Do metal cases hold up on a drop?

[Monty Gibson]

Has anyone actually dropped their Pocket PC's using a metal case? If so, do they stand up pretty well? I don't mean a slight tumble, I'm talking from the shirt pocket all the way down to cement, not carpet, grass or some other supportive surface.

Thanks in advance,
Monty Gibson

[victore]

Monty,

I haven't dropped my e800 (I use a Innopocket aluminum case), but I did accidentally close a car door on it. I had my PDA in my jacket pocket and when I closed the door, the pocket was hanging a little lower than usual, and the car door closed on it. I quickly opened the door and my PDA was safe and sound. If I was using a soft case, it would have surely been crunched.

[Tierran]

Well, over the summer my e740 fell out of my pocket and tumbled down an entire flight of wood stairs. A corner of the case was slightly dinged but everything, including the PDA, were fine. This was in a proporta case.

[TheOrange]

I dropped my v36 (while in its RhinoSkin case) onto a linoleum tile floor. You'll be glad to know that the case, the linoleum tile and the v36 were all just fine.

I did however have to replace the digitizer on my old Palm Vx. It was crushed while in its leather soft case which was in a backpack. I still need to find a hard case for my rx3115.

[Mobile_Bear]

Ipaq 2215, from 3 feet to the concrete sidewalk, w/Rhinoskin metal case.
case scratched, Ipaq intact. 8O

[Monty Gibson]

Monty,

I haven't dropped my e800 (I use a Innopocket aluminum case), but I did accidentally close a car door on it. I had my PDA in my jacket pocket and when I closed the door, the pocket was hanging a little lower than usual, and the car door closed on it. I quickly opened the door and my PDA was safe and sound. If I was using a soft case, it would have surely been crunched.


:eek:

Wow! That counts I suppose! I had my reservations about the leather cases too. I have a Vaja case now, but I'm about to purchase a hx4705 and I just can't see putting a leather wrapping around it. If it were the I-Volution; then maybe. But not just plain cow hide. Even laptops get a cushion ride every now and again :wink:

Thank you,
Monty Gibson

[Monty Gibson]

Ipaq 2215, from 3 feet to the concrete sidewalk, w/Rhinoskin metal case.
case scratched, Ipaq intact. 8O

Rhinoskin, is that better than the Proporta <spelling?> case? Sounds good to me. I can replace a $30 dollar case!

Thank you,
Monty Gibson

[Monty Gibson]

I dropped my v36 (while in its RhinoSkin case) onto a linoleum tile floor. You'll be glad to know that the case, the linoleum tile and the v36 were all just fine.

I did however have to replace the digitizer on my old Palm Vx. It was crushed while in its leather soft case which was in a backpack. I still need to find a hard case for my rx3115.

That qualifies! It's still concrete underneath ;-). I think I'm beginning to see a pattern here with these metal cases...

Thank you,
Monty Gibson

[Monty Gibson]

Well, over the summer my e740 fell out of my pocket and tumbled down an entire flight of wood stairs. A corner of the case was slightly dinged but everything, including the PDA, were fine. This was in a proporta case.

8O Um, very good. I was curious to know if the Proporta case was better than the RhinoSkin case or et. al. Wow, a flight of stairs. I don't think a leather case would hold up to that as most of them have some area of exposure, especially at the edges.

Thank you,
Monty Gibson

[Jeff Rutledge]

Moved to Just Chattin' as it's not an iPAQ-specific topic.

[Mobile_Bear]

Ipaq 2215, from 3 feet to the concrete sidewalk, w/Rhinoskin metal case.
case scratched, Ipaq intact. 8O

Rhinoskin, is that better than the Proporta <spelling?> case? Sounds good to me. I can replace a $30 dollar case!

Thank you,
Monty Gibson

I have no experience with the Proporta. I was traveling pretty intensive and needed extra protection, I always wanted to use a leather case, but since the incident, I have never look back.

[Monty Gibson]

Ipaq 2215, from 3 feet to the concrete sidewalk, w/Rhinoskin metal case.
case scratched, Ipaq intact. 8O

Rhinoskin, is that better than the Proporta <spelling?> case? Sounds good to me. I can replace a $30 dollar case!

Thank you,
Monty Gibson

I have no experience with the Proporta. I was traveling pretty intensive and needed extra protection, I always wanted to use a leather case, but since the incident, I have never look back.

