Review: Three iPhone 5 holsters (Seidio Spring-Clip Case/No Case and Splash Alpha I)

[matneh]

For your consideration, I bought these three holsters and thought I would share my opinions on them:

#1: Seidio Spring-Clip holster (For phones with no case): http://www.seidioonline.com/apple-iphone-5-spring-clip-holster-black-p/hliph5as.htm
#2: Seidio Spring-Clip holster (For phones with case, known as "Surface" and also sold under the brand "Platinum" or "Pt" in Best Buy stores): http://www.seidioonline.com/apple-iphone-5-surface-case-holster-combo-black-p/bd2-hr3iph5-bk.htm
#3: Splash Alpha I Lambskin Leather holster (For phones with no case): http://www.splashproducts.com/product_p/spl-iph5-vllc.htm

Note: Splash also sells a Lambskin holster for phones with a case known as the Alpha II, but I did not purchase that one.

#1 Seidio Spring-Clip hoster no case

This is a no-frills holster that is great if you want to carry your iPhone with as little plastic as possible. It is light and has a good belt clip, but it rides a little high on the belt. It takes some coordination to move the spring-clip out of the way when opening it up and not drop your phone in the process. When putting the phone in, the spring-clip does rub against the top of the phone and out of the way before snapping into place. I did not get any scratches on my phone from this, however, because I do use a Best Skins Ever full-body skin on it.

One problem I noticed, though, was that I got two dents in the front skin from the corners of the holster, shown here:

Not a big deal, but if I were to keep this holster, I would probably sand those corners down to prevent repetitive damage to the screen protector. The skin I have on the phone does make it a very tight fit and a bit difficult to remove. If you get this holster, I would suggest not putting a skin on the sides to prevent sticking to the sides of the holster.

#2 Seidio Platinum Spring-Clip holster with case
This is the version they sell in Best Buy, which seems similar to the "Surface Combo" that Seidio sells on their website.

This is a really nice spring-clip holster and case combination. The case comes in two pieces that snap together firmly, has cutouts for the camera, buttons, and lightning/microphone/speaker holes. The case has a good matte texture and feels sturdy. The clip is a little beefier than #1 which means that it can lay sideways on a table for watching movies. The #1 holster cannot lay sideways on a table. But it also means that the whole holster sticks out a little more when it's on your belt, in addition to the additional thickness of the case and the clip sticking further out.

#3 Splash Alpha I Lambskin Leather holster
The reason I bought this one is because I had a similar holster for my Blackberry with the magnetic flap and I really liked it. Amazon reviewers said that this was the closest to that famous Blackberry holster for the iPhone 5, so I ordered it direct from Splash.

What I like about this holster is that it has a nice slim profile. Unlike the spring-clip holsters, there is no clip sticking out of the top that can snag on things. Its belt clip also has a slim profile meaning that it carries closer to your hip. Finally, this holster rides a little lower than #1 and #2 which I prefer. My only pet peeve is that the fit of the iPhone is not as snug as it could be, there is a little bit of wiggle room where it seems like they could have removed a bit of extra material and make it even thinner.

Now for some side-by-side shots:

And some hip shots in the same order #1, #2, #3:

You can tell from the location of the bottom of the case versus the top of my pocket that the Splash case definitely rides lower.

Finally, some backside shots so you can see the difference in profile of the 3 holsters:

Conclusion:
If you are shopping around for a holster and definitely want a spring clip holster, I would recommend #2, the spring-clip holster with a case. I'm not coordinated enough to open up the clip and not accidentally drop my iPhone while trying to pull it out, so I would be very nervous using #1. In addition, the clip on #2 is big enough to allow the phone to be put in backwards (face-out) and lay the whole thing sideways, which would be nice for watching movies or TV shows.

However, if you aren't set on a spring-clip, I highly recommend the Splash Alpha I Lambskin holster. As you can see from the last set of pictures, it does not protrude as much, has a secure magnetic flap, rides low on the belt, and because you pull the phone out from the sides straight out of the holster, less worry about dropping the phone as you take it out. It is also very compatible with the total-body skin because there is a little wiggle room in the holster. Of course, if you really want to have a case on your phone along with the holster, you could try out the Splash Alpha II, but I don't have any experience with that one.

Thanks for reading, and I hope this helps out anybody like me that was struggling to find a good belt holster for their iPhone 5.

 

[iamartimus]

Wirelessly posted

I have the #2 and I like it. No problems with it and its a very secure holster. I'm kind of bored with the case, so I ordered a SGP case. Hopefully the holster will still fit, but that remains to be seen. Thanks for the reviews!

 

[c0mplex]

Wirelessly posted

I have the #2 and I like it. No problems with it and its a very secure holster. I'm kind of bored with the case, so I ordered a SGP case. Hopefully the holster will still fit, but that remains to be seen. Thanks for the reviews!

