Element Vapor Case

Bromerz said:

Well it arrived today and I was excited to receive it.

Though that was short lived. Despite the case being from one of element cases 'authorised retailers' I've noticed some discrepancies between what I have received and what others describe.

Firstly the Speed Wrench is silver not the black silver ive read the comp comes with. Secondly the suede back piece was on a clear backing that is over sized not the white I've seen in unboxings of the comp. Finally, and this is the kicker, the screen shield package is below what I expected and had no branding on the squeegee card and the actual selephane it was in has a tiny gold sticker saying 'made in china'.

All in all I'm pretty pissed off as you can imagine, I would have expected it had I ordered from somebody not on the authorised retailers but to get what I believe is a fake from one of them is a joke.

I've already emailed element case to say I believe I have received a fake from one of their authorised retailers and described why. As soon as they confirm that it is indeed a fake I will be requesting a full refund from the company I bought it from.

EDIT I've also just noticed that where the plastic cap meats the aluminium frame isn't quite flush, the plastics cut at a diagonal and is shorter than the aluminium but this might just be where it's not on tight enough,

Either way I've taken it off my phone and put it all back in the packaging.

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Please keep us up to date on this. I noticed my screen saver packaging says made in china, fit was bad and so I exchanged the case. Took two atempts to get that done. Waiting on second Vapor Pro Stealth now. Even the knock offs say "Made in the USA" I am just wondering to myself.
I ordered two knock offs just to compare. We will see when they if they ever get here from China.
BillMc

BillMc40 said:

Please keep us up to date on this. I noticed my screen saver packaging says made in china, fit was bad and so I exchanged the case. Took two atempts to get that done. Waiting on second Vapor Pro Stealth now. Even the knock offs say "Made in the USA" I am just wondering to myself.
I ordered two knock offs just to compare. We will see when they if they ever get here from China.
BillMc

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I'm just waiting for a response from element with regards to it as it is from an authorised retailer, biggest thing I've noticed is the speed wrench colour is off and there's no ranging on cleaning clothe and squeegee, it could well be the made in china sticker refers to the screen protection components only. But like I said the missing on element branding is a bit of an issue for me

Update on my situation.

Element, after first replying to my case, have been very quick with their responses and asked for some pictures of the case and accessories that came with it and say its authentic.

Heres the final email i recieved after they looked at the picture:


Hi,

Yes that is the correct accessories. We sometimes give our cases without the logo on the cleaning cloth and applicator card. The wrench you received is also correct. Usually the black wrench comes with the Pro case not the silver. No worries the case is authentic. Thank you.


Guess i was worrying about nothing. Though when i spend a large amount of money on something I always worry about authenticity etc

Bromerz said:

...
Guess i was worrying about nothing. Though when i spend a large amount of money on something I always worry about authenticity etc

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You can thank all the fake manufacturers and those who support them for that.

Contacted Element to see if the vapor comp or pro fit into a universal dock. they said they had no idea but i could buy a dock extender.

Guess they couldn't find $30 to buy a dock and test it when selling $150 cases.

Cozmo85 said:

Contacted Element to see if the vapor comp or pro fit into a universal dock. they said they had no idea but i could buy a dock extender.

Guess they couldn't find $30 to buy a dock and test it when selling $150 cases.

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Doesn't surprise me.

how thin is the back carbon sticker? is it thin like luckylabs? will it fit if i was to put the bare phone + back carbon sticker into a griffin survivor case?

Hey guys, i just got the Element Vapor spectra, however have any of you that have one of these noticed you can see some of the silver bezel when you look at the phone head on, it doesnt even seem even, ive added a couple of pics but my camera is rubbish:

Cutterschoice said:

Hey guys, i just got the Element Vapor spectra, however have any of you that have one of these noticed you can see some of the silver bezel when you look at the phone head on, it doesnt even seem even, ive added a couple of pics but my camera is rubbish:

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its normal. you can see it because its not supposed to touch the metal band.

