iPhone skins have been around, well, since the iPhone and iPod touch were released years ago. Most of the skins are simple, clear, non reflective strips of plastic or sometimes glass. However, none of them offer a particularly stylized design, until now. id America released the Cushi Plus at CES and I spent some time with one over the past week. It is a padded and highly designed iPhone back skin that is a perfect case substitute, with a few hitches…
Skin + Protection + Style
I am a minimalist and hate using cases. I do, however, like using skins, if necessary. My biggest concern is setting my iPhone 5 on a dusty surface, only to have it scratched and scraped. If covering the back of your precious smartphone while adding serious flare is your thing, then head straight to the Cushi line by id America.
The designs at CES were vivid and stark. I was equally impressed with the color on the American flag skin I received for review. The skin is easy to apply and can be peeled off and recentered if it is not perfectly placed during the first application. Covering all of the back, the Cushi still leaves about 1mm of space around all edges, which allows the user to pair the skin with a bumper style case.
After about a week and a half I was surprised the white strip on the skin did not show signs of dirt or discoloration. However, only a few days after applying the skin, the very small strip above the camera hole and below the top iPhone edge, began to peel. Similar to most other iPhone users, or any phone user for that matter, the device is constantly in and out of my pocket. Any skin I use needs to withstand constant friction and it is unfortunate the Cushi did not handle normal wear and tear.
I always finish a skin test by peeling it off… bad news! I am unpleased to report the skin leaves marks on the back of your iPhone. The marks are caused by the Cushi branding and adhesive on the back of the skin. When peeled off, bits of the word “Cushi” remain attached to the anodized aluminum and had to be removed with alcohol. As you can see in the image below, there are lots of little gummy pieces that needed removing.
Depending on which Cushi you order, there are several things you can expect in the package. A majority of the skins come with padded back and front skins, a bumper case, home button cover, screen protector and application squeegee.
Conclusion
If you are looking for an extremely vibrant, cushioned, and 3-dimensional skin, march straight over to id America and buy one for ~$24.95, prices vary by design and included items. Keep in mind, you may have peeling issues after a couple of days of normal wear and tear. This skin is certainly not for someone that moves their iPhone in and out of the pocket on a regular basis. Finally, when you get tired of it and peel it off, be prepared to do some extra clean up to get things back to factory default on your aluminum back.