Connect with us

Reviews

Ballistic Tough Jacket iPad Case Review: Serious Protection at a Bargain

Published

on

Ballistic Cases compete with companies like Otterbox to offer more protection than a typical iPad case.

The Ballistic Tough Jacket iPad Case for the New iPad and iPad 2 shields your iPad from accidents at a a better price than Otterbox.

The Ballistic Tough Jacket uses three layers of shielding on the back, extra absorption on the corners and a plastic cover over the screen to protect the iPad. The screen cover functions as a stand when open.

ballistic ipad case

Pros

  • Absorbs corner shock
  • Three layers of protection on back
  • Screen cover protects display
  • Lower cost than competition
Cons

  • Attracts dust and fingerprints
  • Cover feels lose when attached to the back
  • No permanent screen protection compared to Otterbox

Design and Functionality

The corners of the Ballistic Tough Jacket hug the iPad and protect it from impacts like drops or banging the iPad into a desk or wall as you carry it. The case comes with an inner lining made of silicone that’s thicker at the corners giving you extra impact absorption.The plastic back, available in white black and red attaches to the silicon lining for added protection.

Watch a demo video for the Ballistic Tough Jacket iPad case:

The black plastic front cover protects the screen from damage when carrying the iPad, and should provide decent protection if the iPad is dropped face down as long as the cover is fastened.

corner protection

Along with protection, the front cover gives you some extra functionality. The outside of the screen cover includes a kickstand that pulls out to give you multiple viewing angles in landscape mode.

kickstand

Compared to Otterbox

I’m not a big fan of thick bulky iPad cases even if they do offer extra peach of mind. However, if you need that added insurance, the Ballistic case does a good job at a lower cost than Otterbox, but it isn’t a perfect case. If Otterbox cases offer more protection than you need, the Ballistic Tough Jacket is a good option.

inner silcon lining

Unlike the Otterbox case, Ballistic cases don’t offer constant screen protection. The cover that protects the display comes off while you use it. Otterbox cases cover the screen all the time with a thin clear film over the screen that stays on all the time. If you don’t need that, why pay $20 more for a bigger name? Other than the screen protector, Ballistic works just as well as Otterbox.

case with cover on

Weaknesses

Like a lot of soft silicon skins, the Ballistic Tough Jacket collects dust. The glossy black plastic cover collects fingerprints as bad as the iPad itself. The cover attaches to the short edges of the iPad and holds on well when covering the screen. Put it on the back and it feels like it doesn’t hold very well.

cover inside

To use the cover as a stand you have to carefully attach it to the back. When attached just right it functions fine, but it doesn’t always work the first time.

clamps

Recommendation and Price

Users who need more protection than the average iPad case provides, but don’t want or need a full-time screen protector should consider the Ballistic Tough Jacket iPad case over the Otterbox Defender

Ballistic Tough Jacket iPad case isn’t perfect, but it looks sharp and delivers serious protection at an affordable price.

The Ballistic Tough Jacket iPad case is available for $33.48 on Amazon with the option for black, red and white backs.

You can get one from Ballistic directly for $69.99 or $33.48 at Amazon. The silicon comes in black and your choice between three colors for the outer case – black, red and white.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Ruthmary Estabrook RN MA MHA PhD

    06/04/2012 at 2:11 am

    I appreciate your review. Would I be able to use it on our site for this product? Also if you have reviewed other products can you email me the links? I will add them to our site, this will boost your ratings and ours as well.
    Also I will give you a coupon for your readers. Use 5STARS as the coupon code and it will give your readers or you 10% off anything they buy from us?
    Thanks a million

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.