I’m an avid bike commuter and a bike racer. In an average week I log 12-15 hours on the bike. That’s a pretty solid chunk of time spent pedaling around the backroads and mountain bike trails of Wisconsin. I’m also a social media junkie. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn. I love to document my time on the bike and share it with the world. Years ago I’d carry around my digital point-and-shoot camera in a plastic baggie in the pocket of my jersey. Advances in the camera quality of smart phones have made that unnecessary. So I’d graduated to carrying around my iPhone in a plastic baggie. Not really much of an improvement.

This past winter I read an article about Outdoor Retailer that highlighted LifeProof iPhone cases. I was intrigued. Waterproof, shock-resistant, AND non-bulky? I’ve gotta try this thing! The folks at LifeProof were kind enough to send me a sample of both their iPhone case and bike mount. I’ll give a brief overview on what’s included and the setup, but LifeProof really does a superb job with picture tutorials.

Here’s what’s included with the case:
• LifeProof Case
• Front Cover
• Back Cover (with a pre-installed O-ring)
• Headphone Adapter (allows headphone use in water)
• Headphone Jack Cover Keeper with spare jack cover
• Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

The first thing I did upon opening up the package was the “water test” they recommended. I sealed up the case, sans phone, and submerged it in my kitchen sink…absolutely no leakage inside the case. Perfect. I snapped my iPhone in and sealed it up.

The LifeProof case adds just 1/16″ to the depth of your iPhone and weighs less than an ounce. Pretty impressive. On top of that, every button is still as operational as it is with no case at all. My one gripe with it is that the charge port door does not allow me to plug my phone into my iPod dock.

My phone has logged close to 150 hours in the sweaty pockets of my cycling jerseys. I’ve ridden through rain storms. I’ve dropped my phone on the road attempting to take a picture while riding (for safety reasons, I would never recommend this). Fortunately, the LifeProof case has kept my phone running strong.

I mounted the bike mount for a few rides. I was able to adjust the mount and attach to the handlebars in about 30 seconds. The iPhone snaps right in and there’s a locking button to make sure it stays put. A ball joint is incorporated into the design so you can tilt it to your exact liking. For the sake of testing its stability, I mounted it on my mountain bike and did a 15 minute ride through my roughest local trails. It stayed put with no issues. It’s since been relegated to my townie bike. Aesthetically, I just cannot get used to the size of an iPhone mounted to my bike. I still use my GPS for tracking mileage, but thanks to LifeProof’s ingenious case, my iPhone is always in arm’s reach.