Outrigger said:

its normal. you can see it because its not supposed to touch the metal band.

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Thanks Outrigger, Element just replied to my images as well and said the same thing, i think i might get some black side stickers to hide the silver a bit, at least i know it's meant to be like that.

Cutterschoice said:

Thanks Outrigger, Element just replied to my images as well and said the same thing, i think i might get some black side stickers to hide the silver a bit, at least i know it's meant to be like that.

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I returned mine due to this exact same thing. Element replied that the RF insert wasn't flush, and was bowed. they recieved over a week ago and still havent shipped the replacement.
BillMc

Outrigger said:

its normal. you can see it because its not supposed to touch the metal band.

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Errr u cant see the band on my pro r8... That looks more like a defect to me.

Cutterschoice said:

Hey guys, i just got the Element Vapor spectra, however have any of you that have one of these noticed you can see some of the silver bezel when you look at the phone head on, it doesnt even seem even, ive added a couple of pics but my camera is rubbish:

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Like i told that guy, its a defect. Trust me on this one, it looks wayyyy better when u dont see it. Send it in for a replacement.

lost speed wrench. help!

I've lost my speed wrench and I'd like to remove the vapor case for a couple of days. Does anyone know how I could remove the case without the speed wrench?

Also, I've got a set of allen keys and the smallest seems to be bigger than the fitting on the screws.

aeiou said:

I've lost my speed wrench and I'd like to remove the vapor case for a couple of days. Does anyone know how I could remove the case without the speed wrench?

Also, I've got a set of allen keys and the smallest seems to be bigger than the fitting on the screws.

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Go to the local hardware store and get a set of allen wrenches. I don't remeber what size.
BillMc

guccigucci88 said:

Errr u cant see the band on my pro r8... That looks more like a defect to me.




Like i told that guy, its a defect. Trust me on this one, it looks wayyyy better when u dont see it. Send it in for a replacement.

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depending on the angle you're looking at. if you don't see it, thats fantastic. he can send it in, but there's no guarantee that the replacement he receives won't be the same or shows elsewhere.

cutter: I would send that in since it shows more band than I have ever seen before. just send their CSR that pic and you'll have your replacement in no time.

Outrigger said:

depending on the angle you're looking at. if you don't see it, thats fantastic. he can send it in, but there's no guarantee that the replacement he receives won't be the same or shows elsewhere.

cutter: I would send that in since it shows more band than I have ever seen before. just send their CSR that pic and you'll have your replacement in no time.

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Thanks for the help guys, i've contacted Element and they say it's not right sent them a few more pics, going to post it back on Monday now they've set up an RMA for me, although i'm not to sure if i'm going to get it replaced, probably just ask for a refund, it was really expensive to get it here (UK) plus tax and duty, think i'll put it down to a loss, worried the replacement will have a similar issue.

Was really gutted as it was a bday pressie, although ****** happens as they say.

Recieved my Vapor Pro Stealth replacement today. Fit is much better and you dont see as much of the antenna band. I am glad I finally got it. Was shipped overnite to me.
BillMc

Cutterschoice said:

Thanks for the help guys, i've contacted Element and they say it's not right sent them a few more pics, going to post it back on Monday now they've set up an RMA for me, although i'm not to sure if i'm going to get it replaced, probably just ask for a refund, it was really expensive to get it here (UK) plus tax and duty, think i'll put it down to a loss, worried the replacement will have a similar issue.

Was really gutted as it was a bday pressie, although ****** happens as they say.

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they don't charge you for shipping a replacement, but you would have to pay to send it back. generally speaking, the replacements tend to be better since they don't want you to to exchange or return it again. but not sure how much you have to pay since you're not in the US.

Outrigger said:

they don't charge you for shipping a replacement, but you would have to pay to send it back. generally speaking, the replacements tend to be better since they don't want you to to exchange or return it again. but not sure how much you have to pay since you're not in the US.

