OK everyone, today's report is about an iPhone 5 case. More specifically, an iPhone 5 Deflector case from Redbubble. I picked this case up because I got the shaft on my first case. I bought the iPhone 5 on release day so the only cases that existed were Speck cases at the AT&T store. And of course they were at a price reflecting that exclusivity... $40! Yes bricks were shat, but what's a man to do? So I bought it and the damn thing practically disintegrated on me. So I was in the market for a new case and decided that I had to have something pony, but nothing that was painfully obvious. I'm still in the stable mind you! After searching high and low I found Redbubble. Then I found it, a case with best princess on the dl:

Then I looked at the price... $40! Again?! But I fell in love with it and had to have it, so I ponied up the cash. (pun halfway intended) A few days and witty emails later, it finally arrived!

Packaging...

It arrives in a white cardboard box with "Uncommon" printed on it. It turns out these cases are made by a company called Uncommon using art posted on Redbubble. Inside the box is a receipt, Redbubble sticker, and the case surrounded in what is best described as a blister pack that didn't get sealed. I'm sure it's intended to be that way and it's genius! I cannot tell you how many times I have been called out to patch someone up because they tried to open one of those things up and cut their fingers to the bone. Bravo Redbubble! The packaging kept it well secured and cushioned so it gets a plus 1. Extra point for the plastic shell. So yeah, they did a good job with this one!

The case...

The case is a one piece made of slick hard plastic. So if you've got butterfingers, this may not be the case for you. But the rest of us will find a case that meets our needs. One thing to keep in mind is that this is NOT an Otterbox or Lifeproof. It only provides the most basic protection to your phone. Only the back, corners and the left and right sides are covered. All buttons, the jacks, the screen, and the silent switch are all uncovered. That being said, the edges are thick enough that if you drop it you won't hurt any of the aforementioned parts. But the only reason I bought this was for the art, and it's gorgeous. To the uninitiated, they can't tell what they're looking at. I've been told it looks like an eyeball. But we know what's up. It is made of white plastic, then the desired art is applied, then a clear coat is applied. So not only does it shine, it's soft. And except for a tiny fish-eye when you look for it at an angle, the finish is flawless. The last test was to see if the thing actually fit my phone. Some cases out there don't fit quite well and will wiggle a bit in the case. Not this one. It fits so snug, I'm not sure I can get it back out without breaking the case. Perfect. I'm loving this case so far, but next up is the most important test...

The field test...

Here on Field Reports, I put everything through a field test. Oooh, you must be thinking, everyone does that. Well, yes. Yes they do. If you think bringing something to your desk job or fetching coffee is a field test. Well that's fine and all but I don't have a desk job or like coffee so that doesn't do me any good. So I put it through a real field test. The field test for the case involved 10 shifts on an ambulance, 15 days fixing broken tubs, a couple trips to the shooting range, and Midwest Brony Fest. At the station, my phone is used the whole time I'm not on a call. Music, games, interbutts, you name it. When I'm on a call I do all sorts of things like crawl into wrecked cars, search burning buildings, do CPR, and all sorts of other fun stuff. It gets tossed around, banged into, and who knows what gets on it. Fixing tubs has me on my knees in a bathroom, using very strong chemicals, and lots and lots of fine white dust. The shooting range exposes it to gunpowder, oils, solvents, and Celestia knows what else. The con was the light duty test. To see how it handles in a more conventional lifestyle. Is it bulky? Is it comfortable to carry? Will is slip out of your pocket when you sit down?

The results...

After going through hell and back, this thing looks just like it did the day I got it. Well almost. At first glance it seems to be the case. But at an angle you can see scratches in the light. Because it has a clear coat it doesn't scratch the artwork. So the art is pristine and unless you look at a weird angle you can't see the scratches! +1! It still fits snug and tight as well. Between the ambulance, fixing tubs, and the range all sorts of chemicals touched it. The worst of which are acetone, gelcoat, and barrel solvent that has destroyed cases in the past. After many exposures, acetone or solvent didn't melt it and gelcoat wouldn't stick! +1! Many hours of carrying the phone at the con and sitting at the station, I've had no problems with it falling out or getting uncomfortable. It's so light, you almost forget you have it in your pocket. I'm serious, I freaked out for a sec at the con because I couldn't feel it. The only negative I found was when I dropped it in the back of the rig. It landed on the corner and it made it through the clear coat. Because the case is printed, the color doesn't go all of the way through like other molded cases. So now there are a few small white spots on one corner. Meh.

The verdict...

By Luna this is an amazing case! I was worried at first. Companies know that they can slap ponies on anything and we'll pay whatever to have it. I was worried that it may be a piece of shit. But I was thoroughly surprised to find a strong, comfortable, and beautiful case that any brony would be proud to own. Though the $40 price tag may seem expensive at first for a basic case, but it's worth it. It's a damn tank. Redbubble has tons of beautiful art to choose from so definitely check them out if you haven't done so already. You're sure to find something that you will love.

Tl;dr: Buy it.