Marius Masalar
Peel Case for iPhone 7 Plus
The Goldilocks case is just right for those who need basic protection without the bulk
There are three stages in every iPhone owner’s life.
Stage one is the ultimate defence approach to protecting your baby. You buy an Otterbox case or a sturdy leather wallet wrap, you buy a screen protector, and you treat your phone as though it’s allergic to the outside world.
But it looks godawful in its chunky case. It’s heavy and goofy and you look like a construction worker whenever you take a call. Why not enjoy the iPhone like Jony Ive intended?
Stage two starts here—the case is gone. Like a kid who just got her braces off, you celebrate your newfound freedom. It’s like getting a brand new phone!
A drop, scuff, or scratch brings you screeching to a halt at Stage Three. And Stage Three is where Peel lives. When Peel first emerged, a couple of iPhone generations ago, I was still firmly in stage one.
I kept my iPhones in one of Apple’s leather cases and was happy that way. Once the Plus sized phones showed up and I adopted them, the addition of a few millimetres here and there was suddenly more noticeable. The Plus phones are big, and even the leather cases make them noticeably bigger.
A few months back, I graduated to stage two and went caseless for the second half of my iPhone 6s Plus’ life. It felt amazing, but when it came time to sell the 6s Plus to fund its successor, I noticed more scuffs, a dented mute switch, and several other cosmetic issues.
By the time I got the 7 Plus, I already knew I’d be ordering a Peel case to try and bridge the gap between nothing and too much. I expected I’d end up going back to the official leather case, but two weeks in I’m not tempted to at all.
The Peel case is freakishly thin. Once you clip your iPhone in, it’s as if Peel just melts around the phone and disappears. There’s no lip over the screen, so swipe gestures remain unimpeded, but there is a tiny lip over the camera to keep the lens from touching whatever surface it’s resting on.
Similarly, the edges extend just enough to protect the buttons and mute switch from abuse, but not enough to make it hard to access them.
In short, Peel is the Goldilocks case: it’s not too bulky, but offers enough protection to defend against scratches, scuffs, and minor drops. If you’re a clumsy person, I recommend a sturdier case—Peel is unlikely to save your phone from a serious accident.
But if you love the caseless feel and just want a bit of extra peace of mind, Peel is the best $25 you can spend