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EC paid for the return shipping when i returned mine
BillMc

I have own element Vapor Case case, but problem is that if i remove the backing, my signal goes up a lot. It is still diminished, but to the point where it is often indiscernible. The backing made a real difference for me.

innovativecom said:

I have own element Vapor Case case, but problem is that if i remove the backing, my signal goes up a lot. It is still diminished, but to the point where it is often indiscernible. The backing made a real difference for me.

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What type of backing are you using?

I had a similar problem with my vapor pro white edition. There was a huge gap where the headphone jack is. So I ebay'd it bc it was so bad it must had been a manufacturing defect or something. But I now have a silver spectra and there are no gaps and I can't see any silver from the front. This vapor pro for whatever reason definitely fits much more evenly. I have the Zagg IS on the sides which gives it a tighter fit as well.

#1 - I figured out after many times taking it on and off trying to adjust it that you have to position the phone in the case and thread the screws in just a tiny bit and adjust the phone until its perfectly centered and even on all sides before tightening the screws all the way.

#2 - Also another trick is adjusting the rubber foam inserts. Sometimes they can slide slightly towards either the front or the back and you can just slide them back by slowly putting gentle pressure on them and slide them back to being centered.

#3 - Also, the rubber inserts can gently be pushed in/straight down to kind of break them in. When they are brand new, they are kind of thick and if one is thicker than another the phone won't sit straight. Takes some figgiting and patience but u can get it perfect in most cases unless you get a slightly defective case where the polymer piece is not aligned properly causing a huge gap, and sometimes like my white edition, theres just one stubborn corner where it seems like the case is 1-2 mm too long on that side for some reason.

#4 - Last resort that does work is you can just remove all of the "stock"rubber inserts and get your own at a fabric store or hardware store or somewhere similar and just make the padding on the corners where there seems to be too little of a gap thicker to "counter-attack" the large gaping corner by pushing the phone higher into that corner and obviously put slimmer inserts in the gaping corner. I did this on my white edition.

Yes, ElementCase should have paid me for all my labor that had to go into fixing their 150 dollar ill-fitting premium case.

So I guess if you're anal/OCD like me, I'd buy genuine so that you can retun at will until you get one that fits perfectly because the fit experiences do vary quite a bit. I loved the white edition except for that one ugly gap. And the fact that the white scratches over time- that's why I went with the spectra the second time around. That stupid gap really caught my eye everytime I looked at the screen. Lol.

Go with the spectra!!! And good luck! Haha

Outrigger said:

they don't charge you for shipping a replacement, but you would have to pay to send it back. generally speaking, the replacements tend to be better since they don't want you to to exchange or return it again. but not sure how much you have to pay since you're not in the US.

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i asked their support if i could get a warranty replacement, they said the case is meant to be like that so wont issue a replacement, i'm posting it tomorrow and written a note saying i hope there testers can check it out and just replace it, guess i'll have to wait and see what happens.

Will update when they get it and reply back, i did try it again last night and see the rubber parts are badly cut, i dont really want to shape them myself, so will wait and see.

I used this case for about a week but then it just made my iPhone feel too bulky and it felt too sharp in my hand so I took it off. Going caseless now.

Cutterschoice said:

i asked their support if i could get a warranty replacement, they said the case is meant to be like that so wont issue a replacement, i'm posting it tomorrow and written a note saying i hope there testers can check it out and just replace it, guess i'll have to wait and see what happens.

Will update when they get it and reply back, i did try it again last night and see the rubber parts are badly cut, i dont really want to shape them myself, so will wait and see.

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then I would just ask for a refund. I had asked for a replacement of my white pro because where the two parts meet had a big seam and even asked for a spectra pro instead. they were more than happy to exchange it for me, paid for return label and shipped the replacement for free. My issue was more minor than yours, so I don't know why they wouldn't let you.