I do have a few negatives about the case however. I don't like that they are still using the cheap looking "weatherstripping" material inside the case to isolate the metal of the case from the phone that they used back on the original Vapor. And only a very few pieces at that. For this kind of price, the mounting system could be much more robust and consistent. The thin foam they use can/will compress and deform over time. Also, my case came with a few bad spots in the finish, and there are a few areas where the anodizing didn't adhere during the process, leaving a few silver spots in the black part of the frame. Also, the joint where the polymer material meets the aluminum leaves a lot to be desired. Mine isn't flush, and doesn't look too sturdy. Hopefully this is just an isolated occurrence and not indicative of an inconsistent finishing problem. A case of this price should be flawless.
All in all I think it's great that Element has finally made an aluminum case that looks like it should work for most people, regardless of their signal strength. This is what the first Vapor should have been, actually. One thing I don't like is the price of this case. $130 (or $150 for the "Limited Editions") is just too much for what the case is. If I actually had to pay for this case, I wouldn't have. I think an $80-$90 price would be more in line with what this case is...a corrected original Vapor, basically. The add-ins (Speed wrench, felt back and front pads) aren't worth the increase in price (from the original Vapor) in my opinion.
