Incipio Feather Ultra Thin Case for iPhone 4 - accessory review

By Chad Garrett
last updated

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I have just finished my stint with the Incipio Feather Ultra Thin Case for iPhone 4 (hence-forth "Feather", that title is just way too long). What can I say? I like! The really thin nature of the case and the grip it provides is really nice. Plus, there are some extra benefits too. Keep reading to see all you get with this awesome case.

The first thing you will notice when you open the packaging for this case is that you get more than just a case, you also receive two surface protectors and a cleaning cloth. This is a very nice value for the price of this case ($23.95). The case itself is, as described, light and thin. It adds minimal thickness to the iPhone 4 and has a nice grip too it. I often refer to this as "grippy" plastic. Not slippery, but adds enough traction to be useful and stick in your pocket. The cut of the case is very precise. The back is completely covered except the camera and flash exposed. The case is very flush against the back with no real room for lint to enter. The sides flush as well. In fact, once you slip on the case, it can be a challenge to take it off. This, is a good thing.

The only issue with this case is that it does not protect the screen at all. For example, Apple's bumper case extends past the glass to prevent any accidental scratches, etc. So, to remedy this and make the case as thin as possible, Incipio kindly includes two surface protectors. To make it easy for you, they even include an applicator for the surface protector. The side of the case only extends to cover the height of the silver antenna, so there is still about a millimeter or so of glass exposed. Even with a screen protector, it is possible that the glass could crack if hit at the proper angle.

This is easily one of the best cases for the iPhone 4 if you like this style of case. It isn't rubber, but plastic, grips well and keeps the device thin and comes with two surface protectors. This case not only looks awesome, but protects in conjunction with the included protectors. Oh, and if you want colors, there are a whopping 12 colors to choose from.

You can find the Incipio Feather Ultra Thin Case for iPhone 4 at the TiPb iPhone 4 accessory store.

Pros

  • Really light and thin
  • Solid protection
  • Grippy feel
  • Lots of colors

Cons

  • Case offers no frontal protection (includes surface protectors though)

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Chad Garrett

Software trainer, blogger and mobile technology enthusiast living in the suburban Midwest.

24 Comments
  • Awesome, I cant wait until I get mine!
  • I had one of these cases and the paint started to peel off after only a couple days. Sent it back and it seems to be a common issue
  • Does it fit in iphone3 dock with the case on?
  • Nice review. Thanks for not filming it with the camera pointed straight at you :)
  • I use the SwitchEasy NUDE. It's super thin, comes with dock and earphone jack covers and two screen protectors. It's also somewhat transparent so you can see the back of your phone...if that's what you're into. :)
  • I had the paint peeling issue as well. Incipio offered to replace it, but sent the Silicrylic case instead of another Feather. Not sure if that was accidental, or if they're having quality control issues with the Feather and swapping them out. (The Feather on my old 3G still looks as good as the day I bought it.)
    As an aside, I wouldn't recommend using the 2nd screen protector on the back glass unless you modify the cutout to accommodate the camera lens and flash.
  • @mp99 - nope, it does not fit in the dock. Works with all my connectors - but not the dock.
  • I have had this since day one love it , caution tho rubber skin does flake off , had to request a new one . Same as original feather .
  • Love this case, haven't had the rubber peeling thing yet, hoping I do not because it is the best case I have had out of any of the iPhones.
  • Loved the feather on my 3G and love it again on my iP4.
  • Discovered the Feather line when I bought one for my 3GS, and loved that case. I am pleased with the iPhone 4 Feather case overall. The screen protectors it came with ended up getting discarded...they really did not look very nice on the phone. I am definitely having the matte finish flaking issue, which is not ideal, but functionally the case works well. I have ended up carrying the phone in an old Oakley "microfiber-ish" sunglass pouch to protect the screen while in my pocket....the screen scratches more easily than the 3GS.
  • I have this case but I haven't really used it, I'm pretty paranoid when it comes to my phone and I just don't think it offers enough protection for my preference.
  • Please add to the cons 'some users have reported paint peeling issues'. Same thing just happened to me. They are sending a replacement, but it's a pain, and it may happen again.
  • Great review Chad. I have this case since late June and simply love it. Had 3GS version for last iPhone. That one cracked after 4 months near headphone jack but that is a non-issue on this version as they have re-designed it. Incipio replaced that one and I had no troubles with the replacement.
    Bottom line. Looks and feels great. Minimal protection but its totally worth the trade off for me. I love the Feather. Perfect case for me.
  • Could you also use a bumper in addition to this case to add more protection?
  • LOVE the Incipio feather case. I have it in the tonic, pearl white. I love the pearlescent finish.
    I wanted a case that would be VERY minimal, and I got the pearl white since I was bummed that I couldn't get the white iPhone 4.
    This case, however, is minimalistic thus it does not offer much protection when you drop it. Obviously, it will protect the back, but the front will get scratched. I dropped my phone the other day while carrying a bunch of stuff to my car. It fell about 3 feet. -_- Very slight scratches around the edge of the front screen. Thankfully a simple black Sharpie marker made it go away..
    I'll keep using my Feather case even though it doesn't offer a lot of impact/shock/drop protection. I never understood why people put ugly, bulky cases on a phone that is meant to be SLIM.
  • great case slimline looks great
  • I've been through two of these now and the paint peeling problem is indeed endemic. Doesn't really bother me, though - it's a great case, albeit one with a very different finish now to the one it had on the day I bought it. :-/
  • The paint peels off really quickly and leaves black residue everywhere. Not happy with this case :(
  • I just received the case and it looked like it was going to be perfect. Nope. As I attempted to remove the stickers attached to the surface protectors, I ended up with that hopelessly stuck sticker-residue still attached. In the process of trying to get that residue off, both of the protectors ended up smudged, bent, smeared and pretty much worthless. On top of that, the protector is not held in place by the cover so it seems as though it would be easily displaced. I'm going to try a different design and company at this point.
  • I GOT A FEATHER AND IT CRACKED AFTER 3 MONTHS NO THE BEST QUALITY PRODUCT
  • I've had this case for a few months now and would like to add one other con to the list. The "grippy" plastic, as you like to call it, wears off easily. Once it starts wearing you can almost peel the surrounding areas off. This leaves the case looking cheap.
  • I've had this case for a few months now and would like to add one other con to the list. The "grippy" plastic, as you like to call it, wears off easily. Once it starts wearing you can almost peel the surrounding areas off. This leaves the case looking cheap.
  • I've been using this case for almost a year now and absolutely love it. The case is incredibly thin and barely changes the phone's shape. The "grippy" texture is perfect. You won't be worried about slippage even when you're fumbling with the door on a rainy day, grocery bags in one hand, keys in the other, and trying to cradle the phone on your shoulder.
    I've dropped the phone several times without incident (lucky I suppose to have never hit the scintilla of glass edge still visible). I've had no experience with the wearing described in the other comment.
    I can't speak for the included surface protectors- I had already installed a Zagg screen protector on front and back. I definitely recommend some kind of screen protector though.