Note: these items were provided for review.
I am not historically a ‘case person’ when it comes to my iPhone. I cannot remember the last time I actually used a case on a regular basis (maybe the iPhone 4?). That said, this iPhone 16 does seem a lot less durable than my other models. I’ve been plagued by an easily scratched display, and thus my confidence in the phone has tanked. So when Benks reached out to send me a couple of their Kevlar based cases, I jumped at the chance.
They sent the ArmorPro and ArmorAir models for my phone, and while both are quite nice and have their place — the ArmorAir has not come off my phone since trying it. And I doubt it will come off my phone — it’s fantastic.
Materials
ArmorPro Montage:
– Camera Control Button
– MagSafe Compatible
– Materials 600D&1500D DuPont™ Kevlar® Fiber, TPU, PC, Aluminum Alloy, Magnet
– Thickness: 1.4mm
– Weight: 37.4g
ArmorAir 600D:
– MagSafe Compatible
– 4ft drop protection
– Materials: 600D Dupont™ Kevlar® Fiber, PC, Magnet
– Thickness: 1mm
– Weight: 23g
The fit on my iPhone with either case is perfect. No issues, stays put, and goes on easy enough.
In Use: ArmorPro
The ArmorPro is the case you want if your end goal is to get a lot of protection for your device. If you are particularly hard on your device (lots of drops, toss it into the bottom of your bag, etc) then this case feels designed for that type of user.
It also feels like it offers a ton of protection, and because of that it does add bulk. It’s no bulkier than any of the generic Amazon cases my kids like to put on their phones, and not appreciably different than the Silicon Cases Apple sells (which my wife uses on her phone). Which is to say, this case is fairly in line with a pretty standard amount of case bulk. At the same time, it’s clearly well designed to protect and seems more protective than similarly sized cases I have handled.
I did notice the size a lot in my pocket, and it made my device feel very present when carrying it in my pocket, and almost too large for me when paired with my wallet in my pocket (how I normally carry my phone). I know a lot of people who don’t pocket carry their phones, and that seems like a better option with this case.
The case also has a bit of stick/grip to it overall. I know a lot of people find the current crop of phones to be far too slick, and this does a really good job of mitigating that issue. Again the downside is with pocket, as this level of grip means it can pull my pocket out with the device (and anything else in my pocket). For people who toss their phone about, this is likely a benefit, but for those who pocket carry, you should take note. If you are prone to having your phone slide off things, or out of your hand, this is well mitigated with this case.
The only actual issue I ran into with this case is on my flat valet tray, which has an integrated Qi charger. The case is almost too thick for that style charger to work well, and caused that charging to be very spotty for me and finicky (likely a combination of added thickness, and the crazy large camera bump lifting the device off the flat surface). The case charges fine with cables, or magnet style Qi chargers, but for that flat tray it had just enough distance that the charging was not reliable.
This is a really nice case, with really neat material choices. It’s something I won’t hesitate to pop on my phone when I head out on a hike, or anything like that, but for the rest of my day to day, it’s more protection than I need.
In Use: ArmorAir
I really love the ArmorAir case. It’s very thin, allows you to directly interact with the actual hardware device buttons, does not get in the way of any charging cables, or Qi chargers I have tried. Yet it offers just enough grip that you get a little more confidence using it, while not having it be too “sticky” such that it pulls everything out of my pocket.
The bumper around the cameras is substantial, and appears to offer the most protected area on the case, while still not adding a whole lot to the overall thickness of the device when you are carrying or stowing it in your pocket. Effectively giving you protection on the camera lenses, with very little downside.
This is a perfect case for someone who doesn’t really want a case, but feels they need a case — which is me. Hi. It gives me solid ding and light bump/scratch protection around the device sides and back, while the camera bump is well guarded. Yet it doesn’t make the phone feel larger, such that it feels bulky in any practical way. Actually, I don’t notice any additional bulk with this case on my iPhone.
I’ve been running this case full time on my iPhone, and it’s likely I’ll keep doing so — it’s been a winner for me. I took my phone protected with this case for a long vacation, and had no regrets.
Perhaps more telling: I never cared to pull this case off my phone, as I have with other cases.
Overall
Both cases have their pros and cons, and both are very well made. I like the designs, and the materials here too. The ArmorAir is better for those who prefer nothing on their phone if possible, while the Pro is for those who don’t want to have to worry about their device.
Pairing these with my screen protector gives a lot of peace of mind for me on a daily basis — and it seems with Apple’s latest devices, you need more protection on these.
Buy them here, ArmorPro $45, ArmorAir $40 (use code BROOKSREVIEW15) to get 15% off.