Available for $29.90 each comes the Helvetia iPhone 5/5s case by Scase of Switzerland. If “granite grey” isn’t to your liking, a “Swiss red” model is available.
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For whatever reason, as a lot of companies are opting to do nowadays, the Helvetia doesn’t come with any included extras, such as a screen protector. Given the near-$30 price for the Helvetia, at least a screen shield would’ve been appreciated. That’s par for the course, I suppose.
Aside from that downside, the Helvetia features a unique design on the back, which many might find to be a positive one. More of the design is carried over to the volume button covers, as well as the small Scase logo on the right side of the case at the top.
In terms of materials, the Helvetia is made of high-quality TPU, “designed to give the iPhone ultimate protection with a stunning design.” Because it’s more heavy duty than most TPU cases, it’s a bit thicker, and you can really notice it if using thinner cases prior to this one. You can really notice it when using the case with one hand, as it’s noticeably more difficult to do so, mainly because of the added width. Add to the lack of grip on the sides, and it isn’t the most pleasant case to use. It’s quite pleasant to look at, however.
On the front, you get a large lay-on-the-table design to where your screen won’t actually be touching the surface, should you decide to put your phone display-down onto it. That material extends up and over the display a bit more than most to better protect your display from impacts.
Along the left side of the case are ‘X’s that are used as volume button covers. I found that they provide almost no feedback when being pressed, and I often found myself accidentally pressing them, depending on how I held the case. Above those is the silent switch cutout which, while large, is a bit recessed. The top is where you’ll find the power button cover, and unlike the volume buttons, it actually provides you with some feedback. Along the bottom are perforated areas for the speaker and microphone, both of which are perfectly aligned, as well as individual cutouts for the Lightning port and 3.5mm headset jack. The last two cutouts are decent in terms of size. Because of the flexible TPU, you can insert larger plugs into these cutouts, but the case might bulge a little bit in those areas. Lastly, the back has a pill-shaped cutout for the camera area. It’s a little bit oversized, but is nothing like what’s used on many other cases. In other words, it’s a pretty good cutout. It also has a black lining around it so that you won’t have any issues with the LED flash when taking photos.
Overall, the Helvetia is a unique, quality case made of durable materials, and while has some shortcomings when it comes to thickness and the volume button covers, the rear design really makes it stand out to where it might be worth it to some people.
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