Design:
The Phantom by Case-Mate was designed to merge rugged cases with sleek, slim cases and it does this very well. When we first heard about the Phantom the prospect of being able to fit a ruggedly designed iPhone case into my pocket sounded like it had potential. We have found it to have a great design.

Construction of the Phantom case is very solid throughout. There is a hardshell plastic cover that houses the iPhone inside of a bigger hardshell-softshell hybrid case. The outer layer feels great to the touch. Much like a soft rubber feeling. This is what gives the case shock protection. After using it for a few days we are confident that this case will protect the iPhone very well.

Covered ports and buttons keeps the iPhone from corroding. There are flaps that fold back to reveal the docking ports as well as the silencer and headphones. The lock button and volume controls are covered by a layer of rubber. This case comes with a screen protector. I like that this case is durable and has covered areas.

Looks on the Phantom are sleek and modern. If you are trying to steer away from one of those gargantuan, indestructible cases, than this one is a good choice. It comes in several colors. Once again, it’s important to me that the phone fits into my pocket without an issue and this one does.

Protection:
This case is one of the best designed tough, rugged cases. This is because of how small it is. We think it does a good job in this category.

To the touch, the Phantom feels perfect. It is soft yet durable. You can grip it easily so it won’t fall from your hand.

Coverage on this Phantom is really well put together. There are only holes for the speakers, camera, and screen. The benefits to this are that the ports and buttons will have a longer life span. Saving your iPhone from corrosion, dust and rust. The downside is that the case is a little bit bulkier than others and it will not dock.

Screen protection is good but could be better. Some cases have a plastic cover over the screen that is built onto the case, but the Phantom case comes with a thin screen protector that only protects against scratches. It’s not terrible, but it could have been built into this case.

Value:
This case is worth the price. It has all the properties of the bulkier rugged cases but is half the size. Weighing the options, It’s a better case for the price because of the convenient of being able to fit it into your pocket or bag. Starting at $50 we have seen the price as low as $30 on amazon.

Conclusion:
We really like this case. It does exactly what it says it will. I worry very little about my iPhone 4s when using it. Our favorite attributes are that it is small enough to make it convenient while still providing ample protection. Some small criticisms are that we would like to dock the iPhone with the case on and that it does not have a built-in screen protector. These are not big problems. Overall, we have found case to be a great choice.