Invisible Sheild vs. Ghost Armor... What is "orange peel"?

[josh.burns]

OK... so I have read many reviews in this list. I have not tried anything but Ghost Armor and I have no particular loyalty to any product. I was using a hard case made by InCase and found it to be OK. During a recent visit to BestBuy, I was confronted with some Ghost Armor folks (BestBuy employees I believe) who convinced me to give it a try. Here is my experience: Overall, a good product IF INSTALLED WELL. The first installation, for which I was charged about $29.00 did not go perfectly. It was not terrible, but the curved back of the iPhone seems to be tough to fit perfectly. The guys let it dry a little too long or not long enough and I ended up with some small creases at the rounded corners. Two days later, this afternoon, I brought it back and pointed out the imperfections to the guys at BestBuy. I also mentioned that my InCase case was difficult to reinstall and even more difficult to remove since the Ghost Armor application. To their credit, they acknowledged the difficulty with the cases and admitted that they had similar experiences with their own experiments. They also admitted that the wrinkle was unsatisfactory and immediately offered to reapply the Ghost Armor at no charge. They acknowledged that the case likely would not fit correctly and offered a refund if I wanted to go back to using a case instead of the G.A. I decided to give the G.A. another chance since I had already invested in it.

After allowing it to dry for a few hours, during which I really treated it delicately, the second installation is much better. There are no visible wrinkles or curled edges. I watched the installer apply the G.A. painstakingly and I think that makes a big difference. I think I understand what people are talking about when they describe "Orange Peel" with the product. Held at just the right angle, there is a VERY slight distortion/texture as opposed to the naked glass of the iPhone (I have a 3G S). The finish is smooth enough that I can't imagine anyone noticing it without specifically looking for it with the iPhone turned off. I am very picky and would never have noticed it were it not for this forum. I am completely satisfied with the optical clarity of the G.A. product. I have no frame of reference to compare it to any other, competitive product. I suspect they are all pretty similar and much has to do with the individual who does the installation.

Overall, the film is smooth to the touch and invisible. I do feel the edges of the film on my fingertips when I touch the sides of the phone, but I do not find this to be annoying. I wipe the surface regularly with a lens cloth (the kind used for glasses) and that works well to polish the surface to a perfect gloss. I wish I could use my hard case with the G.A. but the slight amount of added thickness makes that too difficult. However, the G.A. allows me to put the phone in my pocket or a belt case without the hard cover and without worrying about it getting scratched. I would not believe any claims about drop-resistance. I suspect that the G.A. would not be damaged in a drop, but the internal electronics or glass screen probably would be. A hard case is probably slightly better protection against a drop onto a hard surface. Something like G.A. is better for scratch resistance. If you still want a hard case, you can squeeze it on, but getting the case off the iPhone will be a major battle and you risk damaging the iPhone in the process. If you want to use the phone in a belt case or in your pocket without a silicone or plastic case, a Polyurethane film like G.A. may be a good solution. They claim a lifetime warranty against scratches or peeling, but that may be tough to enforce a year or more in the future without the receipt. Still, for $29.00, it's not terribly expensive and should protect the iPhone/iPod case against scratches. My iPhone body was already showing some buildup of dust or pocket lint inside the hard case, which likely would have scuffed the case over time. A film product should prevent that whether the phone is used with a hard case or with the clear coating alone.

Long term durability remains to be seen and would likely vary from user to user. Very little protects against dropping. A hard case may offer a little shock protection that a film coating cannot and a hard case is tough to use on top of the coating. Then again, the hard cases are tough to use if you want to put the phone in a belt pouch. It's a matter of personal preference and how you plan to use the phone.

Initial quality seems to depend upon how meticulous the installer is. That said, the BestBuy employees at my local store (T.J. and Adam - I think - the the location on Tatum Ave. near Paradise Valley Mall in Phoenix, AZ) were more than happy to admit that the installation was less than perfect and did not bat an eyelash as reapplying it again at no additional charge. I felt as though they could not have done more from a customer service perspective.

