Reptiles are cool creatures with trademark skin texture. It might look really cool in the SwitchEasy rendition, but the polycarbonate used does not match the look at all when it comes to the tactile aspect. There has been some successful attempts at replicating something lifelike, for example the 3G version of the Pong Anti Radiation case made from silicone. Beside the texture of the back the Reptile has some new interesting solutions to case design.
The Reptile is a two piece soft polycarbonate case. The back piece covers the entire back, and all around the sides, top and bottom of the phone. The second piece is a bumper covering the sides, and holding the case shut. There are some issues with the fit of the two pieces, and at the intersection between front back piece, and bumper piece there is a bit of looseness. Viewed from the side this is easy to see, and gives a cheap impression.
As mentioned earlier the tactile aspect of the Reptile is off. The case is glossy to the touch, and there is very little friction in the material. It feels like holding a plastic toy, and actually it reminds me in sensation to the plastic toy soldiers from my childhood. Even though it isn’t rubberized it does provide some extra grip due to having the groovy textures on the back.
The strong aspect of the Reptile is the protection it provides. The two piece design is strong, and durable. It can probably withstand quite hard impacts, and still protect the phone well. The case comes with all the extras, and then some. This is a great feature of all products from SwitchEasy. You always get everything you need right away, and even stuff you don’t need. Protectors for the headphone socket, charge socket are included, as are screen films and a couple of universal dock adaptors.
In the end the Reptile turns out to be somewhat of a disappointment. It does look cool viewed straight from the back, but the poor fitting pieces are revealed when viewed from the side. The tactile aspect of the case is off, and it would have needed some kind of silicone or rubberized back to feel more lifelike. Now it makes the phone feel a bit like a toy instead. It provides excellent protection though, and is worth grabbing if you really feel the urge to have some reptile patterns for your iPhone 4.
Final Rating
Reptile at SwitchEasy.com $28.99