Let me know if it works cause i've been considering the same thing! Hopefully it works with my poetic atmosphere or an SGP case!

 

[pocketdoc]

I like #3, but it looks like there are no holes in the bottom for the speaker.

Can you hear a txt while the phone is in the case?

 

[matneh]

I like #3, but it looks like there are no holes in the bottom for the speaker.

Can you hear a txt while the phone is in the case?

You're right, there is no cutout for the speakers, but I haven't noticed any problem with hearing the phone. You could always put it in upside down so the speakers face out.

 

[jasko]

Thanks for the review. I've been looking around for a decent holster now since the 5 was released. I, too, am coming from a Blackberry holster that housed my 4S. VERY sturdy clip on those suckers.

Anyway, I'm interested in the third holster. My only concern is that belt clip. I see it's the kind where it's easy to slide on and off the belt. I'd much rather prefer if it had some sort of lip that went in towards the case to catch on the belt, making it harder to slide off. Have you had any negative experiences with that? How sturdy is that holster versus a BB one?

Thanks again. Great writeup and pics!

 

[matneh]

The clip is very tight, and I haven't had any problems with it slipping off.

 

[psypha]

I use #2 with a poetic atmosphere case and I love it. Plan to get another thin case soon too and hopefully it will still fit.

 

[pocketdoc]

I have used Seidio holsters for years. So easy to take the phone in an out.

However, the new 5 holsters seem very different to me. I think it is because of the new thinner shape of the 5. The top latch is very tight and requires quite a bit of force to "push" the phone into place. So much so that I was worried about scratching the phone or case. It seemed that lifting the top latch while inserting the phone was necessary.

What has been your experience? I had even applied self-adhesive felt to this part to limit the "scratching", but that looks so bad.

I really want to use them, but do not want to scratch my phone or cases.

 

[psypha]

I have used Seidio holsters for years. So easy to take the phone in an out.

However, the new 5 holsters seem very different to me. I think it is because of the new thinner shape of the 5. The top latch is very tight and requires quite a bit of force to "push" the phone into place. So much so that I was worried about scratching the phone or case. It seemed that lifting the top latch while inserting the phone was necessary.

What has been your experience? I had even applied self-adhesive felt to this part to limit the "scratching", but that looks so bad.

I really want to use them, but do not want to scratch my phone or cases.

With my atmosphere case I have no major issues. The case is so thin(probably the thinnest full coverage phone with lay-on-table feature) it "pops" right into the holster. I've been using it over a month now and there has been little to none wear and tear on the top part of the case where the clip holds on. Great holster so far.

 

[Chargerdan]

I have used Seidio holsters for years. So easy to take the phone in an out.

However, the new 5 holsters seem very different to me. I think it is because of the new thinner shape of the 5. The top latch is very tight and requires quite a bit of force to "push" the phone into place. So much so that I was worried about scratching the phone or case. It seemed that lifting the top latch while inserting the phone was necessary.

What has been your experience? I had even applied self-adhesive felt to this part to limit the "scratching", but that looks so bad.

I really want to use them, but do not want to scratch my phone or cases.

I agree. The holster latch is twice as hard as the one on the 4/4S. I don't remember it being that way new and just got easier with age.

It's still my favorite setup.

 

[v3rn]

I've been using the Element Case Holster and love it. It takes a bit to get used to taking the phone in and out, but after having it a couple weeks it's easy. And I think it looks much better than those other holsters and works with most thin cases.

 

[NitroBiz]

iSkin revoClip

I currently have a 4S with a Speck PixelSkin case and I use(d) until it broke yesterday a iSkin revoClip that is perfect. I've been using the revoClip for years on my 3GS, 4 and now my 4S and have been completely satisfied, now that it seems fitting I upgrade to the 5 or 5S when it comes out I've been going over all the sites looking for a similar belt clip that will allow me to put a Speck PixelSkin on my iPhone (which is my favorite) while having it locked in a belt clip. From what I've gathered from this discussion the Sedio Platinum case is my best choice so far however I'd rather if I can find it, if they're made get a belt clip like the iSkin revoClip that allows me to slide in the iPhone instead of snapping it in. Does anyone know of a belt clip for the iPhone 5 that slides in the phone rather then snap in?

Thanks!

 

[SchneiderMan]

Why can't you just put your iPad into your pocket? If you were pocket-less than I would understand, but a holster stuck to the side of you waist like some leech is mighty annoying.

 

[warburg2]

How about a horizontal holster? Which one would you recommend, if any?

