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Although it’s not exactly our remit on Digital World Tokyo to cover iPhone cases, the latest high-end protector from Europe is so exceptional, it’s clearly worth a quick rundown.
The gorilla tube from German startup Gorilla came about when former racing cyclist Tobias Wittkobf decided to use bicycle frame carbon to build a protective shell for his laptop. When the iPhone hit the market, however, the tube was born instead.
First observation is that this is one slick-looking iPhone case like no other. Made of carbon fiber reinforced polymer, the tube is as tough as nails, or as the company itself rather honestly says, “super strong, light and very expensive.”
That last bit explains the hefty price tag of 80 euros ($117/¥10,480), but is it worth that kind of outlay?
In short, if you’re interested in the most unusual, eye-catching iPhone case on the market, then the answer is yes, but there are caveats.
The gorilla tube is, essentially, an open-ended sleeve that grips the iPhone tightly, with a nylon strap called the flipstrap passing right through the case and stopping the phone falling out the bottom.
The idea is that you pull the flipstrap to make the phone pop up and into your hand. You can see it in action in the YouTube video below – a slick piece of design engineering.
However, the fit is really snug and it took me around a week of use before it eased up enough to make using the gorilla tube a comfortable experience. That’s probably because my iPhone is already protected by an invisibleShield skin from Zagg, so do keep that in mind if you have any kind of shield on your phone now.
That minor gripe aside, the gorilla tube is now my iPhone case of choice for two reasons – it’s tough and it looks amazing. There are two varieties – the black Carbon or the wood-look Nature Edition – and a generous offer from Gorilla to refit the case should the felt inner or flipstrap get worn at all. What’s not to like?
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05:53 PM 
Mark Hiratsuka •
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NOT Japan | Wireless 
Tagged with:
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gorilla case
iphone
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