Moshi Napa & Armour iPhone case review: Continued excellence

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If you’re looking for a case for your new iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, the Moshi Napa and Moshi Armour just might take care of you. Read on for our full review and please note, we were sent the iPhone 7 Plus versions but the review should apply to both model phones.

Moshi Napa Review

Moshi Napa

Design

The Moshi Napa design hasn’t changed much over the past few years. It’s still made from the same “vegan leather” previous version were made from. While I would have preferred real leather, I get what the company is trying to market here. The “vegan leather” back is nice to the touch and offers up some extra grip so the phone stays in your hand. The case is a bit thicker than the Armour, which we’ll talk about later, but it doesn’t add too much bulk. The cutouts are generous for using third-party Lightning cables and the speaker, mic and camera cutouts are well done. The tactile feedback from the buttons is really good. I remember the first Moshi Napa I reviewed and those buttons were really hard to push, glad Moshi fixed that design flaw. Overall it’s a nice design with a few color options for you to choose from.

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Installation

Let’s just say, if you can’t install a case on a phone by now, you might not get out much. Installation isn’t hard at all. I tend to slide my phones into these types of cases with the volume rocker side down first and then snap into place. Removal is easy too, you can use the Apple logo cutout to help push the phone out should you want to.

Protection

The Moshi Napa is certified MIL-STD-810G, if you’re into the certification thing. I look at the overall construction, rigidity, and materials used to determine how well this would do in a drop. As I don’t have any dummy phones or phones I can sacrifice, I don’t perform drop tests. After reviewing the amount of cases I have reviewed, I’m a pretty good judge of how a case will perform. The Moshi Napa is just above a mid-level protection grade, in my book. It provides nice front glass protection with a raised lip and the bumper all the way around is solidly constructed. The inner liner is a soft felt and will not only protect your phone from drops but give your iPhone a soft resting place. Overall I think the Napa would be a great day to day case for most anyone, probably not suited for those in demanding jobs like firefighters, police, construction workers, and the like.

Price/Value

The iPhone 7 Plus version is not available yet so I don’t have a price but the iPhone 7 version is $44.99. Price is subjective and some may not be comfortable paying that price. Moshi products have always been well designed and they’ve always used quality materials. I think the price to value is worth it for some.

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*We were sent a sample of the Moshi Napa for the purposes of this review.

Moshi Armour Review

Moshi Armour iPhone 7 Plus

Design

The Moshi Armour is also a returning vet in the Moshi lineup this year and it hasn’t changed much either. Still made from a slick aluminum material and super thin it looks sleek and sexy. The cutout around the Apple logo (something Moshi does on all of their iPhone cases) has a chamfered edge which is a nice touch. The cutouts are again, really spacious and well done. The tactile feedback on the buttons here is also great, past Armour versions were also great. Overall it’s a sleek and nice design but just a bit slippery.

Installation

Slip and snap you’re done just like that.

Protection

I’d drop the Armour in the mid-level of protection. This is definitely less of a commuter case and more of a walk-about case. Heavy users who travel a lot on trains, buses and by foot should probably look at the Napa. Overall though, it will protect your phone well and is also certified MIL-STD-810G.

Price/Value

Again, the price is high for Moshi products and you’ll have to decide for yourself if it’s worth the extra money for these cases verses a cheap $10 Amazon case. $44.99 isn’t awful and I think on par with the competition Moshi stands against.

Wrap Up

Both of these cases will serve you well if your job isn’t a rough and tumble one. The Napa will probably be better for those commuters who travel a lot during the day and on public transportation. The Armour is a lighter weight more slippery option probably better suited to the car commuter who isn’t going to get bumped and jostled around.

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*We were sent a sample of the Moshi Armour for the purposes of this review.

Last Updated on January 23, 2017.

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