Customer Reviews

Marware Silicone Case and Screen Protectors for Apple iPhone 4

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This case does a great job protecting my phone and more importantly feels good and secure when using the phone. I like how it is sort of tacky helping prevent slippage. I also really like how it wraps around the phone and covers pretty much everything (including the buttons) except the screen. HOWEVER, this things is a HUGE lint magnet. Sometimes it looks like your iphone is covered in felt and you are playing with a teddy bear. The other annoying thing is that although the clear screen protector included with the case is fairly nice it actually scratches which is just plain odd/ironic. Not only does it scratch from stuff that might be in your pockets it develops streak marks from your fingers especially at the bottom of the screen where you have to slide your finger to unlock your phone. I do still use the case because it feels the most secure in my hands especially when typing but it is kind of embarrassing as I have had a couple of people comment on the hairiness of my iphone...

Marware does it again. The case fits perfectly to the 3G iPhone. It comes with a thin clear protector for the screen. (Do not get crumbs or anything on thin clear screen protector prior to sticking it on the iPhone, otherwise those crumbs will create air bubbles on the screen and annoy you forever...) All buttons and iPhone functions work with the case attached. Easy to take on and off. The case may not fit in all docks, but removing the case is a cinch. I highly recommend picking up on of these cases.

Protection. Performance. Price. Marware's Sport Grip excels in all.

This is the second Marware case I've bought (for my new iPhone 3G; read my review for the first Marware case I bought for my previous iPhone).

I was looking for a thin, protective, and inexpensive case for my iPhone knowing that most third party products are bulky, shabby, and overpriced.

There are other cases that look better, but Marware's Sport Grip offers the best-looking protection and grip for the iPhone (which is a very dense, slick device; and therefore very easy to drop).

While I am very impressed with the design and appearance of the Cozip case, I would still recommend the Marware Sport Grip because of its more industrial-strength grip and protection.

If protecting your iPhone from the hard knocks of life is your top priority, then this is the case for you.

Unlike the original Marware case, this one greatly reduces the problem of dust with the addition of a micro-fine matte texture resembling acid-etched glass.

While the iPhone's screen is reputed to be extremely scratch resistant, I prefer the extra protection afforded by this clear protector, but there is still the issue of applying the clear screen protector without trapping air, lint, or dust below it.

I found the new instructions helped me to apply the protector on the first try (something I was not able to do before). The trick is to use a credit-card while applying the screen.

If you do have problems applying the screen protector, please try the techniques I used with the first case (but you must be very careful and patient to get it right).

Use the supplied microfiber cloth (and Dust-Off, if you have it) to clean your iPhone very thoroughly first. Apply the screen protector as instructed in a clean and well-lighted place. You will most likely have to make several attempts, but eventually it will work perfectly. I used a Swiss Army knife toothpick to lift the protector off the screen to reapply, but any sharp non-metal object should work as well.

If you do get lint below the screen protector (as I did), don't give up. Simply saturate a few cotton balls in pure rubbing alcohol (99%) and gently wipe the clinging side of the protector from edge to edge in one motion on a fresh sheet of office paper. Keep wiping until the entire protector surface is clean, then blot the alcohol off using another fresh sheet of office paper. Reapply the protector as instructed. It took me several attempts of cleaning and reapplying, but eventually it clung perfectly to the iPhone screen and disappeared almost entirely.

I know this sounds overly meticulous, but a little extra care while applying the screen protector will greatly enhance your experience with this product and your iPhone. Once the protector and skin are on, you will lose virtually none of the iPhone performance while gaining significantly enhanced grip and protection.

I find the new texture of this case greatly reduces the friction issue many others reviewers had. For me, this new texture is vastly improved over the last as it does not cling to your pockets nearly as much, but still improves grip and shock protection.

This sword cuts both ways. For me, high-friction is a feature and not a bug as I prefer that my phone stay securely where I put it. Naturally, the silicone case clings to pockets while attracting lint, dust, etc. That's the point. Just about any other material slides around, which is exactly what I don't want.

For me, this is a small sacrifice when compared to the amount of sure grip and protection this case affords. I also prefer that my iPhone not slide out of my coat pocket when I stoop down, but the tradeoff is that it doesn't slip into your pocket as easily and definitely attracts dust and lint.

However, the this new case is even easier to remove from the iPhone to rinse off and blot-dry, so I don't see this as a huge disadvantage when compared to the enhanced grip and protection.

I would easily pay double the price for this product as it is the most protective, highest performance, and least obstructive iPhone case, but Marware's Sport Grip is a real bargain at around $10. At this price, I haven't found any other products that look as good while protecting so well.

I highly recommend this product to those who value protection and performance over appearance.

It's a pity having to cover up the beauty of the black iPhone and, in an effort to show off the back of the phone, I had bought a clear plastic case for the phone. That case had proved too slippery and didn't offer enough protection for the buttons. The Marware case, on the other hand, offers a nice balance between protection and beauty. On the protection front, all the buttons are protected save for the silence switch and a screen protector (which I'm not using) is thrown in as well. On the beauty front, the case isn't too thick so the silhouette of the iPhone 3G isn't made much bulkier. Hand-feel is excellent, with the case being grippy but not so much so as to make removal from a pocket too difficult. I'd describe the feel of the material as velvety. At it's current street price, this case is a bargain for the quality of the material and its appearance. I heartily recommend it.

