
Well, it worked out pretty well, accept for the fact that it rained. We were able to get out and about with umbrellas, but the ability to take photos was hampered by the fact that I did not want to get my iPhone or Canon wet.
When I got home, I started to think about getting a water resistant case. We have a pool in the backyard, so I already have a bag that you can put an iPhone or Touch in and keep it from getting wet. The main issue is that the bag makes it difficult to hear the speaker, makes it difficult to talk if the phone rings, and most importantly, makes it hard to navigate the screen.
There are some companies that let you send in your iPhone and they actually add an invisible layer that is supposed to make the iPhone water resistant. I looked into this, but they said you should not submerge your phone. This made me question the integrity of this solution, so I decided to go with the more bulky route.
I have a coworker that has a LifeProof case to protect her phone from her two young children and she said it worked great once you get used to the feel of the screen. I decided to go ahead and buy the white LifeProof case to go with my iPhone.
When I received the box, there were some instructions to test the case before putting it on the phone. Their website has some great setup videos that you can watch, too. I put the empty case in the sink , then filled the sink with water, and then placed a coffee cup on it to keep it underwater for their recommended hour. It worked without a leak. I was then ready to test it with the iPhone.
I put the case on, made sure everything was tight and took it out to the pool.
When the phone is submerged, you cannot use the touch screen. Therefore, if you want to shoot video, you have to start recording before going underwater. I shot video, snapped pics using the volume buttons (so working in the rain is not an issue at all), and it works great. The one issue is that I use the phone to send bluetooth audio to a stereo setup I have near the pool, but when you take the phone underwater, you lose the connection. It probably isn't possible to send bluetooth through water, but thought I would mention it anyway.
There are some issues besides the extra bulkiness compared to most cases. The dock connector has a hinge over the dock connector that is easy to open (so be careful not to open it in water!!!), but it is a pain if you use a dock. Since the hinge only folds back about half way, you also have to maneuver an Apple connector to fit in the hole properly.
Luckily, they sell something called a dock extender that makes it possible to dock your iPhone with the case on. The extender costs $24.99, which seems pretty outrageous, but if you want to put your iPhone in an Apple Dock (or most docks), you will need it. My main issue is that you now have the iPhone sitting higher than usual, which may put stress on the dock connector. Also, in my car, it puts the iPhone up so much higher that it is no longer supported by my Pro Clip mount. I think it may be possible to put something between the mount and the phone that could help support it (I got some little rubbery things that came with some speakers that would probably work), but I decided to just keep the iPhone off the dock for now. The extender does not detach easily from the iPhone, so it requires some fiddling to get it apart. Not something I want to deal with every time I use it in the car.
The other issue is that the sound while talking on the iPhone is a bit different than using the iPhone without the case. It is tolerable, but sounds a bit more tinny to my ears. Also, they claim to use the back of the case as a subwoofer to give it a "richer, fuller sound", but I prefer the sound of the iPhone speaker without the case. I also found that it sounded better with the dock connector cover open. Not really a big deal for me since I mainly dock it, use airplay, or use bluetooth for audio.
Another issue is that the headphone port does not work with most headphones or mini plug adapters without their included headphone adapter. While most other cases I have used have issues with some headphones, this is the first case I have owned that would not work with one of the cheap adapters for recessed headphone jacks.
It may sound like I do not like the LifeProof case, but overall, I am still happy with it. I dock the iPhone at work and home, so I am okay without docking it in the car. Also, the ability to have the iPhone near the pool (or in my hands while floating around on the water) so that I can control what is playing over bluetooth, check email, answer the phone, etc.. is fantastic. The fact that I can also shoot video for pool parties is cool, too. That being said, after I close the pool for the winter, I will most likely switch to another case just because of the docking issues. For me, this would be the perfect protective case if they could resolve that one major issue.