Odoyo’s Sharkskin for iPhone 5 ($28) is one of the nicer products we’ve seen from the company, setting itself apart from other hard rubber cases on the market by including a cool texture on the back and some additional pack-ins. Coming in a number of colors, notably including a nice slightly translucent grey, the case provides substantial protection while sticking out from the crowd in both looks and tactility. Each Sharkskin comes with a cleaning cloth, squeegee, dust removing stickers, and protective screen film.
Structurally, Sharkskin is the same as any number of hardened rubber cases: the iPhone 5 snaps right into the case and is protected on all sides, including the front, thanks to a raised lip. While button coverage is appreciated, we didn’t like that it noticeably decreases the click sensations of the Sleep/Wake and volume controls; you can’t even tell that you’re pressing the former unless you’re looking at the screen. The spacer and microphone grills are both covered with perforated rubber that allows sound to travel through, whereas the headphone and Lightning ports are fully exposed.
What really makes this case noteworthy is the cool raised sharkskin pattern, which both looks and feels different from the pack.
Although Sharkskin isn’t our favorite case for the iPhone 5, it’s perfectly respectable, and reasonably priced—you get a good level of protection and a unique design. That said, we’d like to see Odoyo work on its button covers, and perhaps some factors to further differentiate the look and feel from other hard rubber cases.
