So what are you wearing? I mean what your iphone is wearing.

September 10, 2008 12:24 AM

iPhone case recommendations

Got the iphone 3G. Keeping it in the box until I get a case. My needs are specific. I am rough on my equipment due to a combination of clumsiness and gosh golly, errr...usability testing prowess. Also, my children lurv the iphone and man handle at every opportunity. Ideally, I would have like something like my former sleek aluminum palm case but that looks like a no go so here is what I would like:

1) protects from impact and impact to screen area a plus;
2) ports are available;
3) no diminishment of functionality due to the protection;
4) dust and schmutz not getting in between the protection and the phone causing scratches and build up;
5) as sleek as possible so no belt clip or clip button hanging out

I read the previous link but figure people may have new input and if you want to recommend particular solutions or cases that would be fine.

posted by jadepearl to Shopping (22 answers total)

I use silicone sleeves. They fit tightly around the phone, leave the ports open, and protect the fragile buttons. There are a number of vendors. I like the Incase sleeves, myself.

Some have a plastic sheet that goes over the screen, but that's to protect from scratches more than impacts. You'll need a hard case for something like that.

The silicone fits tightly around the phone, so there is a little bulk but not much more than you'd expect, and this also helps keep out dust. The sleeve is also slightly "sticky" so it is difficult to knock and slide the phone off a tabletop.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:45 AM on September 10, 2008

I have a rubbery black and red Belkin sleeve. It looks good, but it's far from perfect. It doesn't fit quite tightly enough and sometimes slides off if I try and stuff the phone into an over-tight pocket. There has also been slight splitting of the rubber around the headphone jack where it keeps sliding about and stretching. It also mysteriously collects dust behind the cover. It has however kept the phone in absolutely mint condition. It also comes with a sheet of screen protector plastic to stick on, which I have not bothered to use.
posted by roofus at 2:33 AM on September 10, 2008

Ive got one of these! Its twelve shades of awesome. I got the red and black one so I could pretend I borrowed it off Darth Maul. The dealmaker was that it comes with a dock insert so I never have to take it out of its case to dock it.
posted by gergtreble at 2:40 AM on September 10, 2008 [1 favorite]

This looks really promising but I don't have any personal experience. The thing survives a freakin BlendTec blending!
posted by genial at 5:04 AM on September 10, 2008

Correct link for 3G version
posted by genial at 5:08 AM on September 10, 2008

I have an InCase Protective Cover, and it's been great. I love how easy it is to grip - I am an enormous klutz who drops things all the time, but since I switched to this case (from the Gear 4 Icebox Pro), I've hardly dropped it at all, and when I have dropped it, it's had no damage or scratches. It also doesn't add much in the way of bulk.

The only problem I've had with it is that it doesn't come with a screen protector. I use the Power Support Anti-Glare film, which is great for stopping smudges, but I imagine it wouldn't do much of anything to protect against impact.
posted by spockette at 5:46 AM on September 10, 2008

I ended up with the Speck PixelSkin, and am very happy with it. It's grippy, so I don't fell like it'll slip form the hand. All the ports and buttons are accessible. It seems like it absorbs shock better than a hard case. I like it.
posted by ewagoner at 6:47 AM on September 10, 2008

I have that same InCase cover and think it's great. So, just seconding that recommendation.
posted by mjones at 6:48 AM on September 10, 2008

3) no diminishment of functionality due to the protection;

Well, from what I understand, temperature is a factor in the degradation of lithium batteries. Using an iPhone / iPod Touch with a case (or that Clear Armor) on will reduce heat dissipation, theoretically shortening the long-term life of the battery. Apple even mentions removing any case when charging:

Charging your iPhone while in certain carrying cases may generate excess heat, which can affect battery capacity. If you notice that your iPhone gets hot when you charge it, take it out of its case first.

Elsewhere I've read that near-freezing temperatures will reduce power output, but doesn't cause permanent damage, unlike high temps.

I've got a Touch and decided to forego any case that remains on when using the device. I want some protection from scratches in my coat pocket so I've ordered a foofpod. (Supposedly machine-washable, too.)

Then again, I don't have kids.
posted by D.C. at 6:49 AM on September 10, 2008

Echoing gregtreble, I have a Switcheasy Colors case and it's all sorts of rad. Comes with two screen protectors, and the case fits perfectly without adding any bulk.
posted by DrDreidel at 7:11 AM on September 10, 2008

I've got the same CapsuleRebel as gergtreble, and I love it. It's a hard shell, but all controls are still either accessible (mute) or usable (volume, on/off). It comes with a stick-on screen protector to prevent scratches. So far I haven't had any problems with dirt getting in between it and the iPhone, or with overheating during charging. This is the review that made me decide to buy it.

