I am not a huge fan of phone cases as they add additional bulk to an other wise slim device. A case is the best way to protect your mobile phone from the drops. The benefit of a phone skin is to protect for scratches. Sometimes the goal is just to protect from scratching. I have used transparent skins on my phones for the last 4-5 years, but have mainly focused on protecting the screen vs protecting the entire phone. BodyGuardZ sent us one of their Premium Scratch-Proof Transparent Films. We tested it out on the BlackBerry Bold 9650. (Lucky for me Robb does not own a BlackBerry Bold 9650)
The key to getting a good application of a transparent phone skin is a clean device… Before you begin,clean your device… Then, re-clean your device. I cannot reiterate enough how important it is to make sure your device is free of any dust and fingerprints before you begin.
In the box of BodyGuardZ full phone skin for the BlackBerry 9650 there are two complete sets of protective skins for your device. Don’t think for a moment you can buy one package and cover two phones. Rather, when you apply the first skin on some part of your device either a small piece of lint or an air bubble will get trapped inside. Despite your best effort some air bubbles will not clear and that is what the backup film is for. I am not only speaking from experience with the BodyGuardZ, but also with every skin I have ever applied.
The package contains very good detailed instructions for applying the protective skin. I followed the instructions and was able to apply the screen protector without having a single air bubble. I was not as successful with the pieces for the body of the phone. I only had to reapply two pieces which is not bad in the grand scheme. I was skeptical about applying the skin to the body, as I really like the way the BlackBerry 9650 feels. Despite my initial assumptions I really like having this skin protecting my device. Additionally, the skin adds to the grip of the device. From start to finish, it took me 30 minutes to skin the entire phone.
If you don’t mind using a case I would consider buying something like this black silicon case for $1.21 plus the BodyGuardZ Screen protector. The screen skin is the easiest to install so you can be up and running in a matter of minutes plus you have drop protection.
I will likely make BodyGuardZ protective films my new standard as I like the dry fit process…