 

[macher]

For your consideration, I bought these three holsters and thought I would share my opinions on them:

#1: Seidio Spring-Clip holster (For phones with no case): http://www.seidioonline.com/apple-iphone-5-spring-clip-holster-black-p/hliph5as.htm
#2: Seidio Spring-Clip holster (For phones with case, known as "Surface" and also sold under the brand "Platinum" or "Pt" in Best Buy stores): http://www.seidioonline.com/apple-iphone-5-surface-case-holster-combo-black-p/bd2-hr3iph5-bk.htm
#3: Splash Alpha I Lambskin Leather holster (For phones with no case): http://www.splashproducts.com/product_p/spl-iph5-vllc.htm

Note: Splash also sells a Lambskin holster for phones with a case known as the Alpha II, but I did not purchase that one.

#1 Seidio Spring-Clip hoster no case
Image
Image
Image

This is a no-frills holster that is great if you want to carry your iPhone with as little plastic as possible. It is light and has a good belt clip, but it rides a little high on the belt. It takes some coordination to move the spring-clip out of the way when opening it up and not drop your phone in the process. When putting the phone in, the spring-clip does rub against the top of the phone and out of the way before snapping into place. I did not get any scratches on my phone from this, however, because I do use a Best Skins Ever full-body skin on it.

One problem I noticed, though, was that I got two dents in the front skin from the corners of the holster, shown here:
Image

Not a big deal, but if I were to keep this holster, I would probably sand those corners down to prevent repetitive damage to the screen protector. The skin I have on the phone does make it a very tight fit and a bit difficult to remove. If you get this holster, I would suggest not putting a skin on the sides to prevent sticking to the sides of the holster.

#2 Seidio Platinum Spring-Clip holster with case
This is the version they sell in Best Buy, which seems similar to the "Surface Combo" that Seidio sells on their website.
Image
Image
Image

This is a really nice spring-clip holster and case combination. The case comes in two pieces that snap together firmly, has cutouts for the camera, buttons, and lightning/microphone/speaker holes. The case has a good matte texture and feels sturdy. The clip is a little beefier than #1 which means that it can lay sideways on a table for watching movies. The #1 holster cannot lay sideways on a table. But it also means that the whole holster sticks out a little more when it's on your belt, in addition to the additional thickness of the case and the clip sticking further out.

#3 Splash Alpha I Lambskin Leather holster
The reason I bought this one is because I had a similar holster for my Blackberry with the magnetic flap and I really liked it. Amazon reviewers said that this was the closest to that famous Blackberry holster for the iPhone 5, so I ordered it direct from Splash.

Image
Image
Image

What I like about this holster is that it has a nice slim profile. Unlike the spring-clip holsters, there is no clip sticking out of the top that can snag on things. Its belt clip also has a slim profile meaning that it carries closer to your hip. Finally, this holster rides a little lower than #1 and #2 which I prefer. My only pet peeve is that the fit of the iPhone is not as snug as it could be, there is a little bit of wiggle room where it seems like they could have removed a bit of extra material and make it even thinner.

Now for some side-by-side shots:
Image
Image
Image

And some hip shots in the same order #1, #2, #3:
Image
Image
Image
You can tell from the location of the bottom of the case versus the top of my pocket that the Splash case definitely rides lower.

Finally, some backside shots so you can see the difference in profile of the 3 holsters:
Image
Image
Image

Conclusion:
If you are shopping around for a holster and definitely want a spring clip holster, I would recommend #2, the spring-clip holster with a case. I'm not coordinated enough to open up the clip and not accidentally drop my iPhone while trying to pull it out, so I would be very nervous using #1. In addition, the clip on #2 is big enough to allow the phone to be put in backwards (face-out) and lay the whole thing sideways, which would be nice for watching movies or TV shows.

However, if you aren't set on a spring-clip, I highly recommend the Splash Alpha I Lambskin holster. As you can see from the last set of pictures, it does not protrude as much, has a secure magnetic flap, rides low on the belt, and because you pull the phone out from the sides straight out of the holster, less worry about dropping the phone as you take it out. It is also very compatible with the total-body skin because there is a little wiggle room in the holster. Of course, if you really want to have a case on your phone along with the holster, you could try out the Splash Alpha II, but I don't have any experience with that one.

Thanks for reading, and I hope this helps out anybody like me that was struggling to find a good belt holster for their iPhone 5.

How is the Splash when you sit? Does the holster turn so far t won't jab?

 

[matneh]

How is the Splash when you sit? Does the holster turn so far t won't jab?

I don't have that case anymore (I realized I look like a dweeb wearing a holster, so I carry it in my pocked now), but from what I remember it was interfering with the belt buckle which was a little uncomfortable. It swivels far enough so you can adjust the direction the phone points so it doesn't jab you in the leg (or your chair).

 

[histest]

Great review.But Why don`t you just put your iPad into your pocket directly?

 

[wproct]

To the OP, nice review and good photos. Thanks for taking the time to do it. I have holster carried my cell phones for years. It's really convenient, your cell phone is always by your side, no worries as to what you put in your pockets, whether it will scratch your phone etc. However, having said that, recently I have began to pocket carry my 5s in a shirt pocket, just for a change of pace.