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Paragon Precise. OK, I won the case Lotto—this one is perfect, no defects. I actually really like the feel, the same as last year, Caudabe’s best case IMO. Fortunately, with my UltraGlass screen protector, which is on the thin side, the screen is perfectly flush with the lip, which is acceptable to me and actually feels great. If the screen protector was a fraction of a millimeter thicker it would protrude beyond the lip—I got lucky this time. So overall, not disappointed, and it’ll most likely end up in the rotation.

And to the Mous haters—yes, the Paragon is more comfortable… lol.

View attachment 2648715
One thing I should add. I ordered extra silver buttons for the Paragon and they don’t fit properly. They stick out further than the black buttons that came on the case and the edges feel quite sharp, so they are pretty much unusable. Ugh. This is the type of annoyance that causes me to continue to gripe and complain about Caudabe. It’s always something with them…
 
But Mous remains your number 1 or?
Yes. The Mous is more protective while being nearly as comfortable. It also has better buttons (see above).

They share the same banana-shape. Does the Mous feel a lot more 'boxy'?
I would say “slightly” more boxy. For me, it’s a fair trade-off for the significantly higher level of drop protection.
 
One thing I should add. I ordered extra silver buttons for the Paragon and they don’t fit properly. They stick out further than the black buttons that came on the case and the edges feel quite sharp, so they are pretty much unusable. Ugh. This is the type of annoyance that causes me to continue to gripe and complain about Caudabe. It’s always something with them…
What size are they? I believe 2.4 is the correct size for the Paragon.
 
Hey all! Four-Eyed Tech Guy here. I appreciate you all taking the time to watch my rugged case reviews and sharing them. As a small YouTube creator, it means a lot! I wanted to share some video corrections regarding my recent NOMAD rugged case review video:

1) The case slipped off the iPhone on drop #2—not drop #1. Technically, that means it happened after the first drop.

2) The chemical smell I mentioned was NOT coming from the NOMAD case. It was caused by a swollen iPhone battery leaking an acetone-like smell. This also explains the slight bulge I noticed underneath the case’s backplate.

When I first noticed the bulge, I took the phone to Best Buy because I suspected the battery. However, the phone passed all of their diagnostic tests, so the technician thought the case’s backplate adhesive might be wearing down. More recently, the phone began randomly restarting. I returned to Best Buy, but it passed every diagnostic test again, including the battery test. Since the restarts continued, I brought it to Apple for another evaluation earlier this evening. The Apple Genius also ran diagnostics, and the phone passed again. At first, we thought the iOS 27 beta might be causing the restarts. However, the Genius then noticed the slight bulge, smelled the phone, and immediately identified the real problem: a swollen battery. I smelled it myself, and it was the exact same odor I noticed while reviewing the NOMAD case. The battery will now be replaced, and I’ll continue testing the remaining iPhone 17 Pro Max rugged cases that I have. I apologize for incorrectly blaming the NOMAD case before finding the actual cause. To be clear, the NOMAD case DOES NOT emit a chemical smell. On a positive note, the iPhone 17 Pro Max survived roughly 1,400 drops onto manufactured hardwood before developing a significant internal problem, which is honestly pretty incredible.
 
I’m pretty sure the Belkin UltraGlass is the thinnest screen protector on the market. The UltraGlass brand 9H (which is not affiliated with Belkin at all) is thicker, but not as thick as the really beefy protectors like the Torras. I found the Belkin UltraGlass to be quite fragile, whereas the UltraGlass brand 9H is much more durable.
Thanks for the info.

I fixed my original post for clarity 😱
 
Hey all! Four-Eyed Tech Guy here. I appreciate you all taking the time to watch my rugged case reviews and sharing them. As a small YouTube creator, it means a lot! I wanted to share some video corrections regarding my recent NOMAD rugged case review video:

1) The case slipped off the iPhone on drop #2—not drop #1. Technically, that means it happened after the first drop.

2) The chemical smell I mentioned was NOT coming from the NOMAD case. It was caused by a swollen iPhone battery leaking an acetone-like smell. This also explains the slight bulge I noticed underneath the case’s backplate.

