Urban Armor Gear

Composite Phone Cases ($34.95 MSRP - iPhone 6 case, as tested)

One of the perks of operating a bike-related website is that companies frequently contact you in hopes you’ll review their products. After the 2015 Interbike show, we were approached by Urban Armor Gear, which doesn’t make anything bike-specific…but instead offer a line of smart phone, tablet and laptop cases.

We had an Otter Box on its last legs, so we said “sure, why not?” As it turned out, the iPhone 6 case they sent is pretty darn sweet, so we figured we’d include it in the gift guide.

While minimal in size and feel, it meets stringent MIL STD 810G 516.6 military drop test standards. So unless you’re unlucky and it takes a direct hit to the screen, chances are your phone will survive a routine drop. It comes with a stick-on screen protector too, but we don’t really like those, so we didn’t put it on.

Anyway, what makes this case nice for cycling is in the details. The “armor shell” is a composite material that is not only lightweight, but smooth and not grabby like rubber. This makes it slide easily in and out of a jersey pocket. The buttons, meanwhile, have a crisp, positive feel to them, which is nice if you’re operating the phone while in motion (which you shouldn’t do, but we know you do).

At a suggested retail of $34.95 it’s not overly expensive. And for a small upcharge ($5 to be exact), you might opt for their “Folio” case. This offers a front flap that not only fully protects the screen, but holds up to three credit cards (or perhaps a credit card, an insurance card and a driver’s license). I’d imagine you could squeeze a few dollars in  there too if you  wanted. In this instance, you’d lose the mid-ride operation, but thanks to new Garmin features, you ain’t gonna miss your text messages anyway.

Purchase Information:
http://urbanarmorgear.com/

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