iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition

Gear Diary is independently owned and operated. We receive compensation through advertising and from the companies whose products we review, usually in the form of the reviewed product. We test the products supplied to us, and the opinions expressed are our own.

Gear Diary is also reader-supported. When you buy through links posted on our site, we may earn a commission at no cost to you.

You can learn more by clicking here.

iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition

We were pretty harsh when we reviewed Element Case’s Vapor for the iPhone 4; although all three of us absolutely loved the case’s form factor, we were appalled by the way that it slayed our iPhones’ signals. I even went so far as to scientifically test and verify the Vapor’s negative impact on the iPhone’s cellular antenna reception while attending an event at ETS-Lindgren. Fortunately the folks at Element Case were able to handle a bit of constructive criticism. and they reached out to us when their newest case, the Vapor Pro Limited Edition was available.

Would the Vapor Pro have the same issues as its predecessor? Or would it finally be the aluminum case that we’d been hoping for? I would soon have the opportunity to find out.

Right out of the box, I was impressed by the Vapor Pro’s packaging. As is befitting anything named “Limited Edition”, Element Cases went the extra mile to deck the Vapor Pro out with a few welcome bells and whistles. The newly designed aluminum case is presented inside a slim zippered EVA shell that will serve as an additional case for your iPhone when it’s inside the Element Pro — a welcome solution if you’ve ever worried about a metal encased iPhone rattling around in your pocket or bag. Granted, it will make answering a call that much more difficult, but you’re probably using a Bluetooth headset anyway, right?

Also included is a CNC wrench with a keyring attachment so you’ll never be stuck somewhere, unable to get your iPhone out of the case should it be necessary to use it naked with another accessory. Another impressive lagniappe is the inclusion of a carbon fiber back plate, an option that usually costs an additional $20.

iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition

When you open the EVA shell, which is basically a nicely done zippered foam shell covered in microfiber, the Vapor Pro is revealed. Immediately evident is that the aluminum shell is now slightly more than half composed of high quality molded ABS plastic; this is a good thing, because the use of aluminum over the iPhone’s antenna was presumably what caused all of the previous case version’s issues.

iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition

Case care instructions are included …

iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition

And all that’s left is to unscrew the little bolts and insert the iPhone!

According to Element Case, “An aerospace polymer insert prevents ‘detuning’ of the iPhone 4 antennas and alleviates the common ‘death grip'”, and you can see the black strip running around the interior of the case, most notably on the aluminum side.

iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition

iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition

The khaki color on black is a bit masculine, but there is no denying how good it looks! The use of ABS plastic keeps the case from being too weighty, but it still has a lovely heft to it. Note that there are vents cut into the plastic on the right side; it would appear that Element did not want to take any chances with the Vapor Pro fouling up the iPhone’s signal!

iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition

The cutouts for the earphone’s jack is large enough that it will easily accomodate non-Apple headphones; a bright silver metal cap covers the power button so that it can be easily pressed.

iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition

There is plenty of room along the left side for accessing the mute switch and the volume buttons, and upon first glance, it looks like the cutouts would probably fit the Verizon iPhone4. Element Cases says the Vapor Pro is for the AT&T (GSM) version iPhone 4 only, however, and whether this is because of a verified difference in antenna placement for the CDMA version or because Element Cases isn’t taking any chances, I couldn’t say. My suggestion is that you should take their word for it, though.

iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition

The cutout on the bottom of the Vapor pro is large enough that the case will work with non-Apple cables, but there will likely be issues if you try to use the case in a docking accessory like an in-car GPS cradle or a bedside clock-dock. If you don’t usually use docking accessories, then this won’t be an issue.

iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition

The only branding on the Vapor Pro is a subtle label next to the volume buttons.

iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition

The included carbon fiber back plate is an elegant way to finish up the package and protect the otherwise bare iPhone’s back. A silicone adhesive is used on the real carbon fiber cutout, so if you were to decide to swap out cases (as so many of us like to do), you could use it again. The secret is to carefully pull the carbon fiber plate off, rinse it off, and then stick it on a bit if wax paper.

iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition

Perhaps the best feature of the new Vapor Pro is that it has a negligible effect (if any) on the iPhone 4’s reception. Here is my iPhone without the case installed …

iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition

… and here is the iPhone 4 with the Vapor Pro installed. There is no difference, and when I made a test call, the party on the receiving end could not tell a difference between the case being on or off. While I don’t have another ETS-Lindgren visit scheduled in the near future, I feel confident saying that the iPhone’s antenna does not suffer from the use of the Element Case Vapor Pro, and it is finally the case that I wanted to see for the iPhone. Well, if they would offer the same set in some other colors — pink, silver, green, or orange — hint hint, I would like that even better. =)

iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition

The Limited Edition Element Pro is a beautiful, protective, and striking case. The combination of carbon fiber with aluminum and black ABS plastic is an absolute winner. The price is a bit steep — there’s no getting around it, but when you are talking about boutique items that are crafted with precision, you get what you pay for. The inclusion of the extra goodies in the Limited Edition kit makes this package a fantastic gift for an iPhone 4 owner’s graduation, Father’s Day or birthday. If you like the rugged look of a metal case, and the protection that is offered on all corners and the back by this one, then you can’t go wrong with the Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition. If we handed out editor’s choice awards on Gear Diary, this one would certainly be in the running!

The Element Case Vapor Pro for iPhone 4 and the Carbon Fiber Back Plate are available directly from the manufacturer.

MSRP: $149.99

What I Like: Precision crafted with highest quality materials; fits the iPhone 4 perfectly and protects all corners, sides and back; does not hamper the antenna’s reception; the Limited Edition kit includes enough extra goodies to dampen the sting of the price

What Needs Improvement: I would like to see other colors offered, but that is a personal nit-pick on an otherwise superb case

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for your support!


About the Author

Judie Lipsett Stanford
Judie is the co-owner and Editor-in-Chief of Gear Diary, which she founded in September 2006. She got her start in 1999 writing software reviews at the now-defunct smaller.com; from mid-2000 through 2006, she wrote hardware reviews for and co-edited at The Gadgeteer. A recipient of the Sigma Kappa Colby Award for Technology, Judie has written for or been profiled by nationally known sites and magazines, and she has served on multiple industry hardware and software award panels. She is best known for her device-agnostic approach, enjoyment of exploring tech, gadgets, and gear, and her deep-diving, jargon-free reviews.

5 Comments on "iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition"

  1. So glad they corrected the signal problem, because it certainly is a beautiful case!

  2. iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition http://goo.gl/fb/QeWPk http://j.mp/iGADGETS

  3. RT @gadgetsearch: iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition http://goo.gl/fb/QeWPk http://j.mp/iGADGETS

  4. RT @GearDiarySite: iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition http://goo.gl/fb/lugLz

  5. RT @GearDiarySite: iPhone 4 Accessory Review: The Element Case Vapor Pro Limited Edition http://goo.gl/fb/lugLz

Comments are closed.