The perfect protection for the iPhone 11.
I’m a big proponent of using a case to protect smartphones. The smallest incident can ruin the delicate devices and then you are left with a costly replacement that has to be made. This is the main reason why I always make sure to find a durable case that doesn’t interfere with my daily activities. I want something that can hold up to most standard activities while still being functional. For quite some time, I’ve really appreciated the design and functionality of UAG’s (Urban Armor Gear) cases. So, when I decided to find a ‘tough’ case for my iPhone 11 Pro, I checked out the Civilian Series iPhone case.
DETAILS
The Civilian Series iPhone Case is designed to dampen impact energy when it meets with another surface. It acts as a cushion for the phone it covers. It has a thin profile and is friction-free so that it’s lint resistant and will slip in and out of pockets easily. The case features two shock absorbing materials with a dynamic hexagon pattern. It comes in three different colors choices (Black, Slate, and Olive Drab) and is available for the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max.
SPECS
- Feather-light armor shell
- Impact resistant bumpers
- Shock absorbing soft core
- Oversized tactile buttons & easy access to touchscreen and ports
- Scratch resistant screen surround
- Apple Pay compatible
- Wireless charging compatible
- Meets military drop-test standards (MIL STD 810G 516.6)
USER IMPRESSIONS
Normally I like to go with a case that is between minimalist and heavy-duty. I don’t like the big, bulky designs you usually get from ‘defender’ style cases and I really want more protection than the simple minimal cases that are little more than a wrap around the phone. That said, I would normally shy away from the Civilian Series iPhone Case. Based on its description, I would not want to weigh down my phone with an ‘overprotected’ case, but I was incredibly surprised at how lightweight and yet, protective the Civilian case is.
So the first thing I’ll comment on is ‘the look.’ The back is sleek and simple. It has a dimple on each side of the “URBN ARMR GEAR” logo that’s stamped on the back. Again, normally I don’t like the blatant brand identification, but this is just subtle enough to look cool. The side volume button side of the case also has “UAG” embossed in the bottom corner. The button covers are built into the side of the case, which is a little different then I see sometimes. Usually buttons end up being ‘floating,’ but these are connected to the side wall of the case. I’ve not had any problem with connection or feeling the ‘click’ that the buttons make on the phone. If anything, these are a lot more responsive than some other cases I’ve used.
Finally the inside of the case has a honeycomb design that is two-toned and highlights the colors on the outside of the case. “MIL STD 810G 516.6” is stamped on the inside of the case. This military standard states that when testing the durability of a product the drop surface should be 2-inch thick plywood over concrete for a total of 26 drops. The device is visually inspected after each drop for any damage that could compromise the integrity of the product.
The Civilian Case is easy to install and remove. This is usually a ‘fail’ for heavy-duty cases when I test them. Many heavy-duty/defender style cases make users go through a lot of rigamarole just to get the phone in the case. And then, they have to go through it again if they need to remove the case for any reason. UAG made this really easy for users. You simply slide the volume button side of the phone into the case and then push the sides around the rest of the phone. When you want to remove it, you can either press gently on the camera opening of the phone to pull that corner of the case off the phone, or you can pull it up from one of the bottom corners. It’s really very, very easy.
As far as protection goes, I was really comforted to see the built-in lip to this case. I like added protection for my phone’s screen. While that’s usually a given feature, the lip around the camera is not. UAG included that on this Civilian case as well as easy access to the Lightning port on the bottom of the phone.
CONCLUSION
In case you can’t tell from the rest of the review, I’m very taken with the Civilian case from UAG. It really does meet all the check marks on my list. And, yes, it does add a little bit of weight to the phone, but it’s justified given the amount of protection you receive. The case retails for $49.95 (from UAG), which is a little higher than some cases, but when you compare it to defender-style cases from other brands, it’s priced similarly to those products. I think the Civilian Series iPhone Case is a really nice option for all types of users and it’s perfect for protection.
For more information, visit urbanarmorgear.com, Facebook, or Twitter.
