We certainly read about a lot of folio style cases, but I’ve longed for a good scuba-suit that gives my iPad the extra grip and texture I need for a comfortable reading experience and not a bulky one. The iSkin Duo is a fit silicone case that snuggly fits your iPad like Under Armour to prevent moisture and protect your iPad from the nicks and dings of daily life. Is the iSkin Duo just what you’re looking for in an iPad case? Read on to find out!
Just how snug is the iSkin Duo? This conforming rubber-textured slip-on straps your iPad in a wetsuit designed to defend your iPad against the elements. Worried about moisture, dirt, grime, scuffs, or fingerprints? Covering up the iPad’s home button, volume switch, power button, and optionally the audio port, the iSkin Duo wraps around the bezel of your iPad to prevent those unintended bruises. Keeping your iPad in near perfect condition doesn’t just start with the case: iSkin was kind enough to include a couple of essentials before you slip your iPad into its cozy new home.
The iSkin Duo comes with a microfiber cleaning cloth and a damp, disposable anti-static cleaning wipe you can use to remove smudges from the iPad’s display before applying your new case. The towelette comes packaged in familiar restaurant-style fashion (hot wing eaters will be familiar with the wet naps), and the microfiber cloth is embossed with the iSkin logo. I’m personally impressed with the quality of the cloth provided: it’s one of the first included with a product I’ve received that doesn’t feel harsh or intimidating to use. It’s soft, pleasant to the touch, and has a little bit of a stretch to it. I wouldn’t be afraid to use it on my prescription glasses.
There really is no right way to apply the iSkin Duo: simply stretch the silicone edges over the bezel until the iPad fits snuggly inside. Of course you’ll have to align the case so that the buttons line up, but that’s common sense right? Who needs those instructions! Everything lines up quite well: as you’ll notice from the pictures, the speaker openings align well to the speaker ports and there’s no issues in connecting the included cable to the iPad. There’s precise manufacturing to be had here for sure - the audio cover plugs in effortlessly to the iPad for maximum protection.
The iSkin Duo is made with Microbian antimicrobial protection, meaning it’s resistant to the germs and related oder causing bacteria. Combine these qualities with the raised, squishy edges of the iSkin Duo, and you have a kid friendly case that parents should think about if there are young iPad owners in the family.
My complaint is that like Apple’s iPad case, the black iSkin Duo I received has the uncanny knack of picking up and showing dirt and dust. It isn’t awful, but it doesn’t make the iSkin Duo look very attractive after a period of use. iSkin claims that the coating on this product is meant to repel dust, but I haven’t found that to be the case. Fortunately, you can remove the case from the iPad and dunk it in water for a quick cleaning. After a warm bath, I turned the case inside out (water tends to collect on the inside edges) and let it dry overnight. Caution: the thin silicone around the connection port is quite fragile, and mine managed to slightly tear when doing this. Once the case is on the iPad, I don’t see the possibility of this happening.
The iSkin Duo has a few minor downsides, but the feel of the material and the precision of alignment after applying the case makes this a clear winner in my book. Worried about dinging or scuffing your iPad from daily table and desk abuse? Slap the Duo on and never worry about that beautiful aluminum getting blemished again. It’s sticky qualities ensure dirt will never get underneath the flap (abrasive to the screen if it rubs), and the ability to quickly remove the case and wash it in the kitchen sink is a huge bonus. Ready to check it out for yourself? The iSkin Duo is $49.99, and comes in your choice of seven colors including blue, red, yellow, and black.
