Tesmo Kickstand

We all love our Mac laptops but one thing we often hear from users is that the keyboard is too flat to use for long period of time.  This is especially true for the MacBook Pro which has a flatter design compared to the slight taper of the MacBook Air.

People often compensate for this by using an external keyboard, which usually has built in rear supports, or they use a separate stand, designed to put the laptop at an angle.  That also works well until it’s time to leave your desk and must leave those aids behind.

If this sounds like your frustration, we encourage you to check out the Tesmo Kickstand, which just launched on Kickstarter.

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What is the Tesmo Kickstand?

The Tesmo Kickstand is described as the world’s smallest invisible and portable adhesives laptop stand.  It is actually two pieces of a gray Polyurethane material that is treated with a special adhesive backing.  The two pieces attach to the bottom of your laptop and then can be unfolded to raise the rear of the laptop to provide a more comfortable typing position.

The adhesive used on the back of the Tesmo Kickstand allows them to be removed and repositioned but leaves no residue or marks behind.  We applied them to our 2017 Space Gray MacBook Pro and had no issues removing or repositioning them, with no damage to our laptop case.

The Tesmo Kickstand pieces measure just 2.4” long x  1.8” wide and 0.16” thick (6 cm x 4.5 cm x 0.4 cm) and weigh just 0.6oz (17 grams).  Despite is small size and weight, the Tesmo Kickstand is rated to hold 17.6 lbs (8 kg), so it will handle even the largest of laptops.

Tesmo Kickstand – Installation

The Tesmo Kickstand comes packaged in a cardboard envelop with installation instructions printed on the back of the package.

After opening the package and removing the kickstand pieces from the inner cellophane bag, we removed the protective backing from the adhesive and positioned the Tesmo Kickstand on the bottom rear of our MacBook.  Since we don’t like a very steep angle for the keyboard, we aligned them on the inside of, and even with the rear rubber bumpers, integrated into the bottom of the laptop.

To ensure proper application, make sure the end with the stitching is facing the rear of the laptop.  This will ensure that the small slot in the kickstand is pointed towards the front of the laptop.

That’s it, the installation is complete.  There is no need to let the adhesive set and you can use the Tesmo Kickstand immediately.

Because the adhesive easily releases and is reusable, you don’t have to worry about the exact placement.  The Tesmo Kickstand is designed to be removed and re-positioned so you can experiment with different placement to see what suits you best.

Tesmo Kickstand – Test Results

As it turns out, we are probably one of the prime candidates for the Tesmo Kickstand.  When working at our desk, we usually have our MacBook Pro connected to an external monitor and use a first-generation Apple Magic Keyboard, which by design, has a nature downward slope from rear to front.  When we travel, or work away from our desk, it’s not practical to take the external keyboard so we default to the internal keyboard and its flat profile.  Whether real or not, we tend to make more typing errors when working on the laptop keyboard and we have always attributed it to the fact that the keyboard is flat.  With the Tesmo Kickstand installed we were able to set the laptop at a comfortable angle and our mobile experience was much more like what we are used to at the desk. Admittedly, the angle of the MacBook Pro with the Tesmo Kickstand is greater than what we are used to with the Apple Magic Keyboard, but we did not find the greater angle an issue and actually enjoyed the typing experience so much that we continued to use the laptop keyboard even after returning to our desk.

We had no issue with the kickstand pieces closing or collapsing while they were engaged and the laptop felt just as sturdy as before we started using the Tesmo Kickstand.

Because of the small size and light weight, we had no issue when back at our desk.  While the rear edge of the MacBook Pro is raised ever so slightly with the Tesmo Kickstand installed, it really made no difference to us.

We also liked that, unlike third-party stands, transporting the laptop with the kickstand installed was also no different.  Whether using the laptop pocket in our Baibu backpack (read our review here), or our HOMIEE Laptop Sleeve (read our review here), the addition of the Tesmo Kickstand did not interfere.

Although we were happy with our original placement of the Tesmo Kickstand, we did move them around just to try out the realignment process and can confirm that it works as advertised.

In addition to using it for a laptop, the Tesmo Kickstand makes a great addition to your iPhone or iPad, allowing it to be supported upright without the use of a bulky case.

The Bottom Line

The Tesmo Kickstand is one of those products that once you’ve tried it, you wonder how you got along without it.  Its small size and light weight make is easy to attach to your laptop without adding bulk.  The special adhesive allows you to remove and reposition it while leaving no sticky residue or marks behind.

The Tesmo Kickstand is currently being promoted on Kickstarter, and while only active for a couple of days, has hundreds of backers and is more than half-way to its funding goal.  There are two offers available.  One pair of Tesmo Kickstands (suitable for one laptop), is just $15.00 and two pair is available for $25.00.  Delivery is projected for November 2019.

You can find out more about the Tesmo Kickstand and become a backer on their Kickstarter page, here. There is a limited number of Kickstarter pledges available so if you are interested, we suggest you get in on this early.

We would like to thank the folks at Tesmo for providing the Tesmo Kickstand for our testing and review.

Do you prefer to use your laptop flat or with a stand?  Why not join the conversation and leave a comment below?

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