At just .6mm thin, the Pitaka Air Case Collection lets you protect your iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max without adding weight or bulk. That’s great if you prefer to use your iPhone unencumbered by a case but still want to protect it. Let’s take a look.
We love Pitaka cases. They are thin, light, and protective. Once Judie turned me on to them a few years ago, they quickly became one of my favorite iPhone cases. When I ordered my new iPhone 11 last fall, the first thing I did was order a new Pitaka case.
Pitaka Air Case for iPhone 11 on right
The Pitaka Air Case looks familiar if you have ever used a Pitaka case, but it is thinner and lighter than anything they have previously offered. The company describes it as “The thinnest case we’ve ever built.” They weren’t kidding.
The case weighs about 10g. For comparison case, that about the same weight as the cork you pulled from your bottle of time last night. Combine that with the fact that the case us .6mm thin, that’s the equivalent of ten sheets of paper, and you will quickly forget your phone is in a case as all.
To create something as thin and light as the Pitaka Air Case, the company used special Aramid fiber. As they explain,
Aramid fiber is an exotic material, only used for our top-level cases and your new iPhone deserves the premium feel and protection this offers.
And while Aramid fiber looks like carbon fiber, unlike some carbon fiber cases I have reviewed, Aramid fiber causes zero signal interference. In other words, with the Pitska Air Case, you can protect your iPhone with zero downsides.
The design of the Air Case is similar to the Pitaka MagEZ Case I’m currently using. It snaps on to the phone and protects the back, sides, and corners.
The top and bottom are open. That’s means you gave easy access to the Lightning connector. Considering the fact that this case won’t interfere with wireless charging, there really wouldn’t be an issue if the Lightning connector was covered.
The power, mute, and volume buttons and toggles are all easily accessed. This adds to the sense that your phone isn’t in a case at all.
The cutout for the camera lenses, flash, and microphone, are large enough to accommodate the new iPhone camera system. I’m still not a fan of how multi-lens systems look, but I am a huge fan of the images they can capture. To aid in that process, Pitaka added a protective ring around this opening. This helps keep the lenses from getting scratched and may aid in reducing the light bouncing back when using the flash. It’s a design element I appreciate in the MagEZ case, and I’m glad they maintained it with the new design.
Air Case on the right
The Aramid fiber used to create this case initially looks similar to that which is used in the MagEZ. Upon closer examination, however, the differences become clear. The Air Case has tighter fibers and a slightly different color. Still, unless you are looking closely, it is hard to see the differences. When you hold both, however, the difference is clear. I thought the EZMag was thin. It is, but the Air Case is even thinner. It’s pretty amazing.
The fiber used in the Air Case has a special coating, so it will never fade and will be resistant to scratches. That thanks to three layers of a protective coating that is polished by hand before the case is deemed ready for sale.
The finish is just only tough. It is also practical and has what Pitaka refers to as a ”3D Silky Soft-Touch Texture.” This texture is added through a special ”vacuum forming” process and yields a surface that is comfortable to the touch but just textured enough to help you keep your grip.
In short, the Pitaka Air Case is about as thin and light as you can get while still offering scratch resistance and some degree of protection to your iPhone.
Features:
- Lightness Rises to the Top: Weighing around 10g only, the same weight as a wine cork. It’s like your phone doesn’t have a case on it.
- As Thin as Paper: Your phone wrapped in paper, but thinner. At just 0.6mm, your phone will look the same but will have the ultimate protection.
- Made with Selected Aramid Fiber: Aramid fiber is an exotic material, only used for our top-level cases, and your new iPhone deserves the premium feel and protection this offers.
- 3D Silky Soft-Touch Texture: A pleasant, non-slippery texture is added by vacuum forming, along with a baby-soft coating. So you’ll never want to let it go. Best of all, it’s not slippery at all.
- Extra Protective Ring for Your Camera Lens: Adding uncompromising protection.
- Everlasting Perfection: Never color fading. Barely wear and tear. No matter how long you use it, it is the most durable phone case ever!
- Extraordinary Scratch Resistant Coating: A protective three-layer coating with manual polishing is applied to each phone case, helping your phone get away with scratches from keys and coins.
- Zero Signal Interference: All of PITAKA phone cases do not interfere with your Wi-Fi, GPS, signals.
- Easy Access to All Buttons: The opening of the case accurately aligns with the phone body giving you natural access to all buttons.
The Pitaka Air Case is an amazing accomplishment. It feels like a few sheets of paper but is rigid and protecting enough to keep your pricey iPhone safe. So will it become my ”goto” case? No. Here’s why.
I love a thin iPhone case. I love a thin iPhone case that has enough texture to allow me to keep my grip. I love the thin iPhone case that has enough texture to allow me to keep my grip but also offers protection to my primary mobile device. But while the EZmag Case is a bit thicker, it also has metal plates embedded into the back panel. That lets me stick my phone on the Pitaka MAGEZ JUICE 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Power Bank Dock I recently reviewed (read the review) and the Pitaka MagEZ Mount Qi car charger I also reviewed. (Read the review.) In both cases, I can simply place my phone on the charger, and it is held in place by strong magnets. Sadly, Pitaka notes:
Notice: No metal plates embedded. Not compatible with MagEZ Qi, MagEZ Bar, MagEZ Juice.
Yes, the Air Case lacks the metal plates that make this possible. For me, that’s now a deal-breaker. If, however, you don’t use magnetic mounts, the Air Case may be perfect for you.
The Pitaka Air Case for iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro MAX are $59.99 each. Check them out here.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review and giveaway products
What I Like: Thin; Light; Protective; Textured surface for enhanced grip; Fed and scratch-resistant surface
What Needs Improvement: Doesn’t offer serious drop protection; No metal plates so it is not compatible with the company’s line of magnetic chargers