M7 ELEMENTCASE REVIEW Armor for your iPhone 7/8 Plus.
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I have been a fan of comics and heroes since I was very young. One of my original favorites was Iron Man, even before Robert Downey Jr. made the character popular again. I loved the intellect, the creativity and of course the Hall of Armor. There really was not a single armor that worked for every scenario. Rather, there were multiple armor set-ups for a variety of situations (Mark I-46). When it comes to iPhone cases, there is a plethora to choose between. In some cases, a simple bumper style case will suffice. However, you may desire a folio style case or an all-inclusive style case, etc., for other situations. The M7 Stealth Element Case can be your very own Iron Man iPhone armor for ultimate protection.
The M7 Stealth Element Case arrived in a medium sized package with outer black slipcover and inner silver box. The cover has a very intriguing silver “M7” logo along the front, reminding me of the “Terminator” logo. The Stealth Element Case is part of the Machine Series and the tested version was specifically designed for the iPhone 7/8 Plus. The front is relatively devoid of any additional information, which is both a benefit and negative factor. I enjoyed that there was not an overabundance of information to busy-up this case. Turning the packaging over, the posterior face of the slipcover provides a wonderful description of the Armor style case: Dual CNC machined chassis, military-grade G10 composite, and featherlight aerospace aluminum. The Element name is synonymous with protection and quality craftsmanship/materials; they do not need to add a bunch of words/images to explain the Element stance. Succinct and to the point, the packaging exemplifies the quality of Element products.
Slide the inner box out of the slipcover and then open the bifold container. The right side of the box had a clear plastic window, which displayed the machined Element case amazingly well. The clear window display of the case and the slightly elevated foam platform reminded me of a museum display. Similar to the outer packaging, the company allowed the case to speak for itself, instead of relying on unnecessary images and diagrams. The left side of the box had a silver cardboard flap, covering another clear plastic window. Beneath the second compartment was an amazing tactical-appearing nylon carry bag.
Open the window on the right and lift out the 4.4-ounce case. Beneath the phone case, nestled inside of the gray foam pad, you will find a 3 7/8 inches long by 1 7/8 inches wide plastic case. You will notice “ELEMENTCASE” etched into the top of the case and “Designed in California, USA” along the bottom. The container houses four extra screws, a small hex wrench and the speed wrench (used to remove the case). The wrench conveniently has a keyring and both ends will separate from the main shaft, allowing you to access the small hex wrench. Using the wrench, remove each of the twelve small hex-head screws along the back of the case. This will take about 10–20 seconds per screw. Be careful that you do not allow the screws to fall, as they are tiny and difficult to find. Luckily, the kit comes with four spare screws.
When the screws are removed, you can leave them in the G10 backplate and set it aside. Press your iPhone 7/8 Plus into the front plate “AL Bezel,” starting with the right side. You can then press along the top, left and bottom of the iPhone. Inside of the AL Bezel, there are four rubberized TPU sections along the corners. The corners compress your iPhone, allowing it to float within the case. Replace the G10 backing, align the screw holes and then replace each of the screws with the speed wrench. The entire installation process should take you less than five minutes. At this point, you can theoretically be done with the installation. The metallic backing of the G10 case has an included/installed belt/pocket clip. If desired, you can use the included small Allen’s wrench to move the clip or to remove it completely.
With the iPhone 7 Plus installed, the device weighs a hefty 11.2 ounces. The machined metal case is very noticeable and will significantly weigh down your belt. I did not particularly like holding the case on my hip with this clip but found the included carry pouch to be a superior carrying method. The phone case measures 6.5 inches tall by 3.3 inches wide by 0.4 inches thick and was a tad large for a shirt/coat pocket. Again, this was the benefit of the included carry pouch. Do not misunderstand my sentiment, I am very pleased that the company included the belt clip. However, I found that there were more aspects of the case that were enhanced after I removed the clip. For example, with the belt clip removed, I was able to enjoy the #2 included magnetic strips along the back of the case. With the clip installed, the magnets did not make good enough surface contact. The weight of the case alone will cause it to fall in this configuration. With the clip removed, the magnets are strong enough to hold the case and phone combination steadily in-place.
The included carry pouch has two 7 1/4 inches long straps with button clasps, along the back. Underneath the straps, you will find a two-by-two section of MOLLE webbing. Along the front of the pouch, you will notice a 1 1/2 inches wide by 7 1/4 inches long strap. At the end of the strap is a 1 1/2 inches wide by 2 7/8 inches long section of velcro. The velcro will attach to the other section of velcro that is conveniently placed on the 3 inches wide by 4 1/8 inches tall front pocket. There is a section of elastic running underneath of the velcro closure, which will allow a cinch-like pocket. You can use the sides (next to the pocket) to hold pens and or pencils if desired. The strip of velcro will allow you to expand the pocket further. The back pocket is 6 1/2 inches tall by 3 1/2 inches wide by 1 1/8 inches deep and will accommodate the phone case very well. The back pocket/main pocket is closed with an elastic strap. The top closure allows quick access to the phone and provides a secure means of preventing it from falling. The button closures are very secure, providing an impressive tactile snap. The lashing straps are long enough to weave into another bag with MOLLE webbing and provide a very strong and secure method to hold your iPhone 7/8 plus.
If you are truly hard on your iPhone and you are looking for an Armored/Indestructible case, look no further than the ELEMENTCASE line. The M7 Stealth case is truly a work of art and was the first brand of case that I ever had to “INSTALL” on my phone. The company provides numerous methods to enjoy this case: belt clip, magnetic backing, amazing carry pouch. The carry pouch is well stitched, well built and the nylon work feels just as machined as the G10 Backing and the AL Bezel. Enjoy this case in nearly any environment you can imagine. It provides no additional waterproof/dustproof protection, but the native iPhone 7 Plus is already resistant enough to these elements. If you want fall protection and crush protection, the machine series case is exactly what you are looking for.
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Originally published at macsources.com on November 29, 2017.
