Go-to gear discussion: Phone cases

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GTG Phone case-1

We have talked about wallets, pens and bags. These are what I would consider everyday carry items, so let’s continue with another everyday carry item – your phone and what you use to protect it. For me, I have two carry modes, everyday and heavy travel. For my everyday mode, I am using a tech21 Impact Band. I have gone through many types of cases for my iPhone 5, some great and some not so great. I found the tech21 Impact Band after doing some research on Apple-approved phone cases. The Impact Band is a minimalistic solution for my iPhone, but is does add some nice grip and a splash of color. From a styling standpoint, the Impact Band is not my favorite (still got to go with the Just Mobile AluFrame as my fave), but from a performance and practicality standpoint, it is. For traveling, especially in wet situations, I like my Incipio Atlas waterproof case. First off let me say, I have not tried any waterproof or high-protection case that is perfect. The two issues I seem to run into mostly are sound quality and size. While the Atlas has a sound quality issue, the size and glass screen made this my go-to case. To get around the sound quality, I either use a Bluetooth headset or just plug in some headphones. With a tempered glass screen, it provides the best quality picture without the worry of plastic screens yellowing or cracking. You can find out more about the tech21 Impact Band and the Incipio Atlas by clicking on the links. So, what’s your go-to phone case?

8 thoughts on “Go-to gear discussion: Phone cases”




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  2. My favorite phone case is no case 🙂 I find that a case just gets in the way. I used to be all psycho about keeping my phones in pristine condition. Now I just shove them in my pocket and they don’t seem to be any worse for the wear.

  3. I gotta go with Julie – no case.

    Apple, for example, makes huge hay about their engineering and design, then most of their users turn those “sleek and beautiful” devices into bulky rubbery pocket grabbers.

    Granted, there are a few situations like camping or space travel where a specialized case is warranted, but for the average user, a case just means that they will have a fairly pristine
    device when it goes to the recycle center in a couple of years.

    Just enjoy your devices for what they are, disposable consumer goods, not works of art.

  4. I currently have a Seidio case on my S4 and Nexus 7. Both fit great and feel very solid. I bought a lesser case for my son’s Nexus 7 and wish I’d have spent the extra on the Seidio.

  5. Patrick LaFollette

    I use the Switcheasy Numbers. Mine’s black and I don’t use the screen protector. It’s just enough case to protect against normal bumps but it doesn’t add enough bulk to the phone to bug me. It’s also made of a material that is both grippy but not grippy on your pocket or lint. I know some people don’t like protective flaps but I like the flaps for the Lightning and 3.5mm ports. Highly recommend.

    http://www.switcheasy.com/product/NUMBERS-for-iPhone-5-and-5S

  6. I was all about not using a case when I had my iPhone 4. That thing was built like a tank. However, now that I have a Note 3, I’ve found that the faux-metal silver band is fragile, so I’m back to using a case.

  7. I’ve been no-case since getting my iPhone 5s last year. Except for times when I’m testing a new case for review (which is often!) I don’t use a case now. I did, however, buy a Tech21 Impact band personally, for travel and “slip protection” of my iPhone on the car seat.

  8. @Smythe Richbourg the Tech21 cases are our go to cases when we buy a new phone. I will often find a different case but my other half sitcks with the Tech21s. My last case for my iPhone 5 was a Dog&Bone BackBone case that I reviewed.

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