Last year we put out an article on the best phones for workers in the construction industry. While the advice in that report still stands, we realize that not every business can afford to go out and buy 5 to 10 of the roughest, toughest phones on the market. For them, we wanted to review another set of options: rugged phone cases. Whether you’re an employer looking for the best phone to provide your workers, or a worker who would rather pull your hair out than replace another phone screen, the products on this list of phone cases that will protect whatever phone you have from whatever work you do. From construction to HVAC to plumbing, here’s a list of indestructible cases that live up to the name:
Key Features When Looking for Tough Phone Cases
Before we dive in, we wanted to give you a roadmap for the features a good case might have. Different industries are going to value different features; plumbers and septic tank servicemen will probably want more waterproof or water resistant features than the HVAC tech or window cleaner who will prize fall protection above all else. That said, here are just the basics that any good case on this list is going to have:
- Some form of water resistance/waterproofing
- Shock/vibration resistance
- Dustproofing
- Minimal interference with display capabilities
- Shatter proofing
- Easy to grip with wet hands/gloves
Otterbox
You might have heard of this one already. They’ve been around since 1998 and have made a name for themselves for having some of the best phone cases on the market. With over 24 different stress trials over 238 hours of testing, every case has been vetted to ensure you get the best product. Available for most phones and tablets, Otterbox has a wide range of selections to choose from. Generally, you can walk into any technology store in your neighborhood to pick one up. The Defender series is their staunchest option and offers drop, dust, and scratch protection with a built in screen guard, making it perfect for a phone on a job site or one that you can safely toss into a tool bag. For $59.95 online, you get one of the best cases available and a little bit of peace of mind. There’s also a chance you use a tablet out in the field. Tablets can be just as fragile as phones. Luckily, Otterbox has extended the Defender series to cover all generations of iPad devices. (Unfortunately, Otterbox has yet to include Android tablets its sphere.) And whether you purchase this case or another, if you’re looking to protect your tablet the Otterbox Utility Latch is a smart choice. Instead of offering protection after you drop your tablet, the Utility Latch helps ensure you don’t drop it in the first place.
Zizo
If you’re on a ladder or a roof doing some work and feel your phone slip out of your pocket, watching it fall those 12 feet is going to be agony. Expensive agony. Zizo’s cases offer a lot of fall protection in addition to protection against dirt, debris, and water. For $32.99 their Bolt series boasts the most rugged features and includes a tempered glass screen protector to ensure you’re covered on all sides. The Bolt cases also have 12 feet of drop protection. This means you can step down off that ladder, pick up your phone, and continue on with your day like nothing ever happened.
Griffin Technology
Here’s another brand that manufactures cases for both tablets and phones. Since 1992 Griffin has been designing and selling products to better integrate technology into our lives. Luckily for us, this includes cases that can stand up to potential fall and water damage. The Survivor All-Terrain Rugged Case ($79.99) is their toughest product. Exclusively designed for iPad devices, it offers rain, mud, sand, snow, and dust protection as well as the freedom to drop your tablet from 8 feet onto flat concrete without worry. The Survivor All-Terrain ($49.99) is their top rated phone case and offers all the same protections as the Rugged Case with a slightly higher fall height of 10 feet. One important note; these cases are water resistant, but not waterproof. Wind, rain, and light splashes of water won’t phase them, but if your device gets submerged in water, your best hope is still probably rice.
Anker
Anker’s Karapax Touch case, aside from offering the same basic rugged protections as most of these other cases, stands out in terms of functionality and price. It is slim, lightweight, and fitted for full touch screen, port, and camera use. Best of all? It’s less than $10 on their site. All this makes it the best phone case available at this price point. Equipped with decent drop protection and rubbery sides for better grip, the Karapax Touch makes for a great phone case to resist basic daily hazards. Buyer beware though, this case does not come with a screen protector. It won’t protect against any scratch damage on the front of the phone and only offers basic water resistance. But pair this with a tempered glass screen protector and you’ve got yourself a pretty hardy case.
Urban Armor Gear (UAG)
The Plasma case by UAG provides “360-degree protection” and raised edges so that no matter how you drop it, the case has you covered. Made for both iPhone and Android devices, anyone can take advantage of the slim but hefty protection this case offers. A dual layered case that takes the fall damage and protects the phone from jostling, the Plasma series meets every durability standard out there while maintaining functionality. This case is slim, lightweight, and offers unimpeded access to skid pads and buttons. While not waterproof, at $39.95 the Plasma series is a good all-around case for your standard field service worker. If even this isn’t enough protection for you, UAG also sells another model for $55.95, The Monarch. The Monarch uses the Plasma as a jumping off point, but adds three additional layers of protection, doubles its score for the standard drop test, and includes a 10-year limited warranty. Leather and alloy metal accents mean this case is also more stylish than some of its competitors.
Dog and Bone
For anyone working with, near, or around water, the Dog and Bone Wetsuit Impact case has got you covered. With all the staples we’ve covered so far (water, shock, snow and dirt protection) this case is unique in its commitment to being a fully waterproof case. At $79.95 the Wetsuit Impact is the most expensive case on this list, but it’s also the best waterproof case on the market. Named by The Wirecutter as the number one waterproof iPhone case, the Wessuit Impact can be fully submerged in water as deep as 6.6 feet and be no worse for the wear. It advertises underwater photo capabilities as well as a jack attachment for headphones. That means you can listen to music underwater. You know, if you’re into that. If you’ve ever dropped your phone in a bucket, the toilet, or god forbid a septic tank, this case will keep your phone safe. (We do recommend applying some bleach to the case afterward though.)
Conclusion
Your phone is pretty much an extension of you. You keep important information on there, you might use it to run a mobile work order app, and what would you do on your lunch break if you couldn’t scroll through Facebook? There’s no way you can leave it at home while you go out and work, even if your job is a little rough on it. These cases offer a less expensive means of making sure your phone can stand up to your lifestyle.
