InnoPocket: Amphibian iPhone4 case

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There are dozens of companies which make protective cases for the iPhone. We have reviewed many of the better ones over the years. However, of all of the ones we’ve looked at, NONE of them were designed to be waterproof. For those looking for a case which will protect the iPhone when submerged, there are a few options out there. Some use the “zip-lock” bag approach. Others have adopted a “vault” design. They all seem functional, but everyone of them have a similar problem: bulk. The “zip-lock” bags were the least form-fitting. The “vaults” were better, but still turned the swevlt iPhone into a hulk.

InnoPocket looked at the problem and came up with a cleaner solution. While their Amphibian waterproof case for the iPhone4 is thicker than a typical case, it is much thinner than everything else on the market. Their approach is to wrap the iPhone in a soft silicone skin to cut down on bulk, but lock the water out by compressing the skin between two layers of hard plastic.

In order to ensure a positive seal, the contact of the silicone skin and the plastic is further enhanced by the yellow o-ring. The o-ring fits into a channel on the hard plastic back. Tightening the stainless steel screws compresses the ring against the silicone skin, forming a water-tight barrier good to a depth of 3 meters. While 3 meters is not scuba-diving depth, it is good enough for most activities.

If you like to take you iPhone with you on your adventures, are worried about it getting wet, but don’t want to be hauling around a big-ass case, the Amphibian may be just the right fit for you.

So if you want a waterproof case without the bulk, check out the InnoPocket Amphibian. We’ll wrap one of our iPhones up with it and toss it into a pool as soon as things warm up around here. Look for the FirstUse test in the Summer iPad issue of RainyDayMagazine.