Hitcase Pro, like Tony Stark’s iron suit, is the penultimate protection for your iPhone 5, even when it’s flying through the air.
Category: iOS cases
Works With: iPhone 5
Price: $130
That’s because, like the red Avenger, Hitcase Pro isn’t just a suit of armor, like so many cases before it. No, this one’s built for action, with some special mounting and lens capabilities that encourage you take your lovely iPhone on adventures you ordinarily should not, all so you can use its camera to record the chaos and prove you survived.
What It Does
As far a protection goes, Hitcase Pro is about as super-rugged as they come. Battening down its top and bottom around your iPhone happen with three thick plastic clamps, and only more reassuring are the the hearty “clicks” they emit as your snap them down. Shock absorbing pads also line Hitcase so when you bail on your roller blades, you might lose a tooth, but your iPhone should survive intact.
Protection is just the ground floor here, because, aside from being water proof in up to 33 feet of water, Hitcase Pro was built to sustain the shock and turmoil of outdoor sports. Skateboarders, surfers, extreme sportists—this case was designed give those who chug Mountain Dew a way to bring their iPhone, with its teensy little HD cam, along for the ride.
Hitcase Pro’s included mounting hardware lets you adhere it to a helmet, onto a tripod, or with its compatible rail, mounting hardware from the popular GoPro system, allowing for a plethora of different configurations.
A wide-angle lens, permanently affixed to the Hitcase Pro, increases the iPhone’s viewing angle to a monstrous 170 degrees, so videos you record catch way more of the action than they otherwise would.
In Use
There’s no doubt the Hitcase Pro is a beast of a case. This thing is built thick and has no problem withstanding falls, drops and crashes. Designed for use in motocross races, the Hitcase’s shock absorbing “Poron” pads also do a good job keeping the iPhone post-fall functional. Would it allow your iPhone to survive a head-first crash into a bus whilst affixed to your helmet? Can’t say I took my tests that far, but let me know if you try it.
While rugged protection isn’t necessarily unique these days, Hitcase Pro’s mounting system is. The included hardware makes attaching Hitcase to your helmet-covered noggin easy, and it’s a handy feature for anyone who wants to film footage from their first-person perspective. That means skiers, skaters, bikers, anyone, can easily record the action they’re seeing all with their iPhone 5.
Hitcase also sells some other mounting accessories like a chest mount if you’d prefer some headless options.
Tripod mounting hardware is also included in the box, so if you want to put your iPhone up on three legs, maybe in the water or in the rain, you can.
For those not into looking to record their ollies or mega-slaloms, I think the Hitcase Pro, though chunky and not pocketable, would be a great accessory for beach goers. Unlike other waterproof cases I’ve tested, Hitcase Pro seems to have no risk of accidental opening even when you’re romping around with it. I’d feel totally comfortable taking it in the water for hours to take photos with my iPhone.
The wide-angle camera is great too, giving a unique and cool perspective on video and photos. It definitely works better for video though, because in photographs, it introduces some vignetting (darkening of your photo’s corners). But as I mentioned, you can forget about fitting the Hitcase Pro in your pocket, the protruding lens won’t be sliding into any skinny jeans.
And finally, a small gripe: I noticed the Hitcase Pro’s screen cover obscured my iPhone’s ability to recognize my touches. No gentle caresses get noticed with this case. Each screen press must be intentional and confident, or they’ll be ignored.
 Product Name: : Hitcase Pro The Good: Turns your iPhone into a GoPro-type camera. The Bad: Case is bulky and suppresses touch recognition. The Verdict Let the adventures begin. Buy from: Hitcase |
[rating=excellent]
