Navigator protects phones falling from space or dropped into purses

Let me be clear: I really had no intention of reviewing smartphone cases for a while. But darn it, one company appealed to my inner nerd, and I just couldn't turn away.

While I was checking out the one that had me at NERDCON1, I received a couple of other rather unique items.

Let's start with the one that grabbed me.

The Navigator case is from Urban Armor Gear. They make cases for Samsung Galaxy phones and Notes and Apple iPhones and iPads. They have ultra-rugged cases to protect the devices that can handle extreme cold and extreme drops.

Yeah, yeah. I've heard this often. I've seen tests from 6 feet, 12 feet, even from roofs. So how is this so different?

The drop test they did was far beyond anything I could come up with. They dropped theirs from space.

Yes, you read right. SPACE. They took the darn thing into the upper atmosphere, to 101,000 feet -- technically space. Outside temperatures were -79 degrees. Then they dropped the craft that was holding the case in an arm in front of a camera. It's all on video. Granted, you can't see the screen of the iPhone in the video, but the company says that despite the craft breaking apart upon impact, the iPhone remained intact and in working order.

I have to admit, that was impressive. You can see the video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hc38-VHIX8. (I'll also post a link on the "Tech Spotlight" Facebook page.)

That's all well and good, but can it handle real abuse -- a day in my purse, pocket, on the desk and wherever else a poor phone in my possession ends up?

The case is built to military-grade standards, which means it has to be pretty darn rugged. It has a black rubber interior that keeps the case from getting scratched and small hexagons stamped inside the rubber cushion the phone from impacts. Extra rubber at the corners and on the ends protects the phone from end and corner impacts that could crack the screen.

The exterior is a hard plastic, but it's not completely rigid. It means you actually can twist and bend the case slightly, so there's no chance of it shattering from impacts. It's almost impossible to scratch up this case with basic wear and tear -- I tried.

Despite this level of protection, the case is very thin and hugs the phone tightly. So it doesn't add a lot of weight or bulk to the phone.

The only downside to the Urban case is the screen protection. The case itself has none, so it comes with one of those stick-on plastic screen protectors. Those who read this column often know I am not a fan of the sticky plastic things. It's darn near impossible to line them up perfectly, and eventually they start coming off at the corners. This one was no exception. At least they do offer some screen protection, but it would be nice if they offered something a little more lasting to match the protection and strength of the rest of the case.

While I was in the case-testing mood, I decided to check out two more in my stash -- the Slim Case and the Bezel Case from Designed by Many. Both cases are made just for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

The Slim case snaps onto the back of the iPhone. It also comes with one of those sticky screen protectors. The plastic isn't completely rigid, so it's pretty easy to add to and remove from an iPhone. It also has a soft texture that's pleasant to hold and provides a decent grip.

That said, there isn't much that impressed me about the Slim. Its protection level is pretty low. It doesn't have higher edges than the side of the iPhone, so it's not going to protect the phone when dropped face forward. It also lacks protection for the buttons, top or bottom. It doesn't have added protection for the vulnerable corners, either.

If you want something to protect the back of your phone from scratches, this case is fine. If you want anything beyond that, look elsewhere.

Finally, I checked out Designed by Many's Bezel case, which really is more of a bumper. For those who don't know, a bumper is a "case" that encircles the edges of the phone but doesn't include a front or back. It's as slim as you can get on phone protection. Bumpers generally aren't designed to offer a ton of protection for a phone.

Surprisingly, the Bezel offered more than I expected. It actually is two bumpers in one. The first one is a flexible plastic that fits around the edge of the phone. It hugs the edges, slightly overlapping to the front and back of the phone. That means it provides a little cushion for front or back impacts.

The second piece is a more rigid plastic (yet still flexible enough to put on the phone easily) with its own buttons to protect those on the phone. The added piece provides the extra protection that I expect from most bumpers.

The Bezel even includes two of those sticky protectors, not just for the front but also for the back of the phone. That's a lot more protection than I've seen from any other bumper. So if you're into bumper cases, this would be a strong recommendation.

So at least two of these cases surprised me with the level of protection they offer. I admit, it was a good move to appeal to my inner nerd. They were worth the look.

Melissa L. Jones can be reached via email at mljones72@me.com.

SundayMonday Business on 03/23/2015