There... I have no brand or product loyalty at all (except to Apple as a long time user and fan). I am confident that Ghost Armor and it's competitor products are pretty comparable when each is applied carefully. The real question is whether to go with a polyurethane film vs. a case. That is a matter of preference. Some of the cases tend to block the small speakers at the bottom of the iPhone or interfere with docking. They may provide better protection against dropping and can be changed to suit the user's mood, needs, outfit, whatever. The Ghost Armor can be removed without residue if you don't like it. They may even give you a refund if that's the case. If not, you'll be out about $30 if you don't like it. I am reluctant to try anything that cannot be undone so this seemed like something worth trying. If I end up hating it for some reason, I'll peel it off and go back to a hard case with a screen protector. So far, despite a minor hiccup with the first application that was corrected without hassle, the product seems pretty slick. I'll be the first one to post a follow-up if I end up hating it for any reason.

this is not ghost armor. i work for ghost armor in Georgia and we are only in malls. invisible shield is in best buy. also we never need a receipt as long as you still have our armor. i'm not just saying this because i work for them, but i have run 6 month trials on four different full body, polyurethane skins and ghost armor held up 2 months longer than the runner up invisible shield. after about 3 months i.s. got the really bad orange peal effect, which isn't exaggerated, and g.a. started doing it around 5 1/2 months. the other two peeled up after a month, clear coat and bodygaurdz. g.a. is the most expensive but it covers more and it's very easy to clean with minimal finger prints. mine still looks great after 4 months now. but different people have different preferences.

 

[AnthroMatt]

this is not ghost armor. i work for ghost armor in Georgia and we are only in malls. invisible shield is in best buy. also we never need a receipt as long as you still have our armor. i'm not just saying this because i work for them, but i have run 6 month trials on four different full body, polyurethane skins and ghost armor held up 2 months longer than the runner up invisible shield. after about 3 months i.s. got the really bad orange peal effect, which isn't exaggerated, and g.a. started doing it around 5 1/2 months. the other two peeled up after a month, clear coat and bodygaurdz. g.a. is the most expensive but it covers more and it's very easy to clean with minimal finger prints. mine still looks great after 4 months now. but different people have different preferences.

You may work for GA now, but that was posted in 2009. Back then Ghost Armor was in Best Buy. They had a little mini kiosk maned by BB employees complete with the little "drying box." It was great if you wanted GA, because Best Buy was usually $5-$10 cheaper for the armor + install than the GA kiosks in the mall.

 

[Hinch87]

I just got GA installed on my phone on Monday the 15th. It looks great although there is a slight and i mean SLIGHT orange peel affect. It is hardly noticeable though comparable to the Zagg. The only gripe I have about it is that there still appears to be mist under the shield. When I had it done, the guy at the kiosk said that this would take 2 days to fully dry. However, it is still there. I can go back as long and have it installed again for free as long as its only been a week. Has anyone else had this problem before?

 

[AnthroMatt]

I just got GA installed on my phone on Monday the 15th. It looks great although there is a slight and i mean SLIGHT orange peel affect. It is hardly noticeable though comparable to the Zagg. The only gripe I have about it is that there still appears to be mist under the shield. When I had it done, the guy at the kiosk said that this would take 2 days to fully dry. However, it is still there. I can go back as long and have it installed again for free as long as its only been a week. Has anyone else had this problem before?

Yeah, it has happened to me. Sometimes if they didn't properly moisten the back and they touched it with their fingers or if they misaligned the application and peeled it off to do it again you will get the "mist" look and it may never go away.

Since you say it has been a week, take it back today. They offer 7 days free replacement on installation errors and after that you'd be on the hook for the install fee again.

Be prepared to be treated like crap, though. I have found that GA employees are quite nice when you are paying them but they are more like a combination of a sleazy used car salesman and a jilted lover when you want to take something back.

 

[jbromer]

Yeah, it has happened to me. Sometimes if they didn't properly moisten the back and they touched it with their fingers or if they misaligned the application and peeled it off to do it again you will get the "mist" look and it may never go away.

Since you say it has been a week, take it back today. They offer 7 days free replacement on installation errors and after that you'd be on the hook for the install fee again.

Be prepared to be treated like crap, though. I have found that GA employees are quite nice when you are paying them but they are more like a combination of a sleazy used car salesman and a jilted lover when you want to take something back.

This hasn't been my experience. I had Ghost Armor installed on my iPhone 4 a few months ago. After a few months I got a gouge around the camera button that was driving me crazy and the back piece had slid a bit. I took it back and got a cheerful reinstall on the spot. A few weeks later, my phone's speaker completely died. I stopped by the kiosk before going to the Apple Store, and they said, no prob, if they give you a new phone, just bring us back the old film stuck to a piece of paper. I did, and got another reinstall, no fuss at all. I did have to pay $10 for installation, but no other problems.

As far as orange peel goes, it is definitely there, but only noticeable when the phone is directly reflecting light. I think the oleophobic and scratch-resistant properties far outweigh that limitation though. I use the matte back so that's a non-issue...

I am satisfied with both the product and the service (at the Freehold Raceway Mall at least).