I'm pretty rough on my iPhone, so it's a good thing I typically have it in a sturdy protective iPhone case. These days you absolutely do not have to have a bulky case to have a thoroughly protective iPhone case. In fact, in terms of bulk, many manufacturers of heavy-duty cases have managed to whittle their size down to the bare minimum, in some instances putting them on par with minimally protective iPhone cases. One of the newest cases to hit the market combines simple, unobtrusive style with above average protection without sacrificing a slim profile or adding a lot of extra bulk. The Pelican IP68 Marine (starting at $79.99) is the latest waterproof case for the iPhone 6/6s and iPhone 6 Plus/6s Plus series of iPhones. At first glance it looks great, but how does it actually perform in the field? Read on to find out my first impressions of this latest case from Pelican.What's the first thing I do with my iPhone 6 Plus when I get a new extreme-duty case to test out? I drop it. Never on purpose. But it never fails that once I get my iPhone secured inside, I almost alway manage to drop it within the first day. There's always that moment of panic before the cognitive mind kicks in and reminds me that everything should be fine because my iPhone is safe in its shock-proof shell. When I first put the Pelican IP68 Marine on my iPhone 6 Plus, I literally dropped my device onto a concrete floor seconds after getting the front and back panels snapped together. I'm happy to say the case and my iPhone remained completely unscathed. And they continued to remain unscathed when I dropped it again onto the concrete floor not three minutes later. Yeah, I'm rough on stuff. Nonetheless, being the eternal optimist, I'd say we were off to a great start, me and my new Pelican Marine case!

Design and Construction

The Marine case is obviously shock proof, bringing five layers of protection to the equation. The level of drop protection it provides is quite impressive considering how thin it is. It's also a waterproof phone case, with an IP68 rating, clearing it for full submersion to a depth of over six feet for at least half an hour. The tight seals of this case also mean that it's effective at keeping the elements out, so feel free to abuse your iPhone in the dirt, mud, snow, and rain with this case on.

The Marine has a built in scratch-resistant screen protector to absorb any impact or abrasions that would otherwise directly affect your iPhone's glass screen. And if you look carefully, you'll see built into the front screen protector are miniature sound ports to help deliver superb acoustics, which is one of the areas that waterproof cases can sometimes fall short.

The Marine case has a wide, raised bevel around the perimeter of the iPhone's backside, and a thin bezel around the front side of the iPhone. The front bezel in particular, protects the iPhone's screen when it is face down on a surface. All of the iPhone's buttons are easily accessible, and the Lightning charging port in also easy to access via a strong, flexible silicone plug. The headphone jack is protected by a screw in plug, which while effective, was somewhat difficult to use—especially during the first few days of use while it was getting broken in.

Pros

• A fully functional, full-time-use case. It never has to come out, not for charging, not to access buttons, not for clear sound quality.
• Lightweight and thin, this case adds little in the way of bulk.
• I loved the bevel around the front of the iPhone's face. It adds an extra angle to grip on to, while keeping the touchscreen slightly removed from surfaces when the device is facedown.

Cons

• Initially, the port screw that covers the headphone jack was extremely difficult for me to open, and it took a few days of use for the screw to feel like I didn't need to exert an exorbitant amount or force to get it to twist in and sit securely in its hole. As mentioned above, it did perform better after a few days of regular use.
• This case would benefit from a lanyard strap. A strap goes a long way to keep the iPhone from falling, especially when the iPhone is slippery and wet.
• While I anticipate this changing before too long, at the time of this writing there is only one color choice for this phone case, that being black.

Final Verdict:

Despite a few shortcomings I found this to be a highly effective, extremely comfortable, top-quality waterproof iPhone case. I would certainly consider it one of the best options on the market, especially if acoustic quality, minimalist design, and reliable craftsmanship are priorities for you. I highly recommend this exemplary iPhone case.

Source: www.iphonelife.com