I think they are pretty comparable. I've always used a leather case but have really looked at it recently and although they may be more attractive at the onset, over time they dull and I have to remind myself that it's just "skin" and as with all "skin" it tears and provides only minimal amounts of protection. Plastic to me is not practical, I don't see how that provides shock absorbency. The rubberized "skin" cases again do not strike me as "safe" since it's still a thin layer of a very pliable material. Which just leads me to a metal case. I think; with the help of the community here, that I've pretty much made up my mind :clap:

Thank you,
Monty Gibson

[TheOrange]

My complaint about the Rhinoskin case (and this may hold true for other brands too), is that the little "thing" that screws onto the back so that you can hook it onto your belt clip may come loose. It requires awareness and periodic attention so that your device is safe from a fall (granted the case should protect the device) if it were to loosen.

On the other hand, that same piece make it nice so that you don't have to get multiple cases - one for the belt and one for the pocket or wherever...

[Monty Gibson]

My complaint about the Rhinoskin case (and this may hold true for other brands too), is that the little "thing" that screws onto the back so that you can hook it onto your belt clip may come loose. It requires awareness and periodic attention so that your device is safe from a fall (granted the case should protect the device) if it were to loosen.

On the other hand, that same piece make it nice so that you don't have to get multiple cases - one for the belt and one for the pocket or wherever...

Is the piece plastic or metal? It allows you to remove it? That would be a nice feature.

[TheOrange]

metal - it just screws in. Its a great feature, you just need to be mindful that it will loosen.

[portnoy]

My Toshiba e335 took a tumble out of my shirt pocket onto the concrete factory floor. Still works perfectly, although there is now a slight dent in the corner. It was in Krusell leather case.

As for metal cases, I'm waiting for one made out of transparent aluminum. ;)

[Monty Gibson]

My Toshiba e335 took a tumble out of my shirt pocket onto the concrete factory floor. Still works perfectly, although there is now a slight dent in the corner. It was in Krusell leather case.

As for metal cases, I'm waiting for one made out of transparent aluminum. ;)

Transparent aluminum :-). How about those clear cubes used in some homes as building bricks used to accentuate a room? Why can't they make a case out of that material :-)? I'm sure it's a high-density polymer, that would make a nice case :-).

Sorry to hear about your dent, but that's my point. Leather is just a very pliable material, not suitable for load drops from a good height. I have a Vaja case and still am very leery of it :worried:.

Thank you,
Monty Gibson

[IpaqMan2]

Yeah I think they hold up. My father in law works on the rail road and is pretty new to pocket pcs. The other day I was over his house fixing an issue with his outlook when he pulled out his metal case. It looked like it survived Vietnam, with a huge dent and skid marks that literally chipped a good portion of the metal off the case. I asked what happened and he said.. Oh I dropped it while at work??? (looked more like maybe a train ran over it...) But hey his Pocket Pc was in perfect working order.

[tanalasta]

Ooo... my Toshi's lasted quite a number of drops in the plain ol' vinyl OEM case it came with. And a few from 1-2metres with no case that have resulted in hard resets but no long-lasting damage.

But after reading this thread, I went and bought an Innopocket metal case for A$47 including express postage. For my trip to India where I'll be keeping my toshi very roughly in a travelpack :P

*edit* - Transparent aluminium? The only time I've heard of something similar was Star-Trek IV. Only Trekkies will understand the reference :P

As for high density polymer - it'd have to be a moulded case. That stuff isn't very malleable. Which makes it expensive!

[IpaqMan2]

*edit* - Transparent aluminium? The only time I've heard of something similar was Star-Trek IV. Only Trekkies will understand the reference :P
!

I was hoping someone else would point that out.. 0X

:mrgreen:

[KimVette]

I once dropped my iPAQ over 50 feet while mountain climbing, and it was working fine when I climbed down and picked it up, so I don't see why a typical PocketPC wouldn't withstand a 4' fall to the floor.

[Monty Gibson]

I once dropped my iPAQ over 50 feet while mountain climbing, and it was working fine when I climbed down and picked it up, so I don't see why a typical PocketPC wouldn't withstand a 4' fall to the floor.

Um, is that with or without a case :lol:?

[Monty Gibson]

Yeah I think they hold up. My father in law works on the rail road and is pretty new to pocket pcs. The other day I was over his house fixing an issue with his outlook when he pulled out his metal case. It looked like it survived Vietnam, with a huge dent and skid marks that literally chipped a good portion of the metal off the case. I asked what happened and he said.. Oh I dropped it while at work??? (looked more like maybe a train ran over it...) But hey his Pocket Pc was in perfect working order.

Like I've said before, if that were leather, I don't think it would have withstood the fall. If the corner was chipped then with a leather case the Pocket PC would have been broke or completely destroyed.

Thank you,
Monty Gibson

[k0diak]

I've got the Aluminum Rhino-Skin case for my h2215 and i've dropped it plenty of times @ work (Dodge Parts Dept cement floor). Ipaq still works fine. Tons of scratches on the case though, but thats to be expected :wink: