If you like a folio style case protecting your iPhone 5S, and you don’t want to break the bank purchasing one, then you will want to check out the Incipio LGND for iPhone 5S. This case, available in four colors, has an MSRP of under $35. Slim and light, it offers excellent protection and a built-in stand.
The case comes in Incipio’s easy to open packaging. I cannot fully express my appreciation of the fact that you won’t slice your finger off while trying to open the package and remove the case.
Here’s what Incipio has to say about this case:
The LGND Folio Case for iPhone 5s is a hard-shell folio case that provides nearly 360 degree iPhone 5s protection. A steel mesh earpiece allows for iPhone usage while the LGND™ Folio is closed.
Features:
- Sophisticated protection
- Rigid Plextonium frame
- Hands-free viewing
- Textured front face closure
The Incipio LGND for iPhone 5S has an unusual mechanism for holding the iPhone in place. While most cases have you press the iPhone down and into it or come in two pieces that “wrap” around the case, the LGND has you slide the iPhone into place from one side. A small bit of overlap on three sides of the case holds the iPhone in place once it is in position. I was initially concerned that this approach would push my glass screen protector out of place, but this didn’t happen. This is by far the easiest “iPhone holding mechanism” I’ve seen in the design guarantees your iPhone isn’t coming out of the case until you actively remove it.
As you can see, the iPhone is held in place on three sides with the volume button side completely open and accessible. The folio cover is connected to the rear portion of the case with material that extends about halfway up the iPhone. It is thick enough to connect the two parts of the case but narrow enough that it doesn’t add too much extra bulk. If you look closely you might be able to see the wire mesh covering the cutout for the ear piece. This allows you to take called without having to first open the case.
The material connecting the cover to the iPhone case itself is hinged so that you can use the case as a landscape stand. It’s not the most solid of stands but it certainly gets the job done and is a nice added bonus.
Incipio LGND for iPhone 5S on Camera
As someone who wants quick and immediate access to my smartphone, I’m not a huge fan of folio cases. After all, having to open the cover each and every time I want to access the screen quickly becomes an annoyance. I do, however, see the benefit of a case with this particular style, and I know that many people consciously opt for this level of protection – my father-in-law among them. If you do like this style, and you want a case that opens like a book rather than a reporter’s flip notebook, this is an excellent option. Not only is it priced nicely, but it comes in four different colors.
MSRP: $34.99
What I Like: Inexpensive; Protects iPhone a full 360 degrees; Doubles as a landscape stand; Mesh over earpiece lets you use the phone for calls without opening it
What Needs Improvement: Folio-style slows access to the phone’s screen
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample of the Incipio LGND for iPhone 5S
