See my iPhone on the wall above my monitor in the image above? Is it stuck there with magnets? Nope. Velcro? Nope. Tape? Nope. Magic? Kinda. It’s the GOATcase Anti-Gravity iPhone 7 Plus case. Let’s find out more.
What is it?
GOATcase is a weird name for an iPhone case. It actually stands for Greatest Of All Time case. It’s a case with grippy nano-suction material on the back that has been designed to stick to smooth surfaces like glass, finished wood, smooth metal, plastic, ceramic tile, and more.
Design and features
The case is made of flexible black plastic with a rigid back panel that has the GOATcase brand printed on it.
The back of the GOATcase has cutouts for the Apple logo and camera and a thin film over the nano-suction surface.
My iPhone 7 Plus was easily inserted into the case which provides a slightly raised edge around the display to protect it when the phone is positioned face down.
Don’t pay any attention to the glass screen protector that’s on my iPhone 7 Plus. It’s a glass protector from ZAGG that was installed at the Verizon store when I bought the phone a few weeks ago. Yes, the protector is insanely thick and looks hideous because it doesn’t stick around the edges. I just haven’t replaced it yet.
The GOATcase has a cutout for the mute button on the left side of the case. The sides of the case cover the volume buttons and while there are etched representations of the buttons, they are flat and not as easy to press/activate as cases with raised buttons.
On the bottom edge of the case are cutouts over the speakers and lightning connector.
On the opposite side is a flat area over the power switch. Again, this type of button design isn’t nearly as nice as cases with molded/raised buttons.
The back of the case has a circular cutout for the Apple logo to show through and a cutout for the camera.
The left and right sides of the case are knurled to add a nice grip which I like.
To use the anti-gravity features of the GOATcase, you have to peel the film off the back surface of the case.
Once the film is removed, it reveals the tacky feeling nano-suction surface.
You can then stick the case with your phone on most flat smooth surfaces and it will stick there. So I tried it on the painted wall above my desk, which worked fine, but I was a little worried to remove it because it really sticks securely when the nano-suction surface is clean.
It also worked well on smooth finished wood…
As well as a painted steel door.
And a mirror which seemed to work the best.
I also tried the case on a stained wooden door, but it did not stick there very long before falling off.
I tested the GOATcase on various surfaces and in between each test, I’d stick the phone in my pocket.
After only an hour or so, this is what the back of the case looked like. Click the image for a larger view. As you can see, the nano-suction surface is a magnet for lint, cat hair and other fuss. This causes the stickiness of the case to become compromised quickly.
You can clean the surface by just running it under some water.
Final thoughts
Does the GOATcase have anti-gravity properties? Yes, as long as the nano-suction material on the back of the is clean and you’re sticking it on very smooth surfaces like glass and finished wood, it works really well. But once it gets dirty, the suction is not as reliable or safe. Cleaning off the lint and other dirt from the back of the case does restore the stickiness, but that action will become a chore very quickly.
The GOATcase is a good idea in concept, but I don’t think it’s that useful as an everyday case.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Goatcase. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.
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You can purchase a big sheet of microsuction tape on Amazon – about $20
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ITX9OU2
Comes in black and white and 2 different thicknesses. It might make more sense to stick the micro suction tape on the wall where you want to hang your iPhone. Keeps the tape out of your pocket.
Another really useful purpose for this stuff is for your iPhone dock. Since the Lightning connector holds onto the iPhone strongly it usually takes two hands to remove an iPhone from it’s dock. Put some of this stuff on the bottom of the dock and it will hold onto your desk strongly enough to let you use one hand.
Alan, those are EXCELLENT ideas/tips! Thanks!
I have a lint roller that behaves in an identical manor to this so called, “Nano-suction,” to clean it just run it under cool water it cleans right up, I spin a few times to throw the drops of water that remain they even provide a little piece of clear plastic to place on the roller when you are through to protect it. Trust me, that is the EXACT same thing that has been around for eons (not literally). Tacky to the touch just like the author describes and this sticks to any flat surface as well. Somebody is selling Wolf tickets here..
I bought the case and it never has stuck to anything for more than 1 Minute it continuously drops off, I hate it.