Ill admit right now, I am, and will never be a huge fan of carbon fiber. While I think a lot of case companies do know what they are doing when they try to mix Apple and carbon fiber, most other companies just end making the case ugly and causing reception issues. X-Gear has sent us out their new Carbon Fiber Jacket for review, a spinoff of the more common snap on style carbon fiber cases that we see on the market. The Flip Jacket features a front flap to protect the frontside of your iPhone, real carbon fiber, and, from what I have heard, absolutely no reception issues. So, will the X-Gear Carbon Fiber Flip Jacket for the iPhone 4 finally turn my mind upside down for the way I feel about carbon fiber? Read on for the full review to find out!
Im not going to go too in depth with this case as their isnt too much to see. Im not saying its an unexciting case, Im just stating that its a very simple design aspect. The packaging comes in a small plastic container that includes the case itself, no vanity kit, no screen protection. Which can be accepted due to the fact that you have enough protection already from the front flap, right? Then again, a little extra screen protection is always a nice treat. The installation process, which was very much like working with a slider style case, was surprisingly very easy, and only took a few moments to put on. You simply slide your iPhone 4 through the bottom corners and up to the top. Now, I did find that while most screen shields were compatible, some thicker ones may not fit due to the fact that the corers and the sides of the case hug the iPhone 4 very tightly.
There really isnt a lot to cover in terms of an overview of the case, but why not? The bottom and the sides are completely covered up by carbon fiber, except for the top and the sides that are raising up, which are left open for the volume buttons and the ringer switch, which are all very easy to access. The tops is completely left open and the sleep/wake button registers without any problem and all headphone jacks will work with the headphone slot. Lastly, there is an opening on the back for the camera and the flash, and, despite being small, did not surprisingly present any problems when taking pictures in the dead of night or in the dark.
As far as the quality of the carbon fiber goes its pretty awesome to sum it up in one short sentence. If I were to go a little more in depth, it feels very comfortable in the hand (although it may be a little weird to hold the flap down when you are using your phone, which may be a concern for some), has a small amount of grip, not as much as silicone cases, and provides a good amount of durability against everyday use and scratches, as real carbon fiber does.
As mentioned in the above paragraph, I did find that actually using the phone with the flap down can be quite annoying. While some people didnt mind that the flap was there, it was very annoying to me and picky people may need to be wary about that. Besides that, the Carbon Fiber Flip Jacket for the iPhone 4 adds a very cool and industrial look to the outside of your phone. The carbon fiber is high quality, feels great, and is very durable, a great case for someone who wants to change up the look of their iPhone 4. You can pick up the X-Gear Carbon fiber Flip Jacket for the iPhone 4 for $34.99, a pleasant price considering that carbon fiber seems to cost a lot o money nowadays. Follow the link at the bottom if you want to get your own Flip Jacket.
Rating: 4/5
X-Gear Carbon Fiber Flip Jacket for iPhone 4 (Product Link)
The price only makes my accusation stronger too.