Looks like the full body skins are available for those that are interested. I'm not a fan of using them for screen protection but I do like them to protect the sides from scratches.
BodyGuardz:
http://www.bodyguardz.com/samsung-g...en-protectors-covers-shields-skins-films.html
Zagg:
http://www.zagg.com/invisibleshield...es-screen-protectors-covers-skins-shields.php
PhantomSkinz
http://phantomskinz.com/samsunggalaxynoteii.aspx
Which one better
They are pretty much made out of the same material. Major differences are in the cuts. I usually get the BodyGuardz because I get a discount for being a previous customer and it stacks with whatever coupons they currently have. You also get 2 sets with them compared to Zagg.
I like this one, but would prefer with clear "wrap" rather than split up CF
http://www.bodyguardz.com/armor-carbon-fiber-samsung-galaxy-note-2.html
I went with a Skinomi Brushed Steel to cover my Titanium Grey unit
http://www.skinomi.com/sk11924-samsung-galaxy-note-2-brushed-steel-skin-protector.html
I chose the Carbon Fiber series skin with an Orange True Color Accent, so this review may not apply to every skin series they have available.
Design: Dbrand hit it out of the park when designing these skins. I've used skins on all of my past devices, and none of them were every "perfect." They always had an edge that didn't line up quite right, but with Dbrand the fit and design is honestly perfect. Every port and cutout lines up precisely, and the the step by step guide on youtube that they have is very helpful, and allowed me to apply the skin perfectly on my first try. The carbon fiber feels awesome in the hand, and it provides a much needed grip to a rather slippery phone. With the skin applied, I feel comfortable using the phone without a case, something I usually do not do. The true color skin adds a splash of color to your phone, and has an interesting texture. It is plastic-y but it has an almost orange peel feel that I personally find very comfortable in the hand.
Durability: A common misconception about these skins is that they are going to protect your phone like a case would. They aren't. Skins are great for protecting from scratches and even a minor fall every once in a while. I think the main flaw in dbrands skin for the G4 is the fact that the skin does not cover the sides of the phone, only the front and back. Without the inclusion of a side piece. the phone is very susceptible to scratching, and it provides no protection when dropped.
Conclusion: For $18 ($10 if you just want the back covered) it is a great value for someone who wants to change up the look and feel of their phone. For someone who wants protection and a new look, I can still recommend this skin, however not without a clear case, such as the ringke fusion. Dbrand offers excellent customer support, and a plethora of options to choose from. If you're going to get a skin for your phone, Dbrand is the way to go.
Gallery of Photos: http://imgur.com/a/9oIUA
I got the matte black one and its very good
mfun89 said:
I chose the Carbon Fiber series skin with an Orange True Color Accent, so this review may not apply to every skin series they have available.
Design: Dbrand hit it out of the park when designing these skins. I've used skins on all of my past devices, and none of them were every "perfect." They always had an edge that didn't line up quite right, but with Dbrand the fit and design is honestly perfect. Every port and cutout lines up precisely, and the the step by step guide on youtube that they have is very helpful, and allowed me to apply the skin perfectly on my first try. The carbon fiber feels awesome in the hand, and it provides a much needed grip to a rather slippery phone. With the skin applied, I feel comfortable using the phone without a case, something I usually do not do. The true color skin adds a splash of color to your phone, and has an interesting texture. It is plastic-y but it has an almost orange peel feel that I personally find very comfortable in the hand.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which one provides more grip? and by grip I mean, when your hands are cold and you hold the device and it won't slip.
_bottle_ said:
I got the matte black one and its very good
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How is that one? Is the feel like matte cases where it makes it non-slippery? Make sure your hands are cold before answering . Heat makes plastic stick to our hands.
Ramsey said:
Which one provides more grip? and by grip I mean, when your hands are cold and you hold the device and it won't slip.
How is that one? Is the feel like matte cases where it makes it non-slippery? Make sure your hands are cold before answering . Heat makes plastic stick to our hands.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Carbon fiber for sure. I always use cases, and the added grip makes me comfortable enough to go caseless
More than 300 views on pictures and not a single thanks for the review! Ups, you have now one! Thanks
Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk
Wow, those are really cool!
Hi,
what do you think about this DBrand Skin after 2 months ?
