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TWO2SEVEN

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jun 27, 2010
3,531
741
Plano, TX
Has anyone had any experience with the iCarbons back skins?

I see the new iPad products are just now shipping today. Has anyone used them in the past?

Looking for opinions on application, durability, and removal.

Thanks!
 

gdeputy

macrumors 6502a
Jul 23, 2008
838
84
New York
Wondering the same thing, about to order either a iCarbons or just go with Ghost Armor like I did with the iPad 2.
 

donnaw

macrumors 65816
Apr 19, 2011
1,134
6
Austin TX
I have the dark wood version on my ipad2. It fits very nicely and was pretty easy to put on. If you get one use a hair dryer on the low setting to mold the corners. The heat softens then so you can get them to fit without any wrinkles.

I like my skin. Oh, and it wore very well all year. Looks just like new and I've had it on for right at a year.
 

ejisfun

macrumors regular
Jan 7, 2011
173
4
Just put some black carbon fiber on my new iPad. Everything seems to be just fine, I like it just as much as I like the carbon on my iPhone :)
 

dajazz

macrumors member
Mar 24, 2011
64
1
I had one on my iPad2 and it was awesome, should have one for the new iPad when I get home and check the mail. The skin never bubbled, peeled away, etc... I took it off a few weeks ago when I gave it to my gf (figured she could customize it however she wanted) and it came off easily without leaving any residue.
 

Anijake

macrumors 6502
Oct 19, 2008
345
173
Brooklyn, NY
iCarbons are great, Had on my iPad2 and ordered for new iPad.

The company is top notch also. When my iPad2 screen went bad after a few weeks and I got a swap from Apple, I emailed them if I could get a coupon for a discounted one because you can not reuse them. They sent me another for free. I was more than willing to pay. That is great customer service and that is why I ordered from them again.
 

jeme

macrumors 6502
Jun 12, 2009
409
73
Same here this is an awesome company, they really take car of their customers.
 

Tom G.

macrumors 68020
Jun 16, 2009
2,340
1,389
Champaign/Urbana Illinois
I used their woodgrain back on my iPad 2 also. I received many favorable compliments on it. They advertised that it was very easy to remove and I am glad to see by comments on this thread that their claim was true, as I am planning on selling my iPad 2. The new owner may want to customize the iPad to their desires.

What I liked most about the iCarbons skin is that it never interfered with using another case or back. When going camping I could put it in an OtterBox defender case with no problem.
 

N23

macrumors regular
Aug 3, 2009
160
1
I had one on my iPad 2, and just got in another one today for my new iPad.
They're great, follow their instructional videos and you can't go wrong.
 

AWflorida

macrumors newbie
Jul 2, 2010
13
0
I have had an icarbons carbon fiber skin on my iPad 2 since I got it and it still looks great! It was easy to install as long as you take your time on the corners and use a hair dryer on low heat to make it more pliable.
 

macAllen

macrumors 6502
Feb 24, 2009
309
56
Las Vegas
Just got my iCarbons today!

Hey guys I just got my iCarbons in today! I got the Dark Wood.
Heres review on it...


Installation~
Ill give it a rating of 7 of 10 heres why. Since its a sticker, its a lot harder to put it into place, its not an invisible shield where you have time and the capability to adjust it. So lining it up with the camera and the Apple logo and making sure that at the end the cut outs for the headphones, dock connection and speaker work out, is defiantly the worst part about installation.

At the end after many attempts to get every thing lined up, I literally didn't think about it that much (Since I'm very picky and a perfectionist) and lined it up with just the Apple logo and nothing else, and it turned out really good.

"Really good" well its not perfect but its almost dead on just a few inches from the heart. I notice that the camera and the dock and speakers were kinda off. But not to the point where it drives me crazy. It did come with a lighter color wood for the Apple logo how ever I didn't put it in, I like how the black logo compliments the dark wood. Plus I picked the dark wood for a reason over the lighter wood that they offer, so why send me a lighter color wood to cover the logo?

As for the corners... Yes use a hairdryer, they say set it on low and lift up the skin. I find it easier to leave the skin corner down not applied to the iPad yet until you set your hairdryer to high. The skin will be limp, very fast. Then all you do is use your palm and press it down. Again with your palm. Flatten any wrinkles with your fingernail. I say finger nail because at this time its very easy to draw our the wrinkles to the edge (Just like bubbles, which there was none to say) since the skin is very plyable. How ever use your fingernail at your own risk. I did think "What if I rip it", well I didn't haha and I flatten all wrinkles using my nail. So it worked out perfect.

So 7 out of 10. Well Ill make it a 8 1/2. Final :)

Function~
Does it work with the smart cover (SC)? In short yes.
Wait I hear that it reduces the magnetic connection to the iPad itself? Well I find this true, but not rock solid true. Let me explain. It does connect very well however its a whole lot easier to disconnect it from the iPad. Some people claim that when folded up to a horizontal stance of the iPad, the smart cover doesn't hold on when you tap on the iPad. Thats not true, well on my part. It defiantly hold on when you put the smart cover and the iPad on landscape.

