Review: Belkin Slim-Fit Case for iPhone
To start off the deluge of iPhone case reviews, here’s a look at Belkin’s $30 Slim-Fit Case for iPhone. As a slide-in case, the Slim-Fit doesn’t let you use your iPhone while in the case, but rather offers a protective holster for storing the phone when not in use.
With that caveat in mind, the Slim-Fit is well-designed. The rigid front and back panels use attractive leather and stitching, with fabric sides and a soft lining. Overall, the case lives up to its name, as it doesn’t add much bulk to your iPod, despite including a leather-covered belt clip on the back.
One drawback of some pouch/holster cases is that they block the iPhone’s bottom-mounted microphone and speaker, muffling the ringer and preventing you from using the speakerphone while in the case. Belkin avoids this issue by constructing the bottom of the case out of soft leather with a mesh screen that lets sound in and out. This design also avoids another problem with these types of cases: accidentally pressing the side-mounted volume and Ringer/Mute buttons while trying to remove the iPhone; with the Slim-Fit, you just press up on the bottom of the case to push the iPhone out an inch or so.
Like most holster-type cases, the Slim-Fit isn’t exceptionally protective; there’s not a lot of padding, and if you turn the case upside-down, your iPhone will slide out. But I like this case for what it is: the slimmest belt-clip case I’ve yet seen.
Category: Accessories, Reviews
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Comments (9)
i purchased this case last week and i love it. until then, i was using my 5G iPod sleeve. i did not want a case that added a lot of bulk. i use it more as a sleeve than as a belt holster.
Posted by Rob David | July 17, 2007 3:58 PM
I like the Griffin Elan Holster. It grips the phone enough to keep it from falling out. It provides protection with a stiff wall and some padding. I just put my iPhone upside down to hear the ringer. That also keeps me from pressing any buttons when removing my iPhone.
Posted by Josh Rawls![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://iphone.macworld.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 17, 2007 4:30 PM
i like it, but the inside pattern they used sometimes shows up on my iphone. of course, it can be easily wiped away, but i would have preferred no pattern on the inside of the sleeve.
Posted by John Mims | July 17, 2007 4:32 PM
I prefer my DLO hipcase. Slim and with a "door." I only use the cases intended for use when not in use.
Posted by walt | July 17, 2007 4:49 PM
The Elan Holster doesn't allow you to remove the phone from your belt without removing the entire belt clip. Poor thinking.
The slimmest, most useful case is the leather flip-case by Case-Mate (www.case-mate.com/phones/apple).
But, the coolest cases are the ones that turn the case into a wallet by providing credit card slits, so you're killing two birds with one stone. See the SENA-FLIP or the iQase FLIP.....
(www.senacases.com/Brands/Apple-iPhone-Cases/SENA-MAGNETFLIPPER-CASE-FOR-iPHONE)
(www.iqase.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=4)
Posted by JT | July 17, 2007 4:52 PM
"...if you turn the case upside-down, your iPhone will slide out."
Are you kidding? It would take a direct hit from a Scud missile to get my iPhone out of my Belkin case. That is really my only mild beef with the case; it takes a VERY firm grip on the top of the phone, plus pushing from below, to weasel it out of captivity when it rings.
If anything I worry about launching it by pulling too hard and accidentally flinging it.
-dan
Posted by danham![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://iphone.macworld.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 17, 2007 5:27 PM
danham: I can only go by the case we tested; after using it for a while, it definitely loosened up -- when I turned it upside-down, the iPhone slid out.
Maybe yours will loosen up over time, as well?
Posted by Dan Frakes![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://iphone.macworld.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 17, 2007 6:43 PM
The iPhone is kinda hard to take out of my Belkin case - these after two weeks of using the case. I need to push from the bottom and pull from the side - hence accidentally pushing the volume up keys.
Posted by Benjamin | July 17, 2007 7:51 PM
My husband has a case from iQase.com, he's very happy with it that he's about to get the new one that's coming soon FLiP2. They seem to have good iPhone cases.
Posted by Amy Rayyan | August 13, 2007 8:01 AM