Dbrand rulz slackwrap sux omg omg
I did a review of Dbrand skins myself and posted it a while back, I will add a link here so people can go to one place to get all the information about Dbrand and the quality skins they produce.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/g4/accessories/dbrand-skins-lg-g4-review-installation-t3221050
I also did a small video showing the installation is actually as easy as they say it is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQFYXfo47Z4&feature=youtu.be
PS carbon fiber is the way to go for grip.
Are there any skins that covers the full device, with back and the frame of the device?
Disclaimer: SlickWraps sent me these skins to review for the S7 Edge
SlickWraps(SW):
The Samples I was sent are pre-production units and might exhibit some issues that shouldn't appear on the final product.
Over the years I’ve come to enjoy using various wraps/skins on all of my devices. SlickWraps has been a company that I’ve always purchased from despite having issues with some orders they promptly addressed the concerns.
SlickWraps has a goof policy which means that if you mess up the install SlickWraps (SW) will replace your skin so you can try again. I haven’t seen anything similar offered from any other company which is one of the things that makes SW stand out from the crowded market.
There is a very large variety of wraps offered from SW ranging from their popular carbon fiber to galactic series. Each style of skin has a different texture and is made from 3M vinyl excluding their natural series. There are also more premium variants offered in the form of the natural series. This series usually includes Horween Leather, cork, and bamboo. I’ve owned several leather ones, and a bamboo for my Nexus 6 all of which were great.
While the offerings listed on their website are always full sets (front, back, and sides), you can order just one part of the set by contacting them based on my previous experiences. SlickWraps will also take requests depending on what you would like to have done which is something I’ve done before.
Note: The words skin and wrap will be used interchangeably
I’m going to review 4 different wraps for my S7 Edge from some of their different series.
Overall Fit:
Back:
This part is crucial to whether you have a good looking wrap/skin or bad one when it’s installed on the phone. I’ve seen some terribly cut skins before that weren’t even worth using, thankfully this was not the case here. The back panel goes edge-to-edge (no pun intended) all while having all of the proper cutouts with tight tolerances for the camera/flash module.
Sides:
Side wraps are the hardest piece to install, but they make the phone look more ‘complete’ when applied. Here the side wraps come in 4 distinct pieces (top, Bottom, left, and right). I usually install the side pieces first, then the top and bottom out of preference. The sides do not interfere with the buttons function, and were relatively easy to install compared to what I was expecting. When installing the top and bottom it’s important to thoroughly heat the corners to ensure they stick properly. This process might take some time if you haven’t done it before, but patience will help out a lot here. All of the ports (top/bottom) are cut perfectly, and there is also a piece that covers the hybrid sim tray. My gold/black wraps were missing this piece, but I’m sure that will be corrected once I hear back from SW.
Front:
The use of front skins allows you to effectively change the color of your phone once you have installed the other pieces of the wrap. Each of the two pieces completely covers the phones top/bottom bezel perfectly giving you a nice look. There is a home button piece included, but if used it will prohibit the fingerprint scanner from working. I applied it for the pictures only since I use the fingerprint scanner; it is included to give people the option if they decide not to use the scanner.
Here is a picture of all of the wraps together (gold was installed on the phone):
What's included with each set:
-Back skin
-left,right,top,bottom (side skins)
-Camera skin
-Heart rate sensor/flash module skin
-Front top/bottom skins
(Note: as I mentioned these are pre-production units, so some issues are expected. A few of the skins were missing the sim tray piece)
Metal Series: Gold
The first one I will list below is from the ‘Metal’ series which features a texture akin to a brushed stainless steel surface. This style is one of my favorites, and is the same series as the skin I’m currently using on my Nexus 6P. The color is vivid with a nice shimmer to it corresponding with the particular metal it is styled after. The gold wrap is bright in certain lighting, yet it also has a nice subdued look to it at other times. It is hard to truly capture the color of it because of the reflectance, so the pictures can’t do the wrap proper justice.
Metal Series Pictures:
Wood Series: Zebra
If you enjoy a more traditional look the wood series might suit your needs. The texture is more granular similar to how some quality TPU cases feel. All of the pieces of this set are cut in sections to keep the grain consistent throughout the wrap which adds an extra level of detail. I was send the Zebra wood version; this one features nice long dark ‘zebra’ strips layered between a lighter colored ‘wood’. I like the look of this on my silver S7 Edge because it is light enough to complement the silver.
