Smartphones: PinStack.com - REVIEW: Case-Mate

I have to admit that I was a little leery of this one when I first opened the box. When you first look at the pieces of the case, you can't help but wonder how it's ultimately going to work. The built-in mechanism that serves as a retractable screen protector seems flimsy and loose. Once you get it pieced together on the device, however, it's pretty ROCK SOLID!

It seemed a little awkward to attach the case at first, however it was actually quite simple. What concerned me was the fact that there are rubber pieces that you need to use some force on to get the device inserted. I was worried about that scratching the device, however you soon realize that these are in fact a means for shock absorption and hold the device firmly in place inside the case.

I had (past tense) a screen protector on the front of my i4S which turned out to be a problem. Since the rubber pieces I spoke of earlier hold the device so snugly, they also push on the screen protector as you insert the device into the pieces of the case so much so that it caused the screen protector to detach (see photo below) and I ended up having to remove it altogether. A small but fairly significant issue for those of us who are extremely anal about their devices and want as much protection for them as possible.

So once I finally got the case on the device, I was able to overlook that issue and was really impressed with the fit and finish! Everything felt really solid, even the retractable screen shield.

Here is some verbiage from the Case-Mate site about the Tank case:

Modeled after motorcycle helmet engineering, Tank is designed with a hard, impact resistant exterior and a shock absorbing interior. A shatter resistant, polycarbonate hard shell combines with the thick, silicone cushioned interior. The retractable screen shields from impacts, cracking and condensation, fully protecting the iPhone screen. The Tank exterior is made of a premium, soft grip texture that slides easily in and out of your pockets. The Tank tests number one in impact resistance against the leading brand, and meets or exceeds US military standards.

I don't use the retractable screen shield all that much, mainly on the weekends when I don't normally use a holster, but it serves its purpose in offering that much more protection for the device. Definitely made me overlook that issue with the film screen protector coming off.

There's a little handle on the back of the device that you use to open and close the screen shield. It's really easy to use, and as I said earlier, once the case is attached, everything has a really solid, well-built feel to it.

When you have the retractable shield closed, it's clear enough that you can see any notifications that may have come in, but again, it's meant to protect the screen, so it serves that purpose really well.

The only things that are accessible when the case is on are the camera, proximity sensor and the silencer switch. Everything else is covered with rubber pieces that make certain controls very easy, such as the volume and power controls. The home button is also covered by a clever rubber piece making it very easy to use.

There are also built-in covers for the earphone and charging ports, which move out of the way so you can use the ports.

As with many heavy-duty cases like this, typing on the device has its issues, especially if you have fat fingers like me. This is especially cumbersome if you need to reach keys at the bottom of the screen.

Another nice feature to this case is the fact that it comes with a holster. Since this is my "weekend case," I generally don't use the holster since I usually just slide the device in my coat or pants pocket. But the holster definitely comes in handy, especially in cases like last weekend when my family and I went hiking.

The Case-Mate Tank is not cheap at 60.00, but in my opinion is definitely worth the price. It's available in four different color combinations, which you can view here on the Case-Mate website.

So despite a couple of niggling issues as pointed out above, the Case-Mate Tank Case definitely gets a nod of approval from me! As stated in the information above from their website, this case is military grade, built to protect and serve, and it does so very well!