Review: the LifeProof waterproof iPhone 6 case

Regular readers will know that I’m a massive fan of Three, not least for their ‘Feel at Home’, which means you can use your normal minutes and data while you’re abroad (it now covers Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Macau, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland the the USA) - it’s a must for a social media nut like me. Just before we headed out to Texas and then on to our cruise around the Caribbean, and knowing that I’d be around water and beaches (dangerous), wanting to upload #holidayspam to my accounts, I ordered a waterproof case for my iPhone6. The LifeProof FRE iPhone 6 case is a hard case with a grippy rubber edge that completely encloses the phone and claims to make it completely waterproof.

Fitting is quite simple - the case clips around the phone quite easily with seals all around the edge, and all the apertures are protected - the headphone jack with a screw-in seal, and the charger with a clip cover. A test kit is included for extra peace of mind too.

There’s a good quality optical glass lens, which means that the camera continues to take very clear photos, and the touch screen and fingerprint touch ID system still work perfectly.

We gave the case the ultimate test by taking it out onto a sandbar in Grand Cayman to photograph stingrays. I’ve got to be honest, first jumping off the boat with the phone in my hand felt completely alien, as did the first time I held it under the water, but as I snapped away I gained confidence.

Eventually I was holding it completely under the surface (you can take it up to 2m underwater) photographing the stingrays as they swooped around our feet. When we got home, we could hardly believe the quality of the photos:

It was also really great to be able to take the phone on the beach and even caving, without fear of it getting sandy or wet. It also makes it a lot tougher, so the fear of dropping it and smashing the screen is no longer an issue. In fact, since we’ve been home, I’ve kept the case on. The only slight downside is that you need a longer headphone jack than standard, but that’s included in the pack. The case also has the weird side effect of making sound more bassy as the back of the case acts as a sub-woofer, providing richer sound!

My verdict? I love it. Yes, it adds a slight bulkiness to the phone, but really no more than any other protective case. I love the pink colour and the peace of mind which comes from never worrying again about the phone getting knocked or wet. I can’t wait to take more underwater photos either.

The LifeProof case costs £70 and I honestly think it’s worth every penny, especially if, like me, you’re dropped your phone down the loo before! It’s a hell of a lot cheaper than replacing your phone, and if you’re as clumsy as I am, it’s a must have, let alone all the bonuses for travel photography. And those pics! How’s that for #holidayspam?