Top Ten Best iPad Cases - Skins and Hard Case Review

So you bought an iPad, and you're loving it. You know you need to buy a case for it of some sort to protect its 1st generation beauty, but which case to buy and first of all, what kind of case?

If you're looking for an iPad case that's sleek and unobtrusive that will protect your iPad but not completely hide it away in a folio case, sleeve or carrying bag, you may be considering hard case options or a silicone skin. These are excellent choices for keeping the surfaces of your iPad completely safe from scratches, abrasions and accidental bumps.

The choices may truly be endless, however, and it can be a challenge trying to decide which case is right for you. It is a good idea to be a bit cautious about this, as some hard cases have been known to scratch the device they were meant to protect, and cheap, sticky silicone cases can quickly become a nightmare of embedded lint and dust.

So I've been wading through the jungle trying to weed out the losers, and I've come up with a list of winners. Because I'm infatuated with and anxiously awaiting the actual release of the Incipio Destroyer Overkill with Brushed Titanium, we'll start there, at the extremely expensive end of my top ten best iPad hard cases and skins list.

Be assured though, there are some very good, affordable options. We'll get to those towards the latter half of my list.

The Incipio Destroyer Overkill, how its brushed titanium side rails allure me, how its impact-resistant zytel intrigues me and its militant-industrial looks excite me. So slim and edgy, yet so strong, I cannot wait for its protective embrace –of my iPad.

Okay, maybe that’s a bit of overkill itself, but I really like the Destroyer Overkill. And I’ve long been awaiting its arrival. It’s a beauty, no doubt, but the Incipio Destroyer Overkill is all about armoring up your iPad. With three layers of protection including zytel –a military-grade impact-resistant nylon, the Incipio Destroyer Overkill is every bit as tough as it looks.

The case is basically a shock absorbing silicone skin shielded by an electrostatic membrane with the zytel core. Aluminum side rails on the Destroyer Overkill have a brushed titanium finish, or anodized black, or polished aluminum, which give the Overkill a very finished look and add extra protection to the sides and corners of your iPad. Of course all ports and controls are left fully accessible.

The Incipio Destroyer iPad case is the same as the upgraded Incipio Destroyer Overkill ipad case, minus the CNC machined billet aluminum side rails. In the Destroyer case the aluminum side rails are substituted with high-grade plastic side rails. Nice color combos are available in the basic destroyer. 

The more basic Incipio Destroyer iPad case is due to be released any day now -'mid-June' according to Incipio. The deluxe and worth the wait Destroyer Overkill iPad case is due out in mid-July.

You can order -or pre-order- your choice of either the Incipio Destroyer or the Destroyer Overkill to be among the first to receive this fantastic new Incipio case design, which, by the way, will also be available for the iPhone 4.

The Otterbox Defender iPad case offers fantastic iPad protection. Besides being Otterbox-strong with an inner felt-lined, 2-part slider hardcase and an outer silicone wrap, the Defender has a third piece which serves as an optional protective cover for the iPad touch screen when not in use. The Defender iPad case also comes with an Otterbox iPad screen protector, and the polycarbonate face-cover doubles as a horizontal viewing stand. But wait! There's more.

A slide-out removable panel on the back of the Otterbox Defender case allows for docking of the iPad on either the Apple Docking Station or the Apple Keyboard Dock. This all makes for an incredibly protective iPad case with surprising versatility.

The polycarbonate cover or top-shield snaps out of the way on to the back of the Defender when not in use, but just as easily snaps over the face of the cased iPad. A hidden stand feature is tucked away out of sight behind the cover, but quickly converts into a sturdy working iPad stand. Be aware, the stand does not function vertically, but for horizontal viewing and working or browsing on the iPad in horizontal mode it works very well.  

All ports, controls and features are accessible, some through play-through buttons which function very well. The Otterbox Defender case does add a slight bit of weight to the ultralight iPad, but not much bulk, certainly not as much as you'd expect from a stand offering so much.

This case provides it all. It's ultimate Otterbox protection for your iPad with all the best features and functions to enhance usage of your iPad at the same time.

The Otterbox Commuter for the iPad starts with a silicone liner which gets topped off by a snap-on hardcase. Like in the Otterbox Defender iPad case, the Apple logo shows through a thin plastic covered cutout in both layers of the outer case.

Also like the Defender a removable back panel allows full docking, play-through buttons in the silicone layer which provide access to controls and earphone/microphone ports while still providing protection. Precise cutouts allow for unfettered speakers. Though designed differently, the Otterbox Commuter iPad case is still very similar to the Defender case, but lacks the removable polycarbonate screen cover and its built-in stand.

You're still getting top--line protection and durability, combined with full function usability. So if you like the Otterbox but don't think the polycarbonate touch screen cover of the Defender is for you, consider the simpler Commuter. Both are great cases. Though originally rather expensive, you can now purchase either on Amazon with fantastic savings.

