Dec 16
 | Marware Sport Grip Case for iPhone 1G (Black) Feature:
Average Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Price: $11.81  |
Customer Rating 5 of 5
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Protection. Performance. Price. Marware's Sport Grip excels in all.
I was looking for a thin, protective, and inexpensive case for my iPhone knowing that most third party products are bulky, shabby, and overpriced. There are other cases that look better, but Marware's Sport Grip offers the best-looking protection and grip for the iPhone (which is a particularly dense, slick device; and therefore very easy to drop). While I am very impressed with the design and appearance of the Cozip case, I would still recommend the Marware Sport Grip because of its more industrial-strength grip and protection.
If protecting your iPhone from the hard knocks of life is your top priority, then this is the case for you. There are two caveats however that both relate to dust.
The first caveat is applying the clear screen protector without trapping air, lint, or dust below it. Eventually I got it perfectly, but you must be very careful and patient with this protector until it is properly applied. While the iPhone's screen is reputed to be extremely scratch resistant, I prefer the extra protection afforded by this clear protector.
Use the supplied microfiber cloth (and Dust-Off, if you have it) to clean your iPhone very thoroughly first. Apply the screen protector as instructed in a clean and well-lighted place. You will most likely have to make several attempts, but eventually it will work perfectly. I used a Swiss Army knife toothpick to lift the protector off the screen to reapply, but any sharp non-metal object should work as well.
If you do get lint below the screen protector (as I did), don't give up. Simply saturate a few cotton balls in pure rubbing alcohol (99%) and gently wipe the clinging side of the protector from edge to edge in one motion on a fresh sheet of office paper. Keep wiping until the entire protector surface is clean, then blot the alcohol off using another fresh sheet of office paper. Reapply the protector as instructed. It took me several attempts of cleaning and reapplying, but eventually it clung perfectly to the iPhone screen and disappeared almost entirely.
I know this sounds overly meticulous, but a little extra care while applying the screen protector will greatly enhance your experience with this product and your iPhone. Once the protector and skin are on, you will lose virtually none of the iPhone performance while gaining significantly enhanced grip and protection.
The second caveat is the amount of dust the high-friction silicone skin attracts. This sword cuts both ways. To me, this is a feature and not a bug as I prefer that my phone stay securely where I put it. Naturally, the silicone case clings to pockets while attracting lint, dust, etc. That's the point. Just about any other material slides around, which is exactly what I don't want.
For me, this is a small sacrifice when compared to the amount of sure grip and protection it affords. I also prefer that my iPhone not slide out of my coat pocket when I stoop down, but the tradeoff is that it doesn't slip into your pocket as easily and definitely attracts dust and lint. However, the skin itself is quite easy to remove from the iPhone to rinse off and blot-dry, so I don't see this as a huge disadvantage when compared to the enhanced grip and protection.
I would easily pay double the price for this product as it is the most protective, highest performance, and least obstructive iPhone case, but Marware's Sport Grip is a real bargain at around $10. At this price, I haven't found any other products that look as good while protecting so well.
I highly recommend this product to those who value protection and performance over appearance.
