DriSuit DSEAPLI4MIB 001 Endurance Waterproof Case for iPhone 4/4s - 1 Pack - Carrying Case - Retail Packaging - Midnight Black

I purchased my DriSuit from Amazon in March of 2013 from Roberts LP. I ordered black, and they sent me white. I didn't complain at the time because I didn't really care, but it's worth noting.Upon first inspection I really liked the case. I put my phone in, very easy, and dunked it in the sink. No water came in. I left it in the sink for about 30 minutes, and no water came in. I even took it into the shower, and no water came in. I was pretty impressed. The only real issue I had with the case was that, because of how the case is designed, the sound from the phone always went to the headphone plug even if there were no headphones plugged in. Not a huge issue if all you're doing with it is swimming, but no phone calls could be made. At least not on mine.The real issue, and the reason for 2 stars, came a few months after my initial purchase. I had put the case away, planning to only use it when swimming or on vacation, so other than the few tests I'd done and the few months that had passed, it was still basically brand new. I took it to a friend's pool and happily began taking photos and video... pressing on the screen and generally enjoying myself. After a few minutes, I noticed condensation on the INSIDE of the case between the gel screen and the phone screen. I immediately exited the pool and took the phone out. Lo and behold, there was water inside. The case was clean and had been properly sealed, but somehow during normal usage enough water had got inside the case to be concerning. The phone was wet, but undamaged.I took the case home and did some tests with towels and couldn't reproduce the issue, however I don't trust it any longer.When I contacted DriSuit, they told me to contact the vendor I purchased it from for replacement. When I contacted Roberts LP, they told me they don't do warranty work for DriSuit, and I should contact DriSuit back. When I emailed DriSuit back, they told me that Roberts LP wasn't an authorized reseller, so they couldn't do anything. When I went back to Roberts LP, they told me that they WERE an authorized reseller at the time I purchased but they stopped doing business with DriSuit because of all the customer complaints, and now it's past the return date for Amazon merchandise and I'm pretty much out of luck.Update on 7/16/2013: The general manager for DriSuit contacted me to offer me a replacement from the limited number of colors they had on hand. I declined, not because I care about the color or because I think the case is a bad product, but because I'd already purchased a competing case somewhere else. His offer of replacement, even after the issue with Roberts, raises this review by a star. At least DriSuit stands behind the product, even if the Amazon vendor won't.

You will find most waterproof cases open length-wise (merging a front and a back piece). Obviously, a gasket is used to seal that seam and keep water out (a roughly 15" long seam for the circumference of the iPhone 4/4s). One simple observation from a non-engineer, but DriSuit's design loads from the bottom, which has a small removable section. This method makes for 5 inches of seam to seal. That's 1/3 the seam size and (given an equally effective gasket) 1/3 the potential for failure.The design, including the latches, is very well thought out and easy to use. It just works. The phone's sound, that is your voice to a caller and the caller's voice to you, is VERY clear. In fact, when asked, I've had people tell me that my voice sounds more clear to them while in the case. I know that sounds hoaky, but it's true.I know DriSuit heavily touts your ability to use the screen underwater. The screen is "squishy," because it has a layer of silicone embedded that keeps your touch capacitive while under the water. In practice, the ability to use the screen underwater is somewhat laughable. Sure, it's nice to have full camera functionality, but I'd say there are work-arounds, and the feature is marginal. In fact, the trade off is less functionality out of the water - the squishy screen is tricky to use.If one of your reasons for considering a waterproof case is to take photos/video in the water, you'll be very happy with this. Both are very clear, above and below the waterline.I've tried 3 different cheap pouches and the  iOttie Waterproof Skin Case Cover Pouch for iPhone 4S, 4 Multi Purpose Protective Skin for Underwater Activity, Fishing, Ski, Snowboarding, Sand-proof, Dustproof, Bath Tub . The pouches made for cloudy photography. The skin was nice and very waterproof but rendered the phone barely usable as a phone (hinders audio). The skins are also disposable (after 2 uses each).I'm amazed at how few truly waterproof cases there are out there. Obviously, there are a million pouches and bags, but only a few actual workable cases.There also seems to be two price points, $30 and $60. The $30 case(s) have mixed reviews and potential cause for concern, especially when you're putting a $600 phone inside. The $60 units (Lifeproof, DriSuit, Otterbox, etc) have you wondering "why so costly?" I don't have the answer to that, but I can tell you that the DriSuit is well designed and manufactured. If you plan to be on or near the water for more than a day or two, this case is a great choice and worth the investment.