The iPad is a fantastic device, to be sure, but those who spend a lot of time in the outdoors may be worried about keeping their device safe, secure, and free from dust and moisture. Fortunately, Pelican has produced an insanely tough waterproof case for exactly that purpose – The Pelican i1075 ($79.95, link).
Overview
In many ways, it’s unfair to call the i1075 a case, when it really goes above and beyond the functions that a case normally serves. Let there be no doubt – with its waterproof gasket, brutally tough and shock-resistant construction, and foam padding contoured to your iPad (as well as a wireless keyboard and other odds and ends), this case could handle a savage gorilla attack over whitewater rapids and still come out on top.
Design
The i1075 is roughly the size of a school textbook, and features a very modern contoured design that is as nice to look at as it is tough. The case is also fairly lightweight – it’s far lighter than it looks, which is especially impressive considering the level of protection that it can provide.
While the i1075 is tough as nails on the outside, however, it’s as soft as a kitten on the inside, featuring heavy-duty cushioning that is form-fit to hold an iPad, an Apple Wireless Keyboard, and accessories such the iPad USB power adapter, a set of earbuds, and a dock cable.
What’s just as nice is that the i1075 opens into a nice portable desk, propping your iPad up in the optimal viewing position (either portrait or landscape), while allowing you to type on the keyboard without ever having to remove it from the case.
Protection
Pelican has long had a reputation for producing cases that are watertight and able to witstand high impact, and the i1075 is no exception. Pelican states that the case can protect your device from up to a three-foot drop, and is also waterproof to a depth of three feet, and considering Pelican’s reputation, as well as how solid the case both looks and feels, I see no reason to doubt that this is accurate.
The outer casing is made from tough impact-resistant plastic, and features a watertight gasket that latches through the case’s handle. More importantly, the design of the case itself, as well as the latches, serve to prevent the case from opening in case of impact. It can be dropped several feet without the latches so much as quivering (and without leaving so much as a scratch in the case itself).
In the event that anything does happen to your case, Pelican backs their products with a full lifetime guarantee.
Portability
The only downsides to this case are that it is bulkier and heavier than most other iPad or iPad 2 cases. Considering how well the i1075 can protect your precious cargo, however, I’d say these downsides are easily weighed out by the brutally tough protection that the case offers. It even looks tough!
Verdict
Combine the above features with Pelican’s dustproof ventilation system, and the portability of the case (it includes both a handle and an optional shoulder strap), and the Pelican i1075 stands tall as the ultimate case for even the most rugged of adventurers. I would highly recommend this case to anyone who needs ruggedized adventure-proof protection for their iPad.
Rating & Conclusion
Rating: 5/5[rating:5]
For its exceptional design, rugged protection, and a physical appearance that is more attractive than you’d expect for a military-grade case, I award the Pelican i1075 a full out of 5 stars. I can’t think of a practical way that Pelican could make this case any better and still preserve its function.
For more information, visit Pelican’s official product page on the web. The Pelican i1075 is available now, and retails for $89.95, although it can be found at various outdoor retails for cheaper, and can be purchased from Amazon.com for $68.74 (at the time of this writing) with free shipping.
Pros
- Waterproof and highly impact resistant (Can withstand a gorilla attack)
- Doubles as an on-the-go writing desk
- Attractive modern design
- Portable
Cons
- Heavier and bulkier than most other iPad cases
