What’s there to say? I have a phone, I need to protect it. Protect it from what? Scratches? Sure. Drops? Definitely? Dropping it in the toilet? Probably not.

But everyone seems to have different requirements for their phone cases. Some people don’t really care for protection, and use cases merely to adorn the phone. I’m talking about those girls whose phones are blinged beyond recognition; where you doubt whether they understand what a case is for in the first place. And don’t get me started on those multi-coloured silicone cases.

But there is a large group of intelligent people who recognize that, after spending hundreds of dollars on a phone, it is in his or her best interest to keep it clean, scratch-free and working.

The SmrtCase iPhone is one of those cases. While not exactly a beast, its “gimmick” keeps it feeling fresh and useful while maintaining the iPhone’s core attractiveness. The idea behind it comes from the fact that there is a curved back on the iPhone that leaves some space between the phone back and the case. Deciding to design a case to utilize this space seems only natural. Not to mention the fact that some people are less likely to forget their cell phone at home than their wallet. And say you’re going out and don’t have a lot of space; stick your debit card and a $20 in the slot on the back of the phone and you’re good to go.

SmrtCase thought ahead, too. They knew that sliding a card in and out of your iPhone would scratch the screen, so they included a clear, reusable sticker that sticks to the back of your phone, absorbing all those nasty scratches.

But you have to realize that when you buy this case, you’re not getting an Otterbox Defender, or something of its ilk. You’re getting a fairly lightweight polymer shell, that may protect your device from a couple feet, after that, you’re on your own.

I have to say, though, the SmrtCase is a fairly unassuming iPhone case; it almost disappears when you install it. It is barely visible when you look head-on at your device, and adds only a couple millimeters of thickness on the back.

It is disappointing, though, to see that SmrtCase didn’t increase the size of the card holding slot. I could easily stand it being extended another few millimeters, which would make it much easier to install two full-sized cards. As it stands, you’re limited to one thick card and maybe a business card or a folded-up bill.

SmrtCase is not trying to hide the shortcomings of its cases. They acknowledge that they live in a niche market. But I have been using it on a regular basis, and basically love it. It’s just hardy enough to put my mind at ease in case I drop the phone, and understated enough that I don’t feel the extra weight.

To be sure, this won’t replace my Otterbox case for heavy-duty activities where I’d be concerned about exposing my iPhone to the elements, but this case is almost good enough to replace a wallet on those nights when less is more.

For more information, check out SmrtCase.

Highly Recommended.

Tweet