It’s about that time again when boredom sets in and the quest for a new iPhone 4 case begins. If you know me or have been keeping up with the site reviews, you know that I go through iPhone 4 cases like water. It’s not because I find the current one I’m using terrible or anything, it’s just that after a period of time, I start to get really bored seeing the same case everyday on my iPhone. Wear and tear also come into play as a worn out case, no matter how good it is, just doesn’t look that great anymore. Now since this is a blog that has to do with the most stylish of gear we carry, I knew I would have to find a case that not only functioned well, but also looked good doing it.
I’ve had my eye on Ballistic’s line of rugged iPhone cases for a while now. Unlike other rugged cases like Otterbox, Ballistic seemed to offer a case called the Life Style (LS) that didn’t look half bad. In fact, it was touted as a rugged case, but didn’t make your phone look like a 2-pound brick ready for war. The description below is from Ballistic’s site and as you can see, the Life Style (LS) series case offers a slim profile case that doesn’t sacrifice maximum protection.
We’ve heard your concerns about all of the bulky cases on the market for the iPhone 4, our response… we’d like to introduce you to the Ballistic Life Style (LS) Series Case for the iPhone 4. You can now stay protected and maintain your trendy appearance with a case you can fit in your pocket! This case offers the best of both worlds — its ultra-sleek profile creates minimal bulk, but still provides maximum protection. It’s also equipped with interchangeable Ballistic Corners in various thickness options – so choose your style: curved or rounded – either way you’ll be protected when life strikes.
- Interchangeable corner bumpers with different thickness optionsÂ
- Slim design, minimal bulk
- AT&T, Verizon and Sprint Compatible
- Comes with a total of 10 bumpers (5 red 5 black)
For this review, Ballistic sent me over the transparent blue Life Style (LS) case to look at. The package includes 1 Ballistic Life Style (LS) case and 2 sets of corner bumpers. Black ones come already installed on the case while the optional red ones are included in a bag. The black bumpers offer standard protection while the red ones are thicker and offer a bit more cushioning and shock absorption if dropped. The case itself is very well made and is made of a semi-hard flexible plastic like material that fits your iPhone 4 like a glove. It’s not difficult to install and once on, you can be assured that it will not accidentally come off like some other cases do. Once on the phone, it is very solid feeling with zero give to it. All the appropriate openings are include for the mute switch, speakers, headphone jack, camera, and data port. The power and volume buttons are covered up by form fitting buttons molded into the case. The back of the case features lots of dimples which help with grip as well as having the Ballistic logo etched into it. It’s a very nice design the is clean and effective.
The main draw of the case itself are the corner bumpers. With them installed, it really does feel like the iPhone could take a  decent to the corners without shattering, even more so if you install the red bumpers. In my opinion, this is one of the best cases of this type due to the corner bumpers and how solid this case feels. The only downside to the Ballistic Life Style (LS) case is the finish. Most of the case is finished off perfectly except for near the top where there are a few really hard edges that feel a bit sharp. Other than that though, this is my new default case for everyday use.
The Ballistic Life Style (LS) case is available now on Balllistic’s website for $29.99. It is available in three colors – transparent blue, transparent smoke, and black. Each comes with a set of both the black and red bumpers. In my opinion, the price is more than fair for the quality and protection this case will offer.