Wood Series Pictures:
Color Series: Black
This is one of my favorite skins due to its texture. The skin feels like the OP sandstone back (not as ‘grippy’ because it’s a skin) giving it a nice texture. No matter what phone I have this is usually on the list of skins I end up buying (Nexus 6, Nexus 6P, Nvidia Shield Tablet LTE, now the S7 Edge). Unlike the dbrand matte black skin (this isn’t technically a matte skin) this skin doesn’t show fingerprints, or oil. Here the black is a nice contrast to my silver S7 Edge, but it would also look really nice on the black version. Overall the skin isn’t reflective, it has the best texture, and it just looks unique. I don’t recall of the other color series skins have this texture as well, so I’ll have to check into that.
Color Series Pictures:
Carbon Fiber Series: Green
Carbon fiber skins are usually the most popular because of their unique look. This particular one is a very bright almost fluorescent green that likely won't appeal to everyone, but I like the vibrant look. It would be quite a feat to lose the phone given the color of the skin, and how reflective it is. Since this carbon fiber skin (not real carbon fiber of course) has a subtle texture it catches the light nicely to bring out the colors; the same can be said for all of the carbon fiber skin colors I've used to date. While using just this skin you will have more grip than the glass back/aluminum sides provide, but it's not as much as the color series black provided. The true color of this skin was rather difficult to capture, even using my DSLR in manual mode. Some of the colors might vary slightly because I had to adjust a few pictures via Photoshop CC15. I wanted to ensure people were aware of this for transparency of the write up.
Carbon Fiber Series Pictures:
Note: I had a screen protector installed while using this skin. It didn't let the front pieces adhere fully due it it going edge to edge.
Natural Series: Real Bamboo
SlickWraps Natural series is my favorite ‘wrap’ they offer for numerous reason. The variety of different materials they offer is great. I’ve personally used all of their real Horween leather choices (natural, football, black, brown), as well as their real bamboo which is the one I’m reviewing now. If I recall correctly they have 4 leather options, 5 wood, and a cork one as well. I haven’t tried the cork, or other woods, so I cannot offer much of an input on them, but I can infer some things based on my previous experiences.
The bamboo has a nice texture just as any bamboo product that you might have seen/used does. The finish on it is smooth, but you can still feel the ‘grain’ as you hold the phone with the bamboo installed. I used one on my Nexus 6 last year for a while, and I enjoyed how it felt/held up over time despite normal use. The bamboo itself is a little thick due to it being real wood. I measured it to be 0.8mm, so you won’t be able to use a case with it, but why would you want to cover it up? It was nice to see how SlickWraps added in relief cuts so it could properly contour to the curved nature of the S7 Edges back glass. The edges of the bamboo can come off as a little sharp which can be fixed with some fine sand paper if you wanted. I personally wouldn’t do that because I enjoy how it feels on my phone despite that. Installation of the natural series (especially the wood) is the easiest to do in my opinion. I just simple lined up the camera/flash module with the cutouts and dropped it in place. The fit was edge to edge perfection despite this being a preproduction sample.
The natural series include only the back panel and camera piece; I prefer to just have the back panel/camera covered since those are the most fragile parts of this phone besides the front. You can’t go wrong with real leather/wood/cork, especially not on the S7 Edge. I know many people that enjoy the look of the glass, but find it too slippery. I think using another material that is equally nice/nicer is more than acceptable to use. If I didn’t use a case daily (because I tend to drop my phone), then I would have one of the natural series wraps on my phone like I did with my Nexus 6. The real bamboo comes off the phone without hurting it at all (I removed it after reviewing it so I could use my case for when I go to the gym). There was a little residue left in some areas, but it came off easily with a lens wipe in matter of seconds.
Natural Series Bamboo Pictures:
Natural Series Engraved Bamboo:
As a continuation of my natural series review I was sent an engraved version of the bamboo. The patter was laser ‘burned’ into the wood giving it a nice unique styling. This particular bamboo back has SlickWraps own pattern as you can see by the repeating double S throughout the design. One of the first things I noticed about the bamboo was how nice the texture was from burning in the pattern. It really gives it a nice feel that could arguable add a small amount of grip depending on how you look at it. The camera piece was cutout from the same area of the bamboo as can be seen by the way it lines up with the pattern. This attention to detail is not something you see every day when getting a product. I didn’t do the world’s best job installing it, but you can still see how well it lines up despite that.
