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bspitch1

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 24, 2010
4
0
I am in the market to buy a new case, but am not sure what to buy. I have been strongly leaning towards an aluminum one, but I would like more protection than a bumper. Is there a nice aluminum case that has good protection and a backplate or something of the sort? Thanks!
 

JayJayJay

macrumors member
Nov 19, 2011
65
0
I am in the market to buy a new case, but am not sure what to buy. I have been strongly leaning towards an aluminum one, but I would like more protection than a bumper. Is there a nice aluminum case that has good protection and a backplate or something of the sort? Thanks!

By its very nature, aluminum isn't going to absorb much shock. So in terms of protection, I don't know if there is going to be much, if any.

You can try:

http://www.rokform.com/
You can see a Youtube video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSiKkaKmhTk

or

http://www.meemojo.com/
Youtube video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZlxMsCxG5E
 

bspitch1

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 24, 2010
4
0
Thanks! I know its not aluminum, but what about the Graft leverage case? Any comments on its protection?
 

JayJayJay

macrumors member
Nov 19, 2011
65
0
Thanks! I know its not aluminum, but what about the Graft leverage case? Any comments on its protection?

I own it. No protection at all (from drops). And, it's fatally flawed. Take a gander on over to that thread about the case.
 

stcizzle

macrumors regular
May 20, 2011
225
10
NH, USA
My wife's ElementCase Vapor Pro Chroma from http://www.elementcase.com fell from on top of her tall van as she was driving away at like 10-15 miles per hour before she realized she left it there, and when she picked it up off of the pavement, not only was there no damage to the phone, the case only had a couple tiny scratches as well!!!! seems like awesome protection to me...
 

JayJayJay

macrumors member
Nov 19, 2011
65
0
My wife's ElementCase Vapor Pro Chroma from http://www.elementcase.com fell from on top of her tall van as she was driving away at like 10-15 miles per hour before she realized she left it there, and when she picked it up off of the pavement, not only was there no damage to the phone, the case only had a couple tiny scratches as well!!!! seems like awesome protection to me...

This has been discussed before. Depending on how it fell, the lack of damage, in the case of the Vapor cases from element, has very little to do with the case, and more to do with how it fell.

Don't get me wrong. I'm a big fan of how these cases LOOK, but, functionally (in terms of drop protection), they offer very little.
 

osubuckeye

macrumors newbie
Oct 24, 2011
13
0
I'm curious about what level of protection you would assign to such cases.

I mean, if you had to rate ... I'm thinking something like

Otterbox - 98%
full back rubber - 80%
full back plastics - 75%
SGP Snow (sorry brain poof) - 70%
apple bumper - 60%
Aluminum cases like meemojo's - 50%
Aluminum bumpers - 40%


I'm obviously pulling the numbers out of my butt, but my point is that even though an aluminum case is not nearly as protective as a rubber case (just over half)... it still offers a LOT more protection than the 0% the phone offers.


I don't know why i picked those numbers, do you think there might be an educated study on this or are we all basically guessing?

as a side, the glidecase.com website shows a head height drop with the glide case on hardwood with no damage. While I agree that the phone itself would have sustained this damage, we probably would see a scratch/dent on the metal band if it were not for the case.

thoughts?
 

hizzaah

macrumors 6502
Oct 22, 2011
294
0
This is not on sale yet but it's the best Aluminium case I've seen. It includes the choice to cover the back with a variety of different coloured backplates.

I'm sure it will be on sale soon!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RINMXyDVLG0&feature=youtube_gdata_player


http://icemdesign.com/index.php/pro...-09-28-01-10-13/2011-09-28-01-14-51/screwless

Nice looking, possibly. Will be easier to tell when they're released.. I feel like those pics don't do it justice.. But I get the feeling its not going to be protective like the OP wants. One rough drop and the thing used to keep the back piece on won't work.. IMO.

As far as protective aluminum cases go, you'll want one that doesn't have the case sitting on the phone directly. Something in between the aluminum and the phone. Like the e13ctron case for example. I wouldn't rate that super high in terms of protectiveness, but that gets my point across.

Maybe something like these?:
- http://www.artwizz.de/products/iPhone_44S/SeeJacket®_Alu/244/38/6/
It's silicon with an aluminum outer piece. I think they also have them on Amazon.com
- http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/514609480/metal_case_for_iPhone_4S_aluminum.html?from=wap
- http://www.capdase.com/minisite/iphone/en/inner5.php?cc=18&c1=88&c2=268&c3=268&id=1428

Note that I havent used any of these cases.. Just some ones I found that have Aluminum, but seem like theyd have that protective element
 

SchneiderMan

macrumors G3
May 25, 2008
8,332
202
I hate to say it but this will do the job. It's a military-spec aluminum bumper/case by Jon Eicher.

Jon%20Eicher%20Ruggedized%20Aluminum%20iPhone%204%20Case%20Top%20Cutout.jpg
 

hizzaah

macrumors 6502
Oct 22, 2011
294
0
I hate to say it but this will do the job. It's a military-spec aluminum bumper/case by Jon Eicher.

Image

And I hate to agree, but you're right lol. I was picturing that case in my head, but I couldn't remember anything about it.. Kinda ugly and $100, but it's military grade..
 

JayJayJay

macrumors member
Nov 19, 2011
65
0
And I hate to agree, but you're right lol. I was picturing that case in my head, but I couldn't remember anything about it.. Kinda ugly and $100, but it's military grade..

That "military grade" case won't be any more protective than the MeeMojo, for example.
 

ftlum

macrumors regular
Oct 24, 2011
168
37
Appears quite protective

http://www.crkt.com/INOX4

This looks farily protective, in the sense that it covers the front too.

I've seen people complain about the looks, but if you like the industrial style it's actually kind of cool. It'll cover the front, you can see the clock, and you can activate Siri without opening the cover. The designer has created one that will allow you to flip the cover all the way over and there's also a version that flips horizontally, but both are fairly expensive right now. (http://ltdtools.com/)
 
Last edited:

JayJayJay

macrumors member
Nov 19, 2011
65
0
You could be right, I don't know much about MeeMojo.. Other than they look tacky IMO. But to each their own :)

Ummmmm....More tacky than that "military grade" case? I don't think so. I agree that the MeeMojo isn't a looker, but, that case referenced is easily one of the bulkiest, ugliest cases I've ever seen. Right up there for me with that DifCase that was brought up in another thread.
 
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