With any new phone, particularly a smart phone, we all have a similar struggle: leave it unprotected and have full usability and comfort, or get a bulky case for it to make sure nothing bad happens. For those of us that enjoy the outdoors this is an even more important decision -one that could prove fatal for the phone with just a single misstep (or unplanned monsoon). Thankfully, LifeProof has created a case for the iPhone 4 and 4S that will make this decision a lot easier, and give you more freedom to use your phone wherever you go.
The LifeProof iPhone case was designed to offer a high level of protection for your device while still allowing the use of all of the phone features. Not only will you still have the full usability of the iPhone, but you will have even more freedom to use it, even in adverse conditions. By providing waterproof, shockproof, dustproof, and snowproof protection, you can now use your iPhone pretty much wherever you will be going instead of leaving it behind. Want to film that awesome mountain biking path you discovered? Go for it. Feel the need to call your friends while surfing? Not a problem. Get the urge to Google the lyrics of your tunes in the shower so you can sing without murdering classic songs? Please do.
Because the people at LifeProof designed this case to meet U.S. military standards, it doesn’t just offer the most basic protection in the four proof categories; LifeProof will go the distance by giving your device superior safety features. For instance, they have tested the shockproof features of the case by dropping an iPhone from 6 feet high onto concrete without any damage. LifeProof will protect your phone up to 6.6 feet (2 meters) underwater, as well.
There are several features that make the LifeProof case the perfect blend between guarding your iPhone from danger and using it without fuss. First, it only adds a tiny 1.5 mm to the size of your phone and weighs less than an ounce. The designers not only found a way to make sure that you are still able to hear your phone while keeping water out, they also made the speakers sound better by making the back of the case act as a subwoofer for a richer sound. They have put lens quality glass over the camera that has been treated so that it reduces glare, making sure that you can take fantastic pictures wherever you go (even underwater). With all of these features, you might expect LifeProof cases to look either plain, militaristic, or like the phone version of a construction worker safety vest, but you’d be wrong. They actually look pretty nice, and are availabe in black, purple, pink, or white.
Added to all these features, the folks at LifeProof have developed several different accessories – many of them designed specifically for outdoor adventures. There’s an adapter that will allow you to attach your LifeProof-protected iPhone to a GoPro mount. If you want to listen to music underwater, all you need to do is purchase their underwater adapter and some waterproof headphones (awesome for swimming, surfing, hot tubbing, or even taking a bath). Of course, they also offer an armband for taking your tunes on the go.
While we got to get a bit of a peek of these cases at Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, we weren’t able to get a whole lot of hands-on time with them. From what we have seen they look like a fantastic investment at $79.99, especially when you consider how costly repairs are for iPhones. We will give you a much more detailed look if we can get our hands on one of these cases. For now, check out the LifeProof website www.lifeproof.com.
– David