The funky color monikers are irresistable: White Gogo and Nightshade Purple, LoveHate Pink, Batwing Black and Indiwhoa Blue. Cool names, for cool cases.

As Speck puts it "Hard Shell. Soft Center. Sweet Looks.." That's the Speck CandyShell.

My second Incipio inclusion on this list, the Incipio 1337 gaming case for the iPad is designed by gamers for gamers. If you -or someone you love- is using an iPad primarily as a gaming platform, this may just be the perfect case.

Ergonomic hand grips provide a bit of heft allowing better gaming control. Made of dense silicone with 'gaming bumps' on the bottom, the Incipio 1337 iPad gaming case offers great shock absorption protection against accidental bumps and drops.

Available in primary red, yellow and 'steel blue', the Incipio 1337 may be just the iPad case to choose when children -of whatever size- are involved.

TPU skins also offer more shock absorption than silicone does. Additionally TPU doesn't get sticky. It provides a nice grip, but with a much better feel to it than silicone does, and it doesn't attract dust and lint the way silicone can.

The Sleek Skin is a basic TPU ipad skin, almost. However, it has a detachable screen cover, which snaps onto the skin over the face of the iPad, providing complete protection. Still slim enough to fit in most carrying cases, it's a great option providing for safer regular storage when not in use, or extra protection during travel.

Plus it still provides all the grip, scratch and bump protection you'd want during normal handheld usage. The proper fit and precision cutouts allow access to all ports, controls and features. The Hard Candy Cases Sleek Skin iPad case is available in Clear, Pink, Orange, or Green.

This beauty needs no introduction from me. You've seen it everywhere, it's the Hard Candy Cases Street Skin. Made of form fitting TPU like the slimmer Sleek Skin, the Street Skin iPad case is 3mm thick at the corners and sides, providing top impact protection.

The Street Skin also features a snap-on cover like the Sleek Skin which will attach to either the back of the case or to the front of it, giving protection to the screen of the iPad. The Hard Candy Cases iPad Street Skin is a stylish case offering great protection in strong, form-fitting TPU, with precision cut access holes and a screen covering lid. You can't get much better than this.

Like the Incipio iPad 1337 up above is a one-of-a-kind iPad gaming case, and the Incipio Destroyer and Destroyer Overkill iPad cases at the upper-end (refering to price-wise and list position) is a one-of-a-kind super-strong beauty, the Incipio Feather case is a one-of-a-kind super-slim hard case which comes in at no more than 1 mm thick. Anything slimmer would just be a sticker.

Despite its slim profile, the Incipio Feather is constructed of strong, impact resistant polymer. The case snaps securely onto your iPad, precision cutouts in the fitted sides for access to all controls and ports. The Feather features a matte finish on the exterior of this super-slim, ultra-light iPad case, giving it a nice, soft feel and good grip, but all with nearly no added weight or bulk to your device.

The MetroLpad by Macally is a clear case, designed to show off the naked beauty of your iPad. With a nice, smooth feel to its hard back panel, the MetroLpad has tight-fitting silicone edges to provide grip and soft protection on the sides of the iPad.

A slim profile and lightweight construction make this case great for tossing (carefully) in a (protective) bag for on-the-go use. The design is simple and classy, and best of all it allows you to show off your iPad in protected, pristine condition.

Also by iLuv, the Durable Ultra Thin Clear Case is another clear case beauty. As the name says, this hard case is ultra thin, and lightweight with a smooth finish and feel.

Snapping over your iPad, the iLuv Durable Ultra Thin Clear Case protects your iPad and shows off its preserved perfection underneath. Slim enough for easy insertion in most sleeves or carrying cases, the iLuv Clear iPad Case is a great choice.

Available only in Clear, it is however optionally available with some graphics choices by Tatz. The graphics repeat, but work horizontally or vertically as shown below. Done on black, red or pink, the sophisticated simplicity of the iLuv Ultra Thin is transformed into a fun and carefree design.

It's difficult putting a name on this case, since it is sold through so many distributors under so many different names. Boxwave sells one, CTC store or Chitek has their own, and DMS Design and Motion offers the same.

Whichever name you call it, whichever company produces it, they're all basically the same, a hard crystal coating over a TPU shell case. The TPU offers snug, form-fitting protection for your iPad and the crystal coating finish gives a smooth feel. Access to all ports, controls and features is provided for.

A good, basic iPad case with a great design. If you're looking for a protective case on a budget, you can't go wrong with one of these Wave cases.

The Boxwave version is a bit more highly priced right now, but Boxwave is the only one who offers a Wave case in the pretty azure blue.

There you have it, my Top Ten (Thirteen) Best iPad Hard Cases and Skins list. Still alot to choose from, but hopefully I've narrowed it down enough that you can find here the right case for you.

If a folio case is more what you're looking for, check out my list of Top Ten Best iPad Folio Cases.

You can also take a closer look at those Incipio cases -both the ones I mentioned here and the ones I didn't at Incipio iPad Case Review.