Unlike the previous bamboo wrap, this one does not have relief cuts along the edges to account for the curved back. This made it slightly harder to install because the sides didn’t want to stay down at first. I applied a small amount of heat from my wife’s hair dryer which fixed that problem promptly. Next, I wanted to make an important note: once you have the bamboo touch the back of your phone during installation it’s nearly impossible to reposition. The reason for this is due to the stronger adhesive needed to keep the thicker wood attached/contouring to the phones back. I’ve installed more of these than I can count over the years (not as many of the natural series), and I managed to get it ever so slightly off center. It probably wasn’t something most of you will notice if you just look at the pictures without reading this first. Overall the thickness remains the same at ~0.8mm which is quite thin considering this is real wood. As noted with my review of the original bamboo wrap this cannot be used in conjunction with a case. I wouldn’t want to cover up a nice wood back anyway (the glass of the S7/S7 Edge is a little different because it’s not exactly ‘pretty’) If you were thinking about getting a Toast wood wrap for your phone, this one might make you change your mind. While it doesn’t cover the whole phone like theirs, it does offer a unique style (there are other wood options as well), and I believe SlickWraps will customize one for you if you send them a message. I haven’t requested a customer wrap in about a year now; however, when I did it was really nice. (I had a Horween Leather back for my Nexus 6 Ultra Hybrid case made). Let me know what you think down in the comments!
Natural Series Engraved Bamboo Pictures:
More updates/details coming soon!.
OP Updated with the Green Carbon Fiber skin
So screen protectors and skins is a no go combination? Good to know!
Awesome job as always though
derWolf_ said:
So screen protectors and skins is a no go combination? Good to know!
Awesome job as always though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It depends on which ones. The iCarez works just not my wet install one since its edge to edge. Also cases might not like that much added thickness if you plan on using one, I didn't test it to find out, but I can.
Sent from my Nexus 6P using XDA Labs
I just ordered the glactic series trooper baby!
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
Pilz said:
It depends on which ones. The iCarez works just not my wet install one since its edge to edge. Also cases might not like that much added thickness if you plan on using one, I didn't test it to find out, but I can.
Sent from my Nexus 6P using XDA Labs
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Click to collapse
I have used lots of slick wraps in the past and they work perfectly with some cases. Depends on the case and case fit.
Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
h3ck said:
I have used lots of slick wraps in the past and they work perfectly with some cases. Depends on the case and case fit.
Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
It really depends on the phone/case. My Nexus 6P will fit in cases with a back skin, but it causes issues with the top lip popping off. The S7E on the other hand had issues with the button alignment while using just a back skin from my experiences. This was evident on my Spigen Tough Armor, NeoHybrid Crystal, Thin Fit, Speck Candyshell Grip and a few others. I can install one and take pictures to demonstrate what I'm referring to. The cases for this phone have tight tolerances so even a very small amount of added thickness can be the difference between a good/poor fit. I'm not saying this is always the situation, but I wanted to let people know that it does occur to help out.
Edit: I also have a silver carbon fiber SW skin that I might add later on this week. If anyone is interested in seeing it on the phone let me know.
I've not used one of these before, but they always look like they would start peeling within weeks of them being installed. How hardy are they?
Beefheart said:
I've not used one of these before, but they always look like they would start peeling within weeks of them being installed. How hardy are they?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They don't peel off if you install them correctly. The side skins won't work with a case but the back one will. Installing them is a breeze for me, plus SW has install videos of I recall correctly. If you would like I can make a video tutorial on how to install the skins. I've never had a back skin peel off on any device without me trying to remove it.
Sent from my Nexus 6P using XDA Labs
How does slick wraps compare to dbrand? Specifically the carbon fiber ?
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
exzacklyright said:
How does slick wraps compare to dbrand? Specifically the carbon fiber ?
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Considering they both use 3M vinyl they should feel the same. I can double check because I have skins from both companies at home. It really comes down to the way each one is cut, SW cuts theirs differently than dbrand, but I don't have my dbrand yet to compare it with. I think it will be here Monday judging by the tracking #, I'll let you know how the fit it as well. I like wider range of colors SW offers personally, (silver carbon especially) and the glow series is fun too. I'll have to pick one of those up to see how it looks on my S7E. I know other companies like Skinomi don't use 3M vinyl (or at least they didn't think last time I bought one), so the quality is mediocre in comparison. The SW I received are beta samples therefore any small issues will be revised before they go full scale with the skins. Right now the skins go E2E on the back, and the sides only have a super small gap which is likely my fault since I never use side skins and installing them can be a little tricky.
