iPad: Back Cover or Skin?

[ppark]

Hello everybody, I used the search function and saw that a lot of people are fans of the Zum, Smart Feather, or a similar back shell + smart cover combination for a compact combo.

Something from Otterbox, Lifeproof, or Gumdrop seem to be advised to protect from drops and physical damage.

I do not think I need a shell as intense as the Otterbox for my lifestyle, I will most likely be picking up a leather smart cover really soon. My question is whether a back shell does anything more than just protect from scratches. I only wonder because the plastic on the shells seem so thin that I'd still be wary of having it dropped accidentally from a foot or more off the ground.


Edit: Oops, I thought I had posted this in the Accessories sub-forum. My apologies, please feel free to re-locate to proper area of discussion.

[HarryWarden]

I use a fairly cost-effective flexible TPU skin I found on Amazon for protecting the back. The Friendly Swede is the brand.

[dbdynsty25]

I'm on team skin. I want the device as small/thin/light as possible while still protecting from small scratches. Skins do just that. I'm a fan of Best Skin Ever...which I just ordered for my two household minis. We'll see how they compare to the skin I had on my iPad 2 and 3.

[dmk1974]

I just put a BestSkinsEver skin on the back of my black iPad mini. I much prefer the glossy appearance with the skin and much better grip than when it was "naked".

[teerexx52]

I use iCarbons

[matneh]

Another vote for bestskinsever! I use them for all my electronics.

[Dweez]

Smart feather here. I felt that I needed more than just a stick-on skin for my device.

[thelookingglass]

I use the Caudabe Shell and love it. Seems to be pretty popular on here, too. I've got the frost version which is great because you can barely tell it's on. But it's not like those clear back covers which get scratched up easily. Got mine for around $15 or so on Amazon.

I also had a skin from **********. It wasn't bad, but offered zero drop or bump protection. I'd rather have something on my iPad that protects against more than just scratches, being the klutz that I am.

[Amplelink]

Originally Posted by thelookingglass

I use the Caudabe Shell and love it. Seems to be pretty popular on here, too. I've got the frost version which is great because you can barely tell it's on. But it's not like those clear back covers which get scratched up easily. Got mine for around $15 or so on Amazon.

I also had a skin from **********. It wasn't bad, but offered zero drop or bump protection. I'd rather have something on my iPad that protects against more than just scratches, being the klutz that I am.

I'd totally get a Caudabe Shell for my mini if they made it. I have that for my ipad 3 and it's terrific. That said, I've gone naked on my mini for now other than a Smart Cover on the front. Feels nice, but not sure I like having to baby it so much.

[spring]

Just ordered a wrapsol back skin and a smart cover for my iPad. I didnt go for a back cover because I wanted to keep it slim since the iPad 4 is already pretty thick (compared to an iPad 2 that I previously had).