The trend with iPhone cases seems to be extreme protection. Otterbox began offering these protective cases at first. Lifeproof then began offering waterproof cases for smartphones and tablets. Starting from a Kickstarter project, Lunatik became a well known iPhone case company. The Taktik Extreme definitely offers a higher level of protection for the iPhone than Otterbox’s Defender.
Table of Contents
Design
The Taktik Extreme (124.99) offers “ultra-rugged protection from impact, drops and screen damage as well as water and dust ingression.” To sum up the overall design of the case, the Extreme is made of 3 main parts. The first is a hard plastic casing that is used as the bezel and exterior of the case. The second is a layer of thick shock-absorbing silicone. This layer offers great protection for the perimeter of the device as it contains a patent-pending impact truss design.
When dropped, the phone will actually bounce due to the unique design of the impact truss. The most notable component of the case is the Corning Gorilla Glass screen. This thin screen used in many smartphones is thin, tough, and scratch resistant. Aluminum port covers protect the headphone jack and lighting port. All of these 3 components make a stylish, ultra-rugged case.
Putting on the case requires much more effort than putting on snap-on cases or cases such as the Otterbox Defender. This case in different because you have to screw on 6 screws on the top of the case, and you are given one extra. Once you put the iPhone inside the case and it is sealed up, it is recomended that you do not take it apart as it will require a good amount of time to take it off and put it back on again. The case itself is extremely larger and heavier than most protective cases. At 105g and 0.67 inches thick, this case is massive. It fits in my pockets, but it may take a while to get comfortable with it.
The following materials are used in the Taktik Extreme as stated by Lunatik:
- Corning® Gorilla® Glass
- Polymer Bezels
- Silicone Patent-Pending Impact Truss
- Aluminum Port Covers
- Hydrophobic Membranes
- PVD Coated Steel Hardware
Features
This case offers great protection from high drops, and I can almost guarantee that this case will protect your iPhone from any type of drop. I say this because of the impact truss, it allows the iPhone to bounce when dropped instead of absorbing shock and spreading it throughout the case like most rugged cases. This case also is dust-proof, making it almost impossible for dust to enter. Although this case is not waterproof, it certainly will protect your iPhone from rain and surprise splashes of water. Opening the lightning and headphone jack cover is not a hassle, and accessing the mute switch is also pretty simple.
Usability
Even though I have pretty large hands myself, using the case comfortably took quite a long time to get used to. It almost feels as if you are using a very thick Galaxy Note II. The Gorilla Glass screen is very smooth and there is no issues in terms of responsiveness.If you are an average iPhone user that is not prone to dropping the phone often, this case is certainly not for you. This case is not meant for the daily office worker or receptionist; it is more meant for people who have jobs that risk their iPhones such as construction workers, plumbers, or landscapers.
Conclusion
The Taktik Extreme is definitely one of the more premium rugged cases available for the iPhone 5. While it offers exceptional protection for the iPhone 5, it is simply too large for the average iPhone user. Larger than the Otterbox Armor, the case is meant more for jobs that risk the safety of the iPhone. Also, the case is very expensive compared to its competitors. Priced at $124.99, the Taktik Extreme is more costly than the Lifeproof Fre, Otterbox Armor, and Incipio Atlas. The case is available in two colors, black and white. Lunatik has done a very good job designing the Taktik Extreme, and they deserve a lot of credit for the materials used in the Taktik Extreme. This ultra-rugged case however, is just not for everybody. If you don’t mind sacrificing the sleekness of the iPhone 5 for protection, this case is for you.
