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In my line of work, I see a lot of plastic-y, rubbery, or other kinds of cheaply-made iPhone cases. So when I saw Crimson’s new iPhone 5 case ($45), looking all svelte and made from the same aluminum they bolt into Boeing planes, I just had to see if it was truly first class, or just another case made for coach.
The Good
I often find I don’t like to use iPhone cases because they add a ton of extra heft and weight, but not the Crimson. Crafted from aircraft-grade aluminum, it weights in at only 19 grams. I know that my cased-up iPhone 5 must weigh more than before, but I can’t tell a difference, and I’m like a human scale.
But let’s talk protection, because with four screws battening its metal frame down around your iPhone, the Crimson looks like it could survive a stiff drop onto Soviet-era concrete. And at the corners, rubber grips keep your iPhone held fast, and add extra protection in case of corner impacts.
I think what I life most about the Crimson case, though, is the fantastic attention to detail that obviously went into its construction. The entire frame feels sturdy, balanced, and high quality. It also feels great in my hand, with a comfortable shape and easy access to all my iPhone’s buttons, switches, and speakers. Crimson will even laser etch text onto it for you if you’d like to have one personalized. Crimson must know how great my tweets are, mine says @erfon.
Other included niceties are a microfiber cloth and a front screen protector, if you’re into those, and an allen wrench to put it all together—just like your Ikea desk!
The Bad
Though the Crimson case is lightweight, it does add some length to the iPhone 5, which already barely fits in my super-slim jeans pocket. Not really the Crimson’s fault the i5 is as long as a surf board, but it is something to consider if you keep yours in your front pocket, too.
And the other thing is, well, some may find the Crimson case offensive to the eyes. I know! The vanity of some folks. Hey, look, don’t shoot the messenger. I kind of like the mechanical, blocky-metal look of the Crimson case, but I also liked Lego as a kid. Several of my friends have asked me about its curious shape, however. So if some cute girl rolls her eyes and puts the hand in your face when she sees it, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
The Verdict
The Crimson case might look like it’s made from the spare parts of a Wright brothers prop plane, but it feels great in the hand and does its job well; truly a first-class case all the way.
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