When I first noticed the bulge, I took the phone to Best Buy because I suspected the battery. However, the phone passed all of their diagnostic tests, so the technician thought the case’s backplate adhesive might be wearing down. More recently, the phone began randomly restarting. I returned to Best Buy, but it passed every diagnostic test again, including the battery test. Since the restarts continued, I brought it to Apple for another evaluation earlier this evening. The Apple Genius also ran diagnostics, and the phone passed again. At first, we thought the iOS 27 beta might be causing the restarts. However, the Genius then noticed the slight bulge, smelled the phone, and immediately identified the real problem: a swollen battery. I smelled it myself, and it was the exact same odor I noticed while reviewing the NOMAD case. The battery will now be replaced, and I’ll continue testing the remaining iPhone 17 Pro Max rugged cases that I have. I apologize for incorrectly blaming the NOMAD case before finding the actual cause. To be clear, the NOMAD case DOES NOT emit a chemical smell. On a positive note, the iPhone 17 Pro Max survived roughly 1,400 drops onto manufactured hardwood before developing a significant internal problem, which is honestly pretty incredible.
Thanks for the feedback and for the correction. We really appreciate you sacrificing your personal iPhone for these very much needed tests!🙏🏻 They are really really helpful. All Kudos to you!
 
Hey all! Four-Eyed Tech Guy here. I appreciate you all taking the time to watch my rugged case reviews and sharing them. As a small YouTube creator, it means a lot! I wanted to share some video corrections regarding my recent NOMAD rugged case review video:

1) The case slipped off the iPhone on drop #2—not drop #1. Technically, that means it happened after the first drop.

2) The chemical smell I mentioned was NOT coming from the NOMAD case. It was caused by a swollen iPhone battery leaking an acetone-like smell. This also explains the slight bulge I noticed underneath the case’s backplate.

When I first noticed the bulge, I took the phone to Best Buy because I suspected the battery. However, the phone passed all of their diagnostic tests, so the technician thought the case’s backplate adhesive might be wearing down. More recently, the phone began randomly restarting. I returned to Best Buy, but it passed every diagnostic test again, including the battery test. Since the restarts continued, I brought it to Apple for another evaluation earlier this evening. The Apple Genius also ran diagnostics, and the phone passed again. At first, we thought the iOS 27 beta might be causing the restarts. However, the Genius then noticed the slight bulge, smelled the phone, and immediately identified the real problem: a swollen battery. I smelled it myself, and it was the exact same odor I noticed while reviewing the NOMAD case. The battery will now be replaced, and I’ll continue testing the remaining iPhone 17 Pro Max rugged cases that I have. I apologize for incorrectly blaming the NOMAD case before finding the actual cause. To be clear, the NOMAD case DOES NOT emit a chemical smell. On a positive note, the iPhone 17 Pro Max survived roughly 1,400 drops onto manufactured hardwood before developing a significant internal problem, which is honestly pretty incredible.
Hey, thank you for all the crazy drop test you do, everyone loves them. You had me on a sniffing spree yesterday, sniffing every case I own 🤣 Keep up the great work.
 
Hey all! Four-Eyed Tech Guy here. I appreciate you all taking the time to watch my rugged case reviews and sharing them. As a small YouTube creator, it means a lot! I wanted to share some video corrections regarding my recent NOMAD rugged case review video:

1) The case slipped off the iPhone on drop #2—not drop #1. Technically, that means it happened after the first drop.

2) The chemical smell I mentioned was NOT coming from the NOMAD case. It was caused by a swollen iPhone battery leaking an acetone-like smell. This also explains the slight bulge I noticed underneath the case’s backplate.

When I first noticed the bulge, I took the phone to Best Buy because I suspected the battery. However, the phone passed all of their diagnostic tests, so the technician thought the case’s backplate adhesive might be wearing down. More recently, the phone began randomly restarting. I returned to Best Buy, but it passed every diagnostic test again, including the battery test. Since the restarts continued, I brought it to Apple for another evaluation earlier this evening. The Apple Genius also ran diagnostics, and the phone passed again. At first, we thought the iOS 27 beta might be causing the restarts. However, the Genius then noticed the slight bulge, smelled the phone, and immediately identified the real problem: a swollen battery. I smelled it myself, and it was the exact same odor I noticed while reviewing the NOMAD case. The battery will now be replaced, and I’ll continue testing the remaining iPhone 17 Pro Max rugged cases that I have. I apologize for incorrectly blaming the NOMAD case before finding the actual cause. To be clear, the NOMAD case DOES NOT emit a chemical smell. On a positive note, the iPhone 17 Pro Max survived roughly 1,400 drops onto manufactured hardwood before developing a significant internal problem, which is honestly pretty incredible.
Thanks for the update! We appreciate what you do. You deserve far more followers. 👍🏼