Sent from my Nexus 6P using XDA Labs
I should hopefully have my Dark Lord skin sitting at home when I get there... it was supposed to be delivered yesterday, but never got updated or delivered. This new post guy is killing me on missing packages.
Sent from my Galaxy S7 Edge using Tapatalk
JaredC01 said:
I should hopefully have my Dark Lord skin sitting at home when I get there... it was supposed to be delivered yesterday, but never got updated or delivered. This new post guy is killing me on missing packages.
Sent from my Galaxy S7 Edge using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Post some pictures when you get them installed. I know how that goes, my neighbor usually gets my packages and forgets to bring me them.
Edit: I need to install my silver carbon wrap, but it's been a busy week/weekend. I'll probably throw the back on tomorrow then post pictures of it.
Sent from my Nexus 6P using XDA Labs
Do wraps help accidental presses on the sides when using the phone one handed?
Or would I need a case instead?
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
exzacklyright said:
Do wraps help accidental presses on the sides when using the phone one handed?
Or would I need a case instead?
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't used the phone enough with just the wraps to really notice any difference. Ideally a case would stop accidental touches (or Samsung can push out a patch). Maybe another member who has some installed could help out a little more. I normally use a case because I drop my phone on occasion (I use a back skin on my phone too)
Sent from my Nexus 6P using XDA Labs
wawaweewa said:
I just ordered the glactic series trooper baby!
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
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wawaweewa said:
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that looks awesome !
it looks pretty shiny.. does it feel slippery with it on?
As posted in the case thread...
Sent from my Galaxy S7 Edge using Tapatalk
exzacklyright said:
Do wraps help accidental presses on the sides when using the phone one handed?
Or would I need a case instead?
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Running a custom skin and case and I can say that the skin doesn't help with accidental presses on the edges since it's merely a layer over the glass/metal on the device. It will however, help with "gripability" so the phone won't slip out of the hand as easily. A case definitely reduced the accidental presses, especially when laying on your back and viewing with the screen above you.
wawaweewa said:
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Looks nice, is that a silver S7E or a white one?
Got my cases from Artech 21 today and overall it's a pretty decent product that won't break the bank. I ordered the 3 cases they currently have available for the S7E. They all came on time and in good condition.
All 3 of these cases have a simple two part construction, Tpu with a poly carbonate bumper, The cutouts are all in the right places, and the fit is snug on your phone.
I received these cases at a discount in exchange for a honest review. I am in no way affiliated or compensated by Artech 21.
Dallas Lazer Series:
I'd say offers medium protection and a pretty streamline design. It's not a minimalist case but not to bulky, similar in size to a symmetry or UAG. Not sure if some of these are early production but neither case has any type of branding or button illustrations for power and volume. I got a red and a black one and both are like this. The inside of the case is shiny with a micro dot print for grip on the phone. The Amazon photos also shows the the trim lines around camera are chrome on both colors. Neither of mine have this. See pics
Pros:
Has lightweight construction, buttons feel responsive, good feel and grip with the design on back, had raised lip around screen.
Cons:
No branding (subjective)
Missing the chrome accents
Hybrid Jelly Dallas Series:
This case is exactly the same as the case above in terms of construction and deminsions. The only difference is the clear tpu back. Also no branding or illustrations on this one.
Pros:
Has lightweight construction, buttons feel responsive, good feel and grip with the design on back, had raised lip around screen.
Cons:
No branding (subjective)
Vivid Arkansas Series:
This is definitely the more complete product line for the S7E IMO. TPU with PC bumper but this model has a peice of PC across the back of the case protecting the camera. The tpu has a nice horizontal line patten cut on the outside for grip and a 3D cube "Nexus looking" pattern on the inside. This one also has branding on the inside and outside as well as all the illustrations on the power and volume buttons. Case is a little stiffer than the other models with that extra piece of PC. It's gonna be a little thicker than the others more similar in size to a commuter case.
Pros:
Lightweights construction, nice buttons and fit, stiff bumper with added support.
Cons:
Couldn't find anything wrong with this one.
Mod edit: Sales links removed.
I will be updating photos to show cases on phone soon.
Thread closed.
Artech 21 is not going to use XDA or its members to make money.