Review: Griffin Protector case for iPhone 4 and 4S

The Griffin Protector case for iPhone 4 and 4S is a $US20 piece of silicone rubber that wraps around your phone to protect the back, sides and bezel and has a matte texture on the exterior which improves grip.

It has cutouts for the front and back camera, headphone jack and noise-cancelling microphone, mute switch, ear piece as well as speaker/microphone grills and Dock Connector at the bottom.

The Protector is part of Griffin’s ruggedised Armored line, so it falls into the same category as the extreme-duty Survivor case. Incidentally, the Survivor case meets US and UK Departments of Defense standards. The Protector case? Not so much.

For a start there’s no screen protection, so it’s still in the line of fire of sharp objects and liquids. The aforementioned cutouts also leave the ports and speaker grills exposed, which won’t do anything to protect against liquids and dust, but I suppose that’s fair game for most cases. If you wanted to get really serious look to something like Griffin’s over the top Survivor case. For every day use the Protector is fine and competes well with hard shells.

It’s one of the better silicone cases. It covers the volume rockers, sleep/wake button and most of the bezel, even the home button.

The Protector definitely adds some bulk to the iPhone’s sleek aesthetic. Griffin calls the silicone “extra-thick” but it doesn’t look like you’ll have trouble with Universal Dock accessories. It’s about as thick as most plastic cases.

You’ll either love or hate the texture of the silicone. It greatly reduces the slippery as soap quality of the iPhone 4 and 4S. Through the texture and jagged recesses, the grip is greatly improved, but so is its stickiness. The case sticks to the inside of your pockets and will not slip in and out easily. I’m used to wiping my phone on my shoulder to clear smudges and the Protector puts an end to that habit. I also found it hard to tap and type close to the edges as the bezel protection got in the way.

I don’t buy into the philosophy behind phone cases. I don’t like the Griffin Protector, but I then again, I don’t like any cases for every day use. I appreciate the default aesthetic and contours of my phone and I feel cases destroy that. Why don’t we all start covering our cars in big rubber silicone protectors? If I went off to war, I get it, but then I’d opt for Griffin’s Survivor for complete protection.

The Protector case comes in CMYK colours: cyan, magenta, yellow and black. The matte texture means it will quickly pick up dirt and dust, so my advice is to opt for black.

Do we gear it or burn it?

For me, it’s a definite burn. For you, case lover, by all means wrap your phone in something Jacques Cousteau would approve of.