If you’re like me, you probably use your phone–a lot. While I try to not let it get excessive or intrusive, I certainly get a lot of use out of my phone, particularly as a blogger. Therefore, I’m always on the lookout for interesting or manly-inspired phone cases. Enter Slickwraps, an intriguing way to turn your electro…to gent. I had to. Basically, Slickwraps are a way to cover your entire phone in whatever texture or pattern you choose. I was interested in their wood series, and decided to try out the mahogany version. Since the process is fairly straightforward, I decided to give a series of photos that will show the application of the stickers on my phone, as well as some commentary.
Here is my phone, out of the old case and ready to slip into a Slickwrap.
Note: this is not real wood. It’s pretty nice looking from afar, but up close you kind of get that elementary school desk feel.
What the what? Seems complicated, but never fret. There’s really only one place the stickers will logically fit, so there’s really no need for instructions. There is also a plastic static-based screen protector in there, but do not use this. The screen protector is terrible, and as soon as I took off the backing to apply it, the screen attracted dust all over the place, and it was instantly ruined. I wasted a lot of time trying to fix it, to no avail. Use your own screen protector if you want to use one at all. The sticker on the front of the phone will hold up nicely without it, anyways.
Front sticker applied–not bad. The sticker also had a round piece for the button. I don’t know if the design was intended for this to be there, but I liked how it looked, so it went on there. I didn’t have any functionality issues with the front-facing camera or button after applying the stickers, and I was concerned with the sticker peeling off because…it’s a sticker. But it actually held up pretty well over a two-week testing period.
After all the stickers are on, slide the back/rubber sides piece on, and you’re good to go. As soon as I was done with the application, I noticed that the rubber was really slick. I guess that’s why it’s called a Slickwrap? It was almost falling out of my hand, and this made it hard to hold. However, over time, the rubber gained some grip as I guess the initial manufacturing wore off. I also didn’t like how “Slickwraps” is so prominently displayed on the case, but this is a personal preference, some people might not mind it as much.
However, that said, there are some redeeming qualities to Slickwraps that make it worth a look. The price is fairly reasonable in comparison to some other phone cases–$20 is not an unheard amount of money for a case. Additionally, the stickers never caught on my pockets despite heavy use over a couple of weeks. They also didn’t show much wear over that time, and I would expect the stickers to last a lot longer. Also, the stickers remove totally clean–not like those cheap price tags that always rip and leave remnants behind. This means that if you wanted to change out your Slickwraps on the reg’, you’re free to do it.
Overall, Slickwraps are not a bad option for a guy who wants a manly-looking pattern for his gadgets, but doesn’t want to spend a whole lot to get it. The downsides are present, but I don’t think they outweigh the upsides when thinking back about my experience with my Slickwrap.
