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Video Review: Catalyst's Waterproof Case Keeps Your iPhone 6 Dry, but With Some Drawbacks

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For our latest video review, we went hands-on with a waterproof iPhone 6 Plus case from Catalyst, which the company calls "the most protective case in the world." It's waterproof up to a depth of 5 meters (16.4 feet) and it's also shock and drop resistant, made from polycarbonate with a rubber bumper and silicone seals.

In our testing, the Catalyst case lived up to its claims and kept our iPhone safe when we stuck it in a sink full of water, but in our opinion, this isn't a case you're going to want to use on a daily basis.


It's protective, but that comes at the expense of the thin and svelte form of the iPhone. Catalyst's case adds a lot of bulk, plus it makes the volume and the power buttons nearly impossible to use because the material it's made of is so rigid. We also had a harder time using the iPhone's touch screen due to the air gap between the protective cover and the display.

Catalyst's waterproof case may not be ideal for every day use, but it's a great option for situations where water protection is essential. You can use this case to take photos at the beach, in the pool, while snorkeling, and more, and your device will be protected from water, dust, dirt, and other elements.

The iPhone 6 Plus case is available in several different colors from the Catalyst website, and it's priced at $74.99. There's also an iPhone 6 version, which is priced at $69.99, and there are several accessories available for purchase like a floating lanyard, an audio adapter, and replacement parts.

Note: MacRumors received no compensation for this review.

Top Rated Comments

oneMadRssn Avatar
144 months ago
Does anyone sell ziploc bags sized exactly for an iPhone?

Whenever I go to the beach, or when I'm skiing, I just put my phone into a ziploc bag. It's waterproof and dustproof, I can access the buttons easily, and the touchscreen works just fine through the plastic. The drawbacks are that the ports aren't accessible, you can't take a call (unless you use bluetooth), and the bag isn't sized quite right so the wrinkles and folds can be annoying.

That last problem would be solved if the bag was sized correctly.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
144 months ago
Since you lose most of its iPhone-ness with the bulky case, why not buy one of the Samsung Galaxy Active phones?
"iPhone-ness" surely extends way beyond the simple look/feel of the phone.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
144 months ago
Only way to make this review to matter something, would have been comparing it against others like LifeProof.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
144 months ago
Since you lose most of its iPhone-ness with the bulky case, why not buy one of the Samsung Galaxy Active phones?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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