I had one of the rubbery covers for my iPod and it did a great job of protecting it, but didn't want the same for my iPhone. One of the things I love about the iPhone is it's sleekness compared to other phones, and a rubbery cover kinda spoils that a bit.
posted by harriet vane at 7:18 AM on September 10, 2008

I bought a red and black Belkin case too (hi roofus!). it's light, it's bouncy - I accidentally dropped my iPhone on the ground and it bounced and kept on ...ticking - but I wonder just how long my Belkin case will last.

After a couple of weeks of use, the casing is becoming a little loose at its thinnest/weakest point, right between the Home button and the wire connection area. Also, there's static - some songs have skipped and there's a bit of lag in displaying some applications when my iPhone wears its little suit. I don't know if it's case related, but it's a little annoying.

D.C. that's good advice about overheating - I will remove the casing when charging my iPhone.

Despite the cool colours of the case, I still prefer my iPhone in its natural state - no matter how light or cool it is, a case just adds extra girth and weight.
posted by seawallrunner at 7:28 AM on September 10, 2008

I've got an Incase cover, which is ok. The main problem with it, IMO, is that the silicone loses its shape pretty quickly, especially if you get in the habit of taking it out of the case regularly. I also wish it were a smidge thinner.

If there's a case that solves those problems, but is still silicone, I'd be all over it.
posted by mkultra at 7:46 AM on September 10, 2008

I strongly advise against the InCase cover. jadepearl specifically said "dust and schmutz not getting in between the protection and the phone causing scratches and build up", but that's exactly what happens with the InCase. In fact, most of the scratches in my iPhone case are from the two weeks I had that case on the phone and a bunch of dust grinded into the sides of the phone.

Honestly, the iPhone is very sturdy. I've been carrying mine casually with no case for most of a year and the screen is absolutely fine. The aluminum in the back is a bit scratched up, but the damage is cosmetic. The only reason I wish I had a case still is for grip; with sweaty hands the iPhone is quite slippery.
posted by Nelson at 8:08 AM on September 10, 2008

Offtopic: screen protectors are kind of stupid for the iPhone, as the screen is glass and unless you walk around with sand in your pockets, you're going to be hard pressed to scratch the screen. (That said, one advantage to some nicer protectors is that they give the screen a matte finish, and stop finger prints from smudging the screen.)
posted by chunking express at 8:17 AM on September 10, 2008

Also, my super-anal about reading reviews coworker picked the InCase cover linked above.
posted by chunking express at 8:20 AM on September 10, 2008

The best case I've used is the Griffin Elan hard-shell case. It's form fitting, looks professional, feels great (leather), and protects against drops quite well.

It also doesn't impede access to the screen, which was an annoying problem with the other cases I tried.
posted by -1 at 8:42 AM on September 10, 2008

Best case by far (and I have tried many of them) is the Contour Design HardSkin Case. Nice, solid construction, great feel, no bulk. This, combined with the PowerSupport Anti-Glare screen films makes a perfect protection combo.
posted by karizma at 9:41 AM on September 10, 2008

I can't make a specific rec, but "My Gear Store" has just about any flavor of iPhone case you could ever want. Mix 'n match.
posted by Spyder's Game at 11:05 AM on September 10, 2008

I bought a skin from bestskinsever.com for my iPhone and I am really, really happy with it. It protects the phone from scratches and what have you, and it dosen't even look like there's anything there doing the job. It was really easy to apply as well.
posted by Effigy2000 at 3:45 PM on September 10, 2008

Response by poster: Thanks everyone! I really appreciate your experiences and already you have convinced that the Belkin has issues. You have introduced me to multiple options that I was not even aware of...
posted by jadepearl at 5:59 PM on September 10, 2008

Hey if anyone's still reading this -- I have a 1G and i've gone naked for the last year, but a few clumsy moments in the past weeks have dinged one fender out of alignment, so I'm beginning to think I should suit up. Can anyone recommend a case with the following properties:

1. bareback enough to allow for heat dissipation
2. allows the cradle to be used
3. still able to slide into jeans pocket (as opposed to silicone, which I imagine has to be walked in there)

I'm almost imagining just bumpers on the corners or something. Thoughts?
posted by condour75 at 7:48 AM on September 20, 2008