At one point or another, you’ve probably experienced the feeling of pure panic that comes along with being a smartphone user. You know what I’m talking about: the drop that happens when your device slips through your clumsy fingers and lands with the screen side down. The next few moments seem to drag on forever, as you approach the phone, praying to the heavens that the screen has not shattered to a million pieces. Luckily for us, Urban Armor Gear (UAG) phones cases are created to withstand the hell we put devices through. After all, they are “designed by adventure seekers for adventure seekers.”
Testing UAG’s Maverick iPhone Case For The 5/5s
Urban Armor Gear creates a variety of composite cases for both iPhone and Android phone users. The composite cases feature a patented design with a hard outer shell and a soft impact resistant core; though light weight and minimalistic, they are engineered to endure the everyday wear and tear of an active lifestyle. In fact, UAG products are compliant with military drop-test standards (MIL-STD-810G 516.6), an certification achieved only after a device remains functioning after it is dropped from a height of 48 inches on each face, corner and back for a total of 26 times.
Recently, however, we decided to actually put one of UAG’s phone cases to the test – particularly the Maverick edition for iPhone 5/5S, which is available for $34.95. My first impression of the case was purely aesthetic; the clear shell, which is framed by protective skid pads, is very attractive. Although the case does somewhat look like armor, it is still minimalist in design, unobtrusive and extremely light weight – a feature I have really come to appreciate, since most “life-proof” cases tend to be on the bulkier side.
In fact, because of its design, I was a little skeptical about how well it would actually perform. The case, though definitely sturdy and rigid, seemed almost too low-key. I decided to perform a few drops tests (using someone else’s phone, of course) to see for myself. I dropped the phone from a variety of different angles, making sure to repeat the dreaded face-down drop a couple of times over. Each drop was from a height of at least three feet, mostly maintaining an average of about five feet.
I must admit, during a few of my attempts, I was certain that the phone was kaput. Surely, it would yield some evidence of a hard fall or impact. To my surprise, however, it seemed to be fully functioning after several drops. In fact, besides a little dust on the skid pads, the device was nearly pristine.
This did not come fully as a surprise to me. After all, the night before, I watched UAG’s test drop of the iPhone 6 after it had ascended over 100,000 feet into the air and to the stratosphere – that’s right, a test drop from space. Although a parachute was needed to prevent the phone from becoming a dangerous projectile, the iPhone case still had to withstand some pretty intense conditions, including -79 degree Fahrenheit temperatures, 70 mph winds and 150 rpm spins.
As such, I can confidently state that UAG cases are some of the toughest around. After my own test drops, I had to apply some serious muscle power just to remove the phone from the case. Its design is truly optimize for people who are constantly on the go, or who are a bit on the clumsy side. Although it is not waterproof, the Maverick iPhone case can certainly withstand most physical conditions a smartphone user can put his or her device through. Seeing that I’m rarely by the water anyways, a waterproof covering might just be an additional perk rather than a necessity.
Check out our video review of UAG’s Maverick Phone case for the iPhone 5/5s here:
