Safety vests for cellphones

Many companies are selling cellphone cases to keep your phone safe.  Go ahead, feel free to drop it into the toilet, says Kate Murphy.

As director of technical operations for CPR, a nationwide chain of cellphone repair shops, Edgar Navarro has seen some epic phone fiascos. Take the cellphone a customer’s cat used as a scratching post (bad kitty!) or the cellphone another customer placed atop sodas in an ice chest to keep it cool (bad condensation!).

“I’m not surprised by anything anymore,” said Navarro, whose company has grown from 10 locations in 2008 to 95 today thanks to the increasing popularity of smartphones and the occasional idiocy of their users.

According to manufacturers, insurers and repair shops, the most common reasons for cellphone breakage are tripping while texting, which sends the phone flying, and dropping the cellphone in the toilet.

With the cost of replacing a smartphone at several hundred dollars and repairs or data recovery potentially as costly, it might be worth investing in a heavy-duty cellphone case. This is particularly true if you are among the 28 percent of cellphone users perilously “on call” in the bathroom.

While some of these cases might look like you wrapped a monster truck tire around your phone, what you sacrifice in appearance you’ll make up in peace of mind. When choosing a protective case; consider its bulkiness, potential for interference with your phone’s functionality, shock and water resistance, charging capability and available accessories like bike mounts and holsters. Here are some of your better options:

Seidio Convert Plus $100 ( 5,546)

This case allows you to charge while you protect your phone. A 1700 mAh battery fits into its polycarbonate, shock-resistant shell so when you put your phone into it, charging begins. The shell is resin-coated so it is strangely soft and easy to grip.

For added protection, you can stretch a silicone exterior skin over the sides and back of the shell. For maximum protection, snap a bracketing exoskeleton of polycarbonate over the silicone skin. Even with all that, it’s not excessively bulky, but the battery adds some heft. There is no screen guard but the manufacturer claims encased phones were not damaged after 26 consecutive 4-foot drops onto a hardwood floor.

  (iPhone 4/4S only)OtterBox Defender $50 ( 2,773)

One of the most popular brands, the OtterBox Defender has a polycarbonate inner shell that is backed with padding and is fronted with clear plastic to protect your screen. Then you stretch a silicon skin around the sides and back like a slipper.

It’s probably the least bulky of the heavy-duty cases on the market and does not impede the phone’s functionality. The manufacturer says it protects against scratches, dust, drops, bumps and shock. But it’s unlikely to save your phone from super serious impacts and certainly not a fall into the toilet.

Stanley Dozer by Incipio $50 ( 2,773)

This case is sturdy, substantial and matches any of the bright yellow Stanley hand tools you may own. It has a waffled silicone base skin, a rigid nylon resin snap-on second layer with a clear plastic screen shield.

Then it has a big rubber bumper that wraps around the perimeter. The result is something so big it might not fit in your pocket but you get the feeling you could fling it down a flight of concrete steps and your phone would still work just fine – though the manufacturer does not guarantee this.(iPhone 4/4S only)

Lunatik Taktik $125 (Rs 6,933)
Designed by Scott Wilson, a former creative director for Nike, this case seems the most eager to be cool and certainly one of the most expensive. It’s somewhat bulky because of its interior truss and suspension system that protects your phone from shock.

The design is sort of industrial. Predominately made of polycarbonate, it has silicone bumpers and a silicone back panel as well as shatterproof Gorilla Glass to protect your screen.

There’s an anodized, aircraft-grade, aluminium cover for the earphone jack as well as dust- and water-resistant mic and speaker covers. It also comes with a nifty little tool for fastening the teeny-tiny screws that hold the front and back of the case together. But lose the tool or screws and aggravation will undoubtedly ensue. (iPhone 4/4S only)

Waterproof cases
OK, all you toilet texters, LifeProof, $80 ( 4,437), Joy Factory Rain Ballet, $50 ( 2,773)  and Liquipel, $60 ( 3,327) these are the cases for you. They are not just “water resistant” or “rain resistant” like some other cases, they are full-on potty proof.

The LifeProof case is billed as waterproof, dustproof and shockproof. It
is actually sort of flimsy, so it seems unlikely to save your phone from any significant drops, but it will indeed keep out water. You can also get a range of accessories for it like bike mounts and armbands so you can use it on the go.

Also keeping your phone dry is the Rain Ballet by Joy Factory. It’s essentially a hard plastic shell with screws (no special tool necessary and the screws stay attached when loosened so you won’t lose them). The manufacturer also sells a compatible bike mount.
Liquipel isn’t really a case but rather a coating – specifically a “nano-coating” that keeps water from seeping into your phone. You mail your phone to the company to have the coating applied and it does not change the look, feel or functionality of your phone.

Ballistic Hard Core $50 ( 2,773)
This case has several layers of protection. It has a built-in plastic screen protector, a polycarbonate shell that is backed and lined with a shock-absorbing polymer and an optional outer cover of silicone. It’s not terribly bulky but the dentil design of the black rubbery perimeter makes your phone look as if it’s wrapped in your car’s timing belt.

Trident Kraken AMS $50 ( 2,773)
Worth mentioning because it is probably the most accessorisable case. The company also sells compatible bike, car and tripod mounts.

It has a silicone cover that wraps around your phone and then a polycarbonate shell with incorporated screen protector that snaps over the silicone base.
Both layers come in a rainbow of colours that you can mix and match.

The manufacturer makes no claims about the case’s fortitude but there is a video on its website showing the case (notably not the phone) surviving after a 15-pound anchor is dropped on it.