It’s been a while since I’ve done any kind of real tech review here at The Airstream Chronicles, but I’ve got a good one for you today. The LifeProof case for my iPhone 5.
I lead a very “mobile” life. Travel with an Airstream, wandering across the country, hooking up to mobile internet, and using my iPhone a lot. The iPhone is key to my mobile communications, internet, and much of my business. So I want to protect it as best I can. That’s why in November of 2013 when I purchased my new iPhone 5, I also purchased a LifeProof case.
Last fall I found the plastic covering over my main iPhone button (you know the one, dead center of the bottom of your phone…..the one that gets all of the use) actually peeled away. With that plastic breaking away, the phone was no longer protected. Dust and dirt quickly got in under the case’s covering.
Additionally, the gasket that covers the charger port has disintegrated as well. Unfortunately, I didn’t immediately contact LifeProof about the first issue, and that was a mistake.
Looking at the phone this morning I asked myself, “Hey, what’s their warranty?” For $89 I do expect the case to handle daily life. The failure of the case wasn’t from dropping my phone off a building or running it through a washing machine. It was just daily use. I’m sorry to say though, checking LifeProof’s website, I’ve already missed my warranty.
The above statement comes directly from LifeProof’s website and their warranty. So, one year from original date of purchase. That sure is one short life span for something that is “LifeProof”. Now we could pick that apart. Fruit flies have super short lives. In their case, one day, yes…the case is LifeProof. But in my case, yeah not so much.
Take you further
The whole thing reminds me of my Garmont hiking shoes. Back in 2001 I bought the greatest pair of hiking shoes ever, made by Garmont. And there was a label on the tongue of each boot. “These boots will take you further than you think.” And they did. Thousands of miles, over 9 years of ownership, and comfortable all the way.
The new Garmonts that I replaced that old pair with didn’t last at all roaming through the Granite Dells and the Vermillion Cliffs. But they also didn’t have that promise labeled on the tongues of the new boots either.
Now as I consider what to do with my LifeProof case I think back on companies that have made a quality product for me. Since LifeProof believes that 1 year is a reasonable lifespan, I need to think about companies who think bigger.
And I’m thinking….let’s go look for a Pelican case. After all, Pelican has housed my camera gear, strobes, and miscellaneous gear for over a decade, I abuse the tar out of those cases, and they keep holding up. Or maybe an Otter Box case, I have several of those too. We’ll just have to see what the local Best Buy carries….
My Pelican cases have done great for me over the years! And my Pelican cooler is AWESOME!