The third case in my trial runs of products from American Trident is the toughest of the bunch. With three layers of protective armour, and a nifty holster clip it rivals the OtterBox Defender and Gumdropcases Drop series for the throne. Few cases can withstand the amount of abuse these are built for, and I think there is a limit where the cases will hold up, but still the sheer impact will crack the iPhone 4 within. To counteract this the Kraken is built to disperse energy by shedding the outer layers. An interesting concept not far away from the technology found in modern racecars.
Made from three pieces the Kraken is really hard to apply on the iPhone 4/4S. First you place the phone inside a silicone inner skin that can act as a standalone case all by itself. It protects the entire back, sides and some of the front around the edges, and top. It isn’t that pretty, and I wouldn’t personally use it as a standalone case. It is obvious on the shape that it is meant to be part of something else.
The second layer is a hard piece of plastic with a screen protector built in. It only covers the front, sides, top and bottom. It can be used together with the inner silicone as a medium protection case. It lacks cover for the mute switch. It does have a cover for the headphone socket, and the dock connector though. The screen protector is still quite responsive; as long as you make sure to keep the surface clean before applying the case.
The third layer is a large hard piece of plastic that covers the back and sides. It includes a silicone cover for the mute switch. Getting it on is quite easy, and it sits really sturdy on a total of seven points.
When you manage to get all layers on properly the entire case feels like one coherent unit. There are no flapping silicone pieces to massage into place. The curved back of the total case reminds me of the OtterBox Defender for the iPhone 3G/3GS. Four stripes are found on each side to provide extra grip. Overall it is a really nice experience to handle the case.
Some extra features are thrown in such as the metal stand that folds out from the back. This allows the phone to stand in either portrait or landscape mode. To me the landscape mode is perfect for watching movies when at work. Another cool feature is the small holster clip. Instead of a complete holster you get a small clip that grips the sides of the case. There are special cross indentations where it lodges, and it is sturdy enough to hold the phone securely in a belt, or on a bag.
Some aspects of the Kraken feel overdesigned with too many details. The plastic screws found in each corner for example. In my opinion it still works well for the purposes it is designed for. The only real gripe I have had with it is the fact that the cut-out for the dock connector is too small to allow the standard video out cable from Apple to be used. Having to take off, and then on the case for watching a movie on a projector or HDTV is such a laborious task.
If I had to select one case to take with me to a deserted island the Kraken from Trident would be on the top of my list. Maximum protection, handy belt clip and a built in stand are great features that would work well on that island. For everyday use at my work as a teacher I find it a bit too bulky. When out geocaching, running or going to the beach it is a versatile solution to having the phone protected, and handy.
Final Rating
Kraken AMS at Tridentcase.com $49.95