It’s pretty amazing that the phone survived ~1400 drops before it suffered catastrophic failure. It makes you wonder when during that process the damage was done. Was it one particular case that was not protective enough, or was it cumulative minor damage that finally added up to cause the failure? I guess we’ll never know…
 
Got a brand new Suti phoneback, blueberry noir, silicone off Vinted for £12 inc postage.

It’s really really nice- silicone is nice and soft, doesn’t feel too sticky. Will provide good grip in pocket.

See how it goes but probably a nice weekend option.
 
I personally don’t use a screen protector with my Pitaka case and have no concerns. The form factor of the ultra slim and bare screen to me is unmatched. I’ve actually never used screen protectors on any of my phones though, not a fan of them so take my input with a grain of salt.

If you’re concerned, the screen protector with the Pitaka will definitely give you peace of mind but either way give it a shot.

It might feel strange and scary at first when you’re used to regular cases. After a while you get used to it and build confidence with it, then it’s unmatched imo. Going back to any regular case will feel bulky.

I can sort of understand the mindset of people who go caseless and the way they feel about cases. Completely caseless though isn’t for me lol
I know you said you don’t use a screen protector. But don’t think the Pitaka cases would feel weird with a screen protector where the edges of the glass are sharp and raised above the case? Or do you think they’d sit at least flush?

I initially wanted a raised lip case but I’m coming around to maybe trying a Pitaka off the lighter weight alone. I’ve been rocking the TineeOwl the entire time I had my 17P but this darn thing is heavy and bulky.
 
An outdoor photo of my favorite combo. Couldn’t be happier that Apple brought the midnight blue silicone back. It was my favorite case for my iPhone X back in the day and now it’s my favorite case for the 17 PM.
 

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Dang, as someone new to Caudabe, it's disconcerting to see so many negative experiences. I've had my 17 Pro celestial blue (precise) sheath for several weeks and to me, it was perfect in terms of fit, build & button tactility from day one. I also have an (open) gray sheath on it's way to me now.

I actually avoided Mous because I recalled seeing tons of negativity about them in past case threads, I think. But now, that leather one is beckoning... 😊
So my Caudabe gray sheath (open) + black button set was delivered this morning. As I note above, I am new to Caudabe cases, so reciting my experiences is likely eye-roll-inducing for some here, as y'all have been talking about Caudabe for years.

Anyway, only my second case, and yeah...I see what is meant by unit/production variation. This gray sheath is much less grippy than my celestial blue (precise) case that I've had for ~4 weeks now. I immediately noted the gray one is smoother in feel. Still good grip, mind you, just not like the celestial blue one.

It's not a deficiency that makes me want to return it, but notable nonetheless.

I tend to prefer this type of simple/utilitarian/"industrial" look. YMMV of course.

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View attachment 2648917Does anybody have this Pitaka case this is the Cairn case right thoughts on it? $29.99 on Amazon seems like a steal. 34 grams is decently light but idk if those bumpers would bother me.
Be aware that this case doesn’t have a camera control button, only a “cover”. If you don’t use the camera control it won’t bother you, if you do, it could be a deal killer.
 
I know you said you don’t use a screen protector. But don’t think the Pitaka cases would feel weird with a screen protector where the edges of the glass are sharp and raised above the case? Or do you think they’d sit at least flush?

I initially wanted a raised lip case but I’m coming around to maybe trying a Pitaka off the lighter weight alone. I’ve been rocking the TineeOwl the entire time I had my 17P but this darn thing is heavy and bulky.
I hear you, I tried the TO and it’s heavy for sure!

I’ve never tried Pitaka ultra slim with a screen protector so I can’t speak from experience but I think the screen protector might actually sit a little higher than the “lip” of the case from what I’ve heard and seen on videos.

So if you put your phone face down it’ll definitely be sitting on the screen protector directly.
 
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