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Rokform Rokbed V3 Review

Ever since I purchased my 4S, I've been trying to find a case that I actually liked and could enjoy for more than just a few days. I tried a Speck Fabshell, and while it looked good, my phone slid around in it and it didn't feel all that protective. I also tried a Otterbox Commuter case, which I had loved on my 3GS. Unlike the 3GS version of the case, this one felt cheap, bendy, and not protective either. Not to mention how thick and bulky it made the phone feel. Neither of these did what I wanted it to.

The other day, I heard about the Rokform Rokbed V3 case. I looked online at the images and reviews, and loved it instantly. I ordered one, and I have to say, I'm very impressed with it.

It's very hard to say what the best part of this case is. It fits the phone extremely well, it doesn't slide around, it's not bulky, it's lightweight, and it feels extremely protective overall. Not to mention all of the accessories that it can work with.

In the box, you get the case, a lanyard attachment, a wipe (for installing the RMS), and a Remote Mounting System itself. The case is a two part slider case. You just snap it on, and you're good to go. Now, some have complained that it interferes with screen protectors on the back of the case, however I use it with a full body ZAGG InvisibleShield, and have no issues with it peeling off or bubbling. A word to the wise: clean the phone first. One bad point on this case is that it's difficult to get off of the phone. It's good from a protection standpoint, but from a cleaning standpoint, it's not so good. Just make sure your phone is clean before popping it in.

On the side of the case at the base under the volume switches are two holes. You can insert the lanyard into these holes to use it with the case. I don't have a use for the lanyard, but for someone who does, it would be extremely useful. The lanyard itself isn't too big, but it's strong, and any other longer lanyard could easily be substituted for the smaller one.

I use my phone in a dock. The case is slim enough that it doesn't interfere with my phone docking at all. It just works.

On the back of the case is a little rubber pad. This pad makes it so that the case doesn't slip and slide around on surfaces. I tried placing the phone on my slanted dashboard and driving around, taking some tight turns and stopping short. The phone didn't move an inch. It stayed put. That, to me, is amazing. The rubber pad can also be removed and replaced with a different color pad, or one that contains a magnet. That way, the phone can be stuck anywhere a magnetic surface is available. That's awesome, and extremely useful.

My last point is about the remote mounting system, and the Rokform mounting system in general. The case comes with RMS, which you can use to mount the device in your car, or anywhere else where a flat surface is available. It snaps into a ring on the back of the case, and doesn't move until you snap it off again. It's really very slick and useful. Rokform also sells other attachments which can be used with the same locking ring as the RMS, such as a tripod mount, and a bike mount.

Overall, I'd highly recommend this case. It has found I believe a permanent home on my iPhone. If you're looking for a stylish, versatile, and protective case, this is the one for you.

Rokform also sells a custom model, where you can customize the colors of all aspects of the case. I chose black.

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Arthur Rosa is an engineering manager based in Sunnyvale, California.