If you’ve read any of my previous articles, you know that I tend towards sharing experiences, many related towards great places to eat. Today I venture forth in a new direction because I own an item that I am finally impressed enough with to want to tell the world about.
Many people, too many people, are willing to shell out good money for the latest new electronic gadget. I have never caught the iPhone bug and probably won’t unless my company opts to buy the latest iPhone (fill in gen number here). I secretly laugh when all the iPeople get all worked up because the next iteration is announced.
Earlier this year my company actually bought me exactly the phone I’d considered buying, the Samsung Galaxy S3 (yes I know the 4 has since come out).
I had this shiny new toy and wanted to protect it, so did what I do for anything I’m interested in, I did a search and started reading. Over and over I read reviews that finally led me to the Ballistic website. Their motto, right there on the top of the page is, “Designed to Survive Life”.
In the last eleven months I have accidentally dropped my phone countless times, knocked off furniture, dropped onto the asphalt when I got out of the car and all the usual cell phone experiences. A few times I’ve taken the several layers of protection off and always been amazed at what I found. My phone looks exactly like it did the day it arrived, no a dent, ding, scratch or blemish to be found anywhere.
There is a price for this level of protection, the case is not exactly what you’d call petite. In reality, I’d say it at least doubles the thickness, if not more! The case is built in two layers, the first is a silicon cover with impressive bumpers on all four corners. It has nubs where the buttons are and covers for the power and headphone ports. Once this layer is on, you install a hard outer shell with a textured back and openings for everything that could need access to the outside world. I actually drive around with mine facing down so the four corner bumpers keep it from sliding all over the place.
The case isn’t inexpensive by any stretch of the imagination, I think retail was in the low $40 range, but I found mine on eBay for less than $25. This might seem steep, unless you’ve ever damaged a phone, watched it bounce across the asphalt parking lot as it’s $5 case separated from the body. I had a popular slider a few years ago that I dropped in the parking lot on my way out of the store I’d just bought it at, talk about grief. Less than five minutes old and it was already damaged.
I have never ever felt like the case was coming off or was loose and it’s traveled from the desert heat of Arizona to the arctic climate of Alaska, and pretty much everywhere in between. About the only thing I didn’t care for was the included screen protector, I opted to purchase Tech Armor brand screen protectors which I have been nothing but delighted with. I honestly never ever worry about my phone being safe. Experience has taught me that my phone is always going to be okay.
Last week I was fitting my 275lb frame into a Southwest seat and did what I’ve done many times before, I snagged my phone on the armrest. Finally, something let go and there was a perceptible SNAP. I’d managed to break the belt clip off the phones carrying case. When I got home I got on the Ballistic website and sent them an email asking if I could purchase the clip only, an entire replacement carrier was $20. I received an email back telling me the case and carrier had a lifetime warranty, send a copy of the receipt and a photo of the damage, that’s it. That went out this morning.
I’m on the road for business about every other week, definitely a road warrior. My phone gets handled and used a lot. It’s constantly in and out of seats, so when I look back at the last eleven months, I’m amazed it took this long to break the belt clip.
I can already tell you that whenever I finally move to a new phone, I’m going to make sure I buy the Ballistic Case for it, it’s so worth it to have the peace of mind this case brings. I have never regretted purchasing it and know you won’t either. It really is built to survive life!