Product Review: The Agent18 EcoShield slider

Living with an Iphone, or any other expensive phone for that matter, poses the interesting question of whether you should do something to protect it - knowing full well that a case might spoil its design - or leaving it cover-less and thus open to danger.

I live with a white Iphone, it shows videos, it plays music, it checks my emails and generally does a good job of being a phone. It also happens to love finding new ways of scratching itself or getting dirty which has brought me to investing in a case. I am something of a purist and thought a case would spoil the look, I also happen to be ecological in my choices and those mass produced plastic cases were just not making me feel good about things. All this changed when I discovered Agent18 and the Ecoshield Slider case. If you are thinking about a case for your Iphone or Ipod then stop thinking and buy one of these. I will tell you why.

I have tested this for a few weeks now and I still like it as much as I did when I first opened the box. Let me tell you about that day. The case came in a pack with a screen protector, the case itself and a handy little stand. I must admit that the first night was completely frustrating, I am totally useless with patience-intensive exercises like fitting a screen protector and suffice to say I was ready to give up when I noticed that I would simply not be able to fit the screen protector without having some kind of air bubble in there. Anyway, a few minutes of help from a more patient and able friend and it was on. Fitting the slider is simple and it completed the all-round protection my phone needed.

The case is slim, very slim. It adds little to the bulk of the phone and everything is easily accessible, the vibrate switch is there, the volume keys are there (and protected) and your attachments will all work fine so no problems with the charger or anything else. It fits like a glove but gives the phone an added sturdiness you can really feel. So much so that I found myself being a little too cavalier with the phone and throwing it around much more than usual, I think I subconsciously decided it was now safe from all harm.

The plastic is made from recycled post consumer plastic bottles and it feels wonderful, it has a real non-slip form and feels like part of the phone rather than an addition to it. One minor gripe – which I am almost embarrassed to highlight – is that you can’t see the apple logo on the back and I say this not for advertising purposes but for the odd times when you want to check your hair before a photo in its mirror-like finish. I think that the vast majority of normal people won’t even think of this but it has to be said for the vainer readers out there.

In essence this is THE case for anyone out there needing to protect their Iphone or Ipod and who want to do so in the greenest possible way.

Pros:
- Secure locking mechanism – never again worry about your case sliding apart at an inopportune time
- Interior silicon pads to prevent product scratching
- Side grips to make sure this baby will never slip out of your hand again
- Made from post-consumer plastic bottles- which means this is a lean, green, protection machine
- Protective screen film and table stand included


Cons:
- Losing the apple ‘vanity mirror’ on the back of the phone

For more information see: www.agent18.com