We weren’t quite sure what to expect when Magpul contacted us about its Executive Field Case ($10) for iPhone 4. The company is mainly known for its molded polymer gun accessories such as magazines, sights, and stocks. According to its story the company issued iPhones to its staff in 2009, was disappointed by the quality of existing cases, and figured they could do better for a lower price. Thus, the first version of Executive Field Case was born.
The result is a surprisingly good and affordable case that is available in six different colors — simple, but also aggressively priced.
The shell is straightforward, made of a semi-hardened rubber that slips right around the body of the iPhone 4; it’s rigid enough that the back and sides hold their shape. Twelve ribs line the outside edges to provide some grip, and both the Sleep/Wake button and volume controls are covered with ridged polymer for protection. As has become traditional for iPhone cases, there are openings for the headphone port and mic, side switch, rear camera, microphone, speaker, and Dock Connector port. Using Universal Dock accessories is no problem; the rubber is thin enough to accommodate them.
Our only real complaint is that there’s no protection for the front of the iPhone 4; unlike most cases, the sides here don’t extend into a real shock-absorbant lip. A thicker lip, screen protector film, or both would certainly up the already high value.
Screen coverage issues aside, we’re rather impressed with Executive Field Case, especially for the price. It’s hard to find any good iPhone 4 case for $10, and a really well-designed one at that price is almost unheard of. Even if you spend $15 to buy top-notch screen protector film, the total cost will be lower than most cases.
