

Step 4. Reattach The Double Socket Arm

Position the double socket arm to where you want your phone to sit. Then, turn the knob clockwise to secure its position.

Final Thoughts

Apart from the awesome build quality, what I like about the Offroam universal phone mount is its one-handed operation. My previous mount required me to hold the mount with one hand while I inserted my phone into the sprung hinges.

I think the differentiator here is that Offroam figured out just the right amount of tension in their clamp that securely holds your phone while not being overly tight. It’s akin to laptops where you can open the screen without having to hold the laptop chassis down.

Offroam also makes vehicle-specific phone mounts for tons of rigs outside of the 4Runner. So, if you’ve got more than one vehicle, definitely take a look at what they’re currently offering.

After using the Offroam phone mount, I think it places my phone at the perfect distance to easily reach it from my normal driving position. It almost accomplishes this without having a huge extension arm that comes from my windshield. Overall, it’s an excellent, high-quality phone mount that should be sturdy enough to handle your trail runs.