Ballistic’s Tough Jacket ($80) is a protective case for iPad Pro. Tough Jacket surrounds iPad Pro with soft rubber inner shell, which is then fit inside a hard plastic outer shell. The case leaves openings for the device’s Lightning and audio ports, headphone jack, and microphones, but it also provides full button coverage.
Included with the basic case is a hard plastic cover with kickstand — the cover can protect the iPad Pro’s screen when being carried, and the small kickstand allows the iPad Pro to be viewed in landscape mode.
Tough Jacket will certainly provide proper side and back protection to an iPad Pro. It has thick corners, the previously mentioned button coverage, and a distinct lip around the Pro’s screen. However, all of this protection adds some bulk and weight to the Pro.
This design is for those who think they need extra protection and are willing to sacrifice slimness. There’s no harm in Ballistic including a kickstand cover, but we’re not sure how many people will use it too often.
With few iPad Pro cases available yet, Ballistic is making a bid for those who want extra protection for Apple’s biggest tablet. The price may be a bit much, though, and unlike Urban Armor Gear’s Composite Case — the only other playthrough case we’ve seen so far — Tough Jacket won’t hold an Apple Pencil or accommodate a Smart Connector accessory.
