runaroundtech.com

The iPhone 4/4s is thin.  If you’re like me the last thing you probably want to do is bulk it up with a thick and heavy case.  However, contrary to what Apple says, both the screen and the glass back of the iPhone 4/4s are both susceptible to scratching.  If you like to go caseless a full body skin is a great way to keep the slim form factor of your iPhone in tact while protecting it from life’s hazards at the same time.  You could go out and buy a skin for the back of your phone at one store and then try to find a screen protector somewhere else.  But why?  One of the options BodyGuardz, one of the leaders when it comes to protective skins for a variety of mobile devices, offers is full body protection in the form of their Armor line of skins.  These carbon fiber skins include both front, side and back protection all at an affordable price.

Read on for my full review.The Armor Carbon Fiber kit is available in three different color choices.  You can choose from red, white or black.  BodyGuardz was kind enough to send along a white kit for me to review.

Inside of each Armor package you’ll find one front screen shield, the back and side skins, BodyGuardz stickers, a set of install instructions and a pre-cleaning preparation kit.

The prep. kit includes instructions for installing the front screen shield, a moist wipe to clean your device of dust and dirt a microfiber cloth for drying and a rigid card for smoothing out any bubbles that appear in the screen shield.

After using the moist towel to thoroughly clean your device you’ll be ready to set off to the installation.

I opted to start with the back and side pieces first but there’s no right or wrong way to begin.

It’s very easy to install the Armor onto the iPhone.  Simply take your time and align the camera hole cutout.  If it doesn’t look straight you can easily lift the skin up off the back of your phone, reposition it and the reapply it.  Be sure to save the backing which came on the back of the skin.  If at any time you wish to remove the skin from the back of your phone you can do so and place it back down onto the backing to be used again later.

The side pieces cover most of the phone’s antenna band, but not everywhere.  This creates a somewhat incomplete look, in my opinion, and I wish the kit included smaller pieces so that the entire antenna band was covered.  The white carbon fiber skin, which is made from PVC, offers a nice amount of extra grip in addition to protecting the scratch prone areas of your phone.  It also doesn’t quite reach the edge of the back of the phone, which means it’ll work perfect with a bumper style case.

The screen shield included with the Armor kit is a dry install version of BodyGuardz’s ScreenGuardz shield.  You’ll need to take your time installing it and pay careful attention to insure the screen of your device is 100% dust free before you begin to install the shield.  Once you have it in place use the included rigid card to smooth it out and remove any bubbles that may have formed.

After 24-48 hours any bubbles which couldn’t be removed using the card should dissipate.

The BodyGuardz Armor Carbon Fiber combines both a stylish look with added grip and protection all from a company who’s become one of the experts when it comes to thin but sturdy protection for the iPhone.  It’s easy to install and just as easy to remove.

If you’re looking to skin out your iPhone 4/4s with a carbon fiber skin there’s no shortage of company’s selling them.  However, skinning out the back of your phone just isn’t enough when it comes to keeping it protected.  You’ll want a front screen shield too.  BodyGuardz has been one of the leaders in full body (front and back) protection for the iPhone for some time know.  Don’t mess around when it comes to protecting your device.  Head to the experts and pick up both front and back protection all at once.  If you’re a fan of carbon fiber you won’t be sorry you did.

You can learn more about the BodyGuardz Armor Skin for the iPhone 4/4s by visiting this page on the company’s web site.

MSRP:  $19.95

PROS:  3 color choices, easy to install, front, side and back protective, inexpensive.

CONS:  Side pieces don’t cover all of antenna band.