Product Review: Griffin Survivor Case

Rocks, concrete, dirt, snow, even rain aren’t things we think of when we think iPad 2. Or at least they didn’t used to be: enter the Survivor line of military spec cases from Griffin that protect iPhone 4/4S, iPod touch (4G) and iPad 2. The question I had was, “How durable are these cases?” The guys in our Manchester store were eager to help me find out. We dropped my iPad in the Survivor case from several different heights, screen up or screen down. Although I cringed watching my iPad hit the floor, we picked it right up and, sure enough, all was well.

Besides being durable, the Survivor case does add functionality with a built-in stand, which like Apple’s Smart Cover can be used for either typing or watching video. So what are the negatives? Not many—in reality it’s more of a double-edged sword. In order to meet the military grade standard, Griffin covered everything with a thick layer of rubber; this means you have to open a flap to gain access to things like headphone jack, dock connector and all the other ports on the iPad. Again, if you want the heavy protection, you have to cover the whole thing. The Survivor Case also includes a great screen protector that is built-in.

When I purchased my iPad, I started with the Smart Cover—that is until the magnetic hinge gave out and my iPad hit the floor (cut the rope too hard). For myself, the Survivor should have been the only case I ever looked at. Check out all the cases and colors at smalldog.com.