I don't use Facebook very often — it's a place for me to keep in touch with Canadian cousins and roller derby folk, and that's about it. As such, what I'm about to say seems a bit crazy: I not only found Casetify on Facebook, but through a Facebook ad. In fact, the accessory-maker may win the award for the first Facebook ad I've ever clicked on.
I wish I could say that the copy was enthralling or punny, but it was the imagery that actually caught my eye: Casetify makes clear iPhone 6 and 6 Plus cases with specialized designs imprinted on them, and was showcasing them on a gold iPhone. A gold iPhone, encased in such a way that you could still see the gold underneath. Intriguing!
After an unfortunate screen break earlier this month, I'd been using Apple's iPhone 6 leather case to keep my device from slipping out of my hands or pocket onto the ground, but was less than thrilled about covering up my phone's gold backing. Yes, the gold may be silly, but since I went out and got one, doesn't it make sense to actually be able to show that off a bit?
Casetify, it seems, has similar thoughts. It sells only one base style of case — a 2.5mm thin clear plastic shell that cups around the corners of your iPhone, leaving bare cutouts for ports and buttons — but offers hundreds of different artistic designs applied atop it, including options to build your own custom-art creation.
Browsing through Casetify's artist collections feels almost as intoxicating as going down the rabbit hole on Etsy or Pinterest: The designs are delightful and range from minimalistic paint splatters to multi-photographic text creations. Currently, there's even an entire section dedicated to holiday designs, including an adorable minimalistic wreath pattern and an ugly sweater overlay.
After spending an afternoon debating which design to get, I settled on a cluttering of silver stars, in homage to my Boston home team, the Cosmonaughties. (We're playing in the championship this year for a white gold trophy, so it seemed appropriate.) A week later, it was on my doorstep in a simple-but-elegant brown cardboard package.
The plastic casing itself is fairly unremarkable: It's not flimsy, but probably not going to win any awards for durability, either. That said, it does cover the main stress points on your iPhone — its corners — and should provide protection from accidental drops or bumps. (I didn't do a drop test for this review, so take that "should" with a grain of salt.) It feels solid in your hand, and though there's still somewhat of a slippery feel to the phone when encased, it vastly reduces the terrifying "Oh my god, I'm going to drop this thing any second" feeling of an iPhone 6 uncased.
The pattern etching is also pretty nifty: On the design I choose, each star was imprinted on the back of the case, providing it with a neat embossed feel. The printing appears to be pretty high-quality — I tried to chip off the printed stars using a variety of methods and was unsuccessful at even scratching them or the case. Long-term use will be the real test here, and I'll update this review if there's any major wear and tear with heavy use.
I'll be frank, though: This case isn't for the iPhone user who wants perfect drop protection. It's a fashion accessory, plain and simple. The case is easy to pop on and off, and I can see people picking up multiple Casetify offerings and swapping them out depending on the occasion. There's even a monthly subscription service for people who plan on doing just that, though it only currently supports the iPhone 5s and 5.
For a basic plastic protective case, $40 is probably too steep for many pockets. But for those who want a fantastic design that shows off a lot of your iPhone's front and back while still providing basic protection, Casetify might be right up your alley.
(Editor's note: That black square on the back of my iPhone? It's a Scosche Magic Mount plate. Nothing to do with the case in question.)
