It’s hilarious to think that 10 years ago, the display on most people’s mobile phones were barely larger than a postage stamp, and certainly weren’t touch-enabled. Fast forward 10 years, and the efforts of Apple and Samsung have made button-less touchscreen devices popular, and larger than most would have ever though practical.
The problem, however, is our hands haven’t evolved in that time, making one-handed use increasingly difficult, and, at times, quite hazardous for our large panes of metal and glass.
The founders of Loopy Cases have produced a solution that is both simple and effective. Inspired by the story of their father, who shortly after purchasing his first smartphone dropped it, cracking the screen, they had an idea: stop the drops from happening in the first place.
On its face, the Loopy Case isn’t all that different from the endless rubberised cases you’ll find online. A tough rubber skin that bends to fit tightly on your iPhone, with a small lip to prevent the display from contacting a surface when lying face-down.
The volume and power buttons are well-defined and don’t dull the iPhone’s solid button action in the slightest. The small cut-out for the silent mode switch makes it difficult to activate by accident, and the large opening for the single or dual-camera plus flash won’t affect your photos.
Large openings for the speakers and Lightning port should allow most accessories to operate without needing you to remove your iPhone from the case.
As is my preference, there is no vanity opening for the Apple logo.
Towards the bottom of the case is the reason to buy the Loopy: a rubber strap described as “super strong” and “tear-resistant” by Loopy Cases.
The strap pokes through the back of the case at two points to form the namesake loop and can be adjusted by pulling it either side to make the loop bigger or smaller.
In my usage, I can’t imagine a scenario where the loop would come out or otherwise snap, it really is very, very strong.
In the hand, it does make my iPhone 7 Plus feel infinitely more secure, especially when using it one-handed. Reading in bed is also far less risky; I’ve dropped my phone on my face more times than I’d care to admit.
It also makes carrying my phone easier at times too, as it can be hooked over a finger. Most of the time, though, I carry my phone in my pocket, and so far it hasn’t felt any more uncomfortable than carrying it in a case without the Loopy.
The loop can also function as a stand for watching videos in landscape mode, propping the phone up just enough to make viewing comfortable.
This is not to say it’s perfect. I don’t much care for the way the case bulges at the back where the strap is inserted. The tight fit contributes to the security of the strap, but it would be great if there were channels that they could be folded into to make the back of the case flat.
It’s also next to impossible to use an iPhone 7 Plus laying on a table when it’s in the Loopy Case. On the iPhone 7, the loop is roughly at the mid-point, and it will sit with the display angled towards you. With an iPhone 7 Plus, the loop is towards the bottom, so the display tilts away from you.
If you, or anyone you know, is frequently dropping their phone, the Loopy Case is definitely worth a look. It’s well-made, available in a variety of colours, and is very effective at securing your phone in your hand. It’s available for iPhone 6, 6s and 7 models, as well as the Samsung Galaxy S5, S6, S7 and Note 5.
Loopy Cases start from $35 and is available directly from www.loopycases.com
Source: Purchased by reviewer
What I Like: Very effective at preventing drops, range of colours
What Needs Improvement: iPhone Plus models difficult to use laying on a table, bulge at the back