It was just a matter of time before Garmin jumped into the forward-positioned Edge computer mount business with the recent release of its aptly named Out-front. It's impressively engineered but perhaps overly so and unfortunately, it doesn't offer the price advantage we expected, either.
As with other mounts of this type, the Garmin Out-front places newer Garmin Edge computer displays out in front of the bar where the screen can be readily viewed at a glance. The single offset arm also keeps the LCD centered (albeit only on stems with up to 40mm-wide clamps), and the drooped design positions the screen roughly in-line with the stem, much like the aluminum K-Edge.
Just as you'd expect, the computer interfaces with the mount perfectly, offering the same silky-smooth fit and rotation as on Garmin's standard O-ring mount.
Unlike its competitors, the Out-front is comprised of multiple molded plastic pieces, including a rubber-lined and hinged handlebar clamp plus a quarter-turn interface that can be rotated 90 degrees to work with Garmin's more versatile Forerunner 910XT and 310XT units. However, the hinge is largely unnecessary – other mounts simply flex open to clear the handlebar – its narrow profile makes it harder to get the mount clamped square on the bar, and the slim arm is a tad flexy.
Overall it's a nice piece of kit although we can't help but feel that it's a bit more complex than it needs to be. That complexity helps explain the $39.99 asking price (injection molds are expensive) but other companies have managed to offer similar features for less money.