Final rating. 10 out of 10. The fact that it loses just a tiny bit of magnetic connection to the iPad it self is, well for the good of it. The SC before iCarbons was a battle to remove from the iPad, I'd always feared on bending the spine of the SC because it was a little bit too grab-y. Now with the iCarbons its not a battle and still is secure enough where it won't fall off or detach when in landscape.


The New iPad by AllenCisneros, on Flickr

Aesthetics & Quality~
Rating? Another 10 out of 10. Well for the Dark Wood, and Im sure for the carbons. As you can tell from the pictures it does have some what of a texture of the crevasses of wood. Its really cool! But thats just looks... You can see the crevasses however, you can't feel them :( This would be cool if that would be carried out, but I'm thinking if they did it would have been thicker. Speaking of thickness, its not thick at all very thin. Thiner than Zagg's back protector skin.

Its made from "3M's Scotchprint personalized Vehicle Graphics" So you can expect great amazing quality. Final rating? Can I change it again? 100 out of 10!

Final Verdict~
Rating 9 1/2 out of 10.
iCarbon's Dark Wood skin for the back of the newer iPad is really one of the best skins that I have ever used. Invisible shield, BodyGuardz, GhostArmor all have that rubbery texture, and to be honest with you now feels cheap to me if i ever when back to a clear protector. So if your contemplating if you should press that button or tap the button on "Place order" go ahead and feel good about it because iCarbons will be a definite good buy.

Any questions? Feel free to ask!!!
 

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sekazi

macrumors 6502
Jan 12, 2012
469
84
You make me wish I ordered the wood one. I ordered the aluminum one along with the smart cover pieces.
 

macAllen

macrumors 6502
Feb 24, 2009
309
56
Las Vegas
You make me wish I ordered the wood one. I ordered the aluminum one along with the smart cover pieces.

I've heard that iCarbons has very exceptional customer service, who knows, maybe they can work something out?

No matter what you get, it will be very slick. I picked the wood one because I'm a "simplistic/back to the basics/nature" guy. How ever The smart cover pieces is my next buy. In Dark wood or course :)
 

sekazi

macrumors 6502
Jan 12, 2012
469
84
I've heard that iCarbons has very exceptional customer service, who knows, maybe they can work something out?

No matter what you get, it will be very slick. I picked the wood one because I'm a "simplistic/back to the basics/nature" guy. How ever The smart cover pieces is my next buy. In Dark wood or course :)

I will likely keep the aluminum because it matches the factory back color so well. I may get the wood for my iPod touch though. I cannot find a case I like and the shiny back scratches so easy. The case I got now is falling apart.
 

mtkagan

macrumors member
Sep 29, 2008
72
0
icarbons is a great company. i got the back skin for my iPad 2 and it went on very nicely. always got complemented on my blacked out iPad 2(black smart cover black iPad, black carbon). I eventually go the skin for my 4s and now ordered it again for the iPad 3. love the finish of the 3m carbon. and their the only ones that the corner comes out smooth with no slits or leaving the corner exposed.
 

TWO2SEVEN

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jun 27, 2010
3,531
741
Plano, TX
Are the skins available at any retailers or do they only do direct orders?

Thanks for all the input!
 

fullmanfullninj

macrumors regular
Dec 30, 2009
232
0
BTW I would just like to vouch for how great their customer service is. I ordered yesterday and I didn't see the coupon codes until last night. I emailed them and asked if I could apply a coupon code and this morning I get a response saying that 25% of my order has been credited back to me. Bravo! Can't wait for this to come in the mail.
 

puncho

macrumors member
Mar 8, 2012
31
0
Bought some CF for my smart cover from them. Had a question and they answered the next day (emailed on a Sunday). Was trying to get it from another site that was cheaper but they didn't reply after 3-4 days to multiple emails so they lost out.
 

munch2112

macrumors member
Oct 13, 2011
57
0
Devon, UK
Absoloutley love iCarbons products! Really are the best quality thing to buy if you don't want a full on case. Got one on my iPhone, will be purchasing for my MacBook Air and PS3 soon. And will be getting the new Red Carbon iCarbons when I can.

Seriously can not recommend them enough! Amazing products.
 

abulldog

macrumors newbie
Feb 26, 2012
27
0
I recieved my iCarbons Black Carbon Fiber this morning. Installation was very easy. I followed the instructions in the video for the iPad2 and it worked perfectly. The skin itself is very high quality. It has the texture of real carbon fiber. There were no bubbles at all during installation.

Customer service was excellent. As you can see I requested a Red Carbon Fiber Apple. I put a note in with the order and on the shipping receipt there was a handwritten note that said "add red logo". I wasn't really expecting them to send it, as their website only says they supply the white one.

The corners laid down nice and flat. There was one wrinkle on one corner which I peeled back up and reheated and it went down nice and flat.



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sekazi

macrumors 6502
Jan 12, 2012
469
84
Mine will be here tomorrow so I can put up pictures of it after it is installed.

I am still debating on installing the Smart Cover pieces.

I ordered the Brushed Aluminum so it should come with a Brushed Titanium logo.

I hope these are as durable as the skin I ordered for my laptop a long time ago though another company. That skin has never scratched and it was abused.
 
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