I'm on my third iPhone 3G case, and I think this one's probably the keeper. I tend to switch cases between work and non-work hours, because a phone can get beat up at my shop, but this one might just allow me to use the same case for both.

One of my previous cases is the DLO Jam Jacket, which offers more fall protection than this Marware case, but doesn't cover the upper earpiece area of the phone. It's bigger and grippier, but not as elegant; it makes the phone look more "industrial" (which is good or bad depending on your opinion. I kind of like that look). It has sloppy manufacturing though, with ragged holes and seam-flash, but is one of the grippiest cases I've tried, making it difficult to remove from my pocket. The DLO case has the best home button protection I've seen on a case, with a raised square in the middle that is just so natural to push.

I also own a Switcheasy Rebel case. Very nice case, with tight manufacturing tolerances, and comes with a connector protector which covers the connector area on the bottom of the phone, which is great for keeping dust out. My only real issue with that case is that it doesn't cover enough of the face of the phone; it leaves it wide open, with home button and earpiece areas completely exposed. Not the best thing if you happen to drop your phone (and if you haven't yet, you will).

This Marware case offers decent fall protection (not as good as the DLO, though) and excellent protection of the home button and earpiece areas. Don't buy a case that doesn't have the cutouts for the proximity sensor and light sensor like this Marware does, or you'll have the issue people have complained about with such cases: constant screen brightness and accidentally hanging up on calls because the phone doesn't sense when it's at your ear or away from it. The SportGrip has no such issues.

The home button isn't as nice to use on this case as the DLO; it really needs a raised area in the middle to match that case's excellent feel, but the DLO doesn't cover the earpiece area. As others have said, the Marware does have a "velvety" feel, and really isn't very grippy at all, but it's easily removed from pockets. It's a nice balance, but doesn't feel as secure in the hand as the super-sticky DLO. I can't agree that it doesn't collect lint or dust, although not as much as the DLO.

The button protectors on this Marware are quite nice. They protrude positively, so that when you're on a call and want to adjust the volume, you never have to look at the phone.

I wish Marware would include a connector cover, and improve the home button protector for a more positive feel, but otherwise this is a nice balance of grip, protection and quality.

Rubber does not hold very tightly. After a few months of use I found a great deal of dirt had worked its way inside the case and turned the glossy back finish into a matte finish. I was not happy. Rubber is way too sticky, it's a magnet for pocket lint.

I tried another silicone jacket that didn't wrap completely around the iPhone. I was disappointed because it always felt like it was going to unwrap. I got the Marware, and it's the best addition to the iPhone. The iPhone is very glossy, glassy, reflective, slick, hip and otherwise elegant. Those same features make it slippery, hard to find the buttons on the edge, and it always feels like it's going to slip out of a shirt pocket or not stay still on a desk. Adding the Marware cover gives it a just-right sticky grip, solid bumper protection, as well as putting those side buttons out there where they're easy to find and press without looking. The Marware wraps around the iPhone, leaving the screen, microphone, speakers, earphone jack, ringer switch, proximity sensor and light sensor free to do their jobs. It does pick up a little lint out of your pocket, but that brushes off and is a small trade off for the protection. If you want a slightly sticky grip, it'll pick up lint. The Marware is easily removable, so you can clean and polish the iPhone, then it goes back on easily for another road trip. Highly recommended.

This is an ideal case for the iPhone 3G. It is comfortable (the surface feels almost velvety), yet offers a secure grip when holding. Very thin and light, too, and for whatever reason the surface attracts no dust or lint at all. I only wish it came in more colors.

This is the second Marware Sport Grip I've purchased, the first one being for my 1st generation iPhone. I recently upgraded to the iPhone 3G S and so I needed to purchase the new and (much) improved Sport Grip. I LOVE this version of the SG. The case is very smooth, almost satin like, but it's made of silicon or a similar material. The black is actually a true black, not the semi-transparent brown/black of the one that fit my 1st gen iPhone. Also, this version of the SG fits very snug so there's no adjusting it once it's on the phone. The only negative thing is that it does attract a fair bit of lint, but it's nothing a little scotch tape can't take care of. I bought one of these cases for my Mom's iPhone, too, and she complains that her hair gets stuck to it...I haven't had this problem, but thought I would mention it. And for those of you who like to sell your old phones, this case provides great protection against scratches. To make sure you're phone is completely protected, I also recommend the Power Support Anti-Glare screen films. They cut down on the noticeable finger prints, keep your screen scratch-free, and work seamlessly with the Marware Sport Grip for iPhone 3G S.

This case is almost perfect - it has a great grippy surface, well-sized cutouts, quality fit and finish, excellent screen protector... So what is the problem? As all other reviews stated it is a lint magnet. This may not be a problem for some people, but it really ruins the beautiful aesthetics of the iPhone. There are a ton of other cases out there that don't collect lint like a hobo collects cans. It seems to really attract the fine light-colored lint found in jeans pockets. It also attracts sand, which is difficult to rub off.

That being said, it is very grippy, comfortable, and sharp looking when clean. The screen protector is very nice quality as well - some of these cases don't include a screen protector at all, so keep that in mind when shopping.

If I were to buy another case, I would pass on this one. The grimey case appearance is a turn off. Each time you put your phone in your pocket, it will get linty and dusty, bottom line. If you can get over the need to constantly blow debris off of your phone, then this might be a good match for you.