When Case of Steel designed the Bumprz their goal was to create a durable, low-profile case that provides protection for the iPhone’s screen while showcasing its native feel and design. What they ended up with technically isn’t a case; it’s essentially a minimalist frame for your phone that accomplishes both objectives. The creators are calling it the “Anti-case.” Originally created for the iPhone 5/5s, Bumprz 2 is the newer version for the iPhone 6/6s.
The Bumprz are basically four tiny metal guards that discreetly adhere to the most vulnerable parts of your phone, the corners, and they are surprisingly effective at preventing the phone’s screen from shattering when dropped onto a hard surface. As the bumpers cover only the very corners of the phone, all the ports and buttons are left exposed and accessible. When handling the phone, you almost never touch any of the bumpers, so it feels pretty much like using your phone without any protection at all. The front of each bumper is flattened and overlaps your phone’s screen about a quarter inch at each corner, creating a cushion and shock absorbent barrier for the glass when your phone is dropped. The guards have a very slim 0.6mm thick profile that creates enough of a raised lip to protect the glass when the phone is placed faced down on a flat surface.
The Bumprz are smooth, rounded, and made of break-proof, durable steel with a brushed metal finish. They are mostly plain in appearance, though the bottom left bumper has the Bumprz logo stamped on it. A strong adhesive tape is on the inside of each bumper for adhering to your phone, and the installation process takes less than a minute. We were able to use the Bumprz on an iPhone 6 that had a tempered glass screen protector installed, but this extra layer actually prevented the Bumprz from performing optimally since it reduced the amount of buffer between the lip of the Bumprz and the surface of the phone.
Other than the screen, there’s basically no protection for the rest of your phone. The Bumprz sit flush with the back of the phone and do not cover any portion of the back side. As a result, it doesn’t protect the finish or aluminum on the sides and back from getting scratched or scuffed. Over a number drop tests from several feet high, the Bumprz did protect the screen of the phone from breaking. However, the tempered glass screen protector suffered minor chipping at the corners where they made contact with the Bumprz. A plastic film screen protector would be a better choice for using in conjunction with the Bumprz.
The Bumprz can only be applied to a phone once, and if you lose a bumper or get a new phone, you’ll have to get a whole new set. Fortunately, Case of Steel offers free replacement sets and you need only to pay the cost to cover shipping. When removing the Bumprz from your phone, they come off relatively cleanly, and any leftover adhesive on the phone can be rubbed off with your fingers.
The Bumprz 2 is currently in pre-launch, and there is an active funding campaign on Kickstarter. It will be released in black, gold, and silver. At the estimated cost of around $15-20 per set, the Bumprz 2 is a low cost, minimalist alternative to a traditional phone case and screen protector. Keep in mind the case has its limits in functionality and protection; it doesn’t make your phone invincible. However, if you must have the purest experience of the iPhone’s original design, the Bumprz are the next best thing to using no case at all, while adding decent protection for the screen.
