Earlier this week I reviewed the expensive – but still really nice – Incipio Feather case for the Lumia Icon. Today, I have one from Hyperion dubbed the ‘Explorer Hybrid’. The case is much cheaper than the Incipio, running at around $3.99 (but more when you factor in shipping). That’s still a bargain and while the case is not exactly pretty, it does a nice job for protection.
Hyperion calls this ‘Explorer Hybrid’ because it has a two Layer design with the inner a silicone core and an “Explorer Style Design Anti-Slip Hard Shell exterior”. That’s a lot of mumbo jumbo for saying this case has soft and hard protection built in, making it a step above most hard shell cases. It’s basically a soft touch feel with nodule grips all around it.
The price you pay though is in looks. While super functional, the case is by no means good looking. It’s rather garish and it really takes away from the design of the Icon. Still, I’ll leave it up to you if you’re okay with it or not as it’s really a personal decision.
I think in terms of protection, this case will be towards the high end. Not OtterBox level high, but not too far off either.
The display is slightly protected when the Icon is placed display down due to the raised edges, though hard drops may be another story.
The extra bonus with this case is it has a built in kickstand. I’ve seen this gimmick before but I have to admit, Hyperion’s is pretty nice. Specifically, the kickstand is firm, doesn’t feel like it will snap off and it doesn’t rattle. That’s a win-win in design. So if you were looking for a way to prop your phone out to watch a movie and you want some solid protection, you may want to consider this case.
For my personal use, I’m not really interested in using this case as it’s just a little too much “Road Warrior” for my daily needs and it hides the Icon too much. But looks aren’t everything and for a lot of people, it’s about function over design.
In that sense, the Hyperion Explorer Hybrid is a great bargain.
