We like the Gear4 Piccadilly but why is the back so slick?
Gear4 Piccadilly Review – Clear and slick. Not a great combination.
The Gear 4 Black Piccadilly is an average case. Below average if you’re paying full price for it because there are lots of other cases that cost less that offer better handling. With that be said, the Piccadilly has it’s moments.
The Gear 4 Piccadilly reminds us of the old Tech 21 Evo Checks but unlike the Evo Check, our 7 month old Piccadilly hasn’t started yellowing, which is nice. One of the supposed standout features of Gear 4 cases is the 3m or 9ft drop rating but if you’re been following our reviews, you know that’s not entirely true.
For our Gear4 Piccadilly review, we’ve given this case a score of 3.8 Eh’s out of 5. It scores better than the average iPhone 7 case by a smidge. A tiny, tiny smidge. The average score for an iPhone 7 case is 3.750 and the Piccadilly is 3.778. If you’re looking for comparable clear cases, we suggest you check out the Tech 21 Evo Mesh and Check, the Spigen Ultra Hybrid 2 and or the Otterbox Statement. We did a quick comparison between the cases towards the end of the review video.
Get the Gear4 Piccadilly on Amazon (CA/UK/DE) or on eBay!
Design – Thin, light, slick and grippy?
As we said earlier, this iPhone 7 case is quite average. It is quite thin and light which is a great combination but it doesn’t offset the slick back and extra width the Piccadilly adds to your device. It fits the iPhone quite well and unlike most clear cases, doesn’t have much flex along the edges of the case.
The edges of the case are actually quite rubbery but the texture doesn’t make up for the slick back. We will add that this case is probably better suited for the iPhone 7 instead the iPhone 7 plus.
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Protection – Can you really drop it from 9 ft?
When it comes to protection, the Gear4 Piccadilly is drop-rated to 9 ft. One of the standout features according to Gear4 marketing is the inclusion of a material called D30. This material is suppose to harden during impacts but we’ll say that corners of the case are drop-rated to 9 ft. But the case won’t do much in protecting the iPhone from a 9 ft face first drop in our opinion.
We’ve asked Gear4’s customer service several times for clarification but they never got back to us which is disappointing.
The rigid edges of the Piccadilly will prevent dust and debris from getting between the case and the device. This is an issue that we’ve encountered with the Tech 21 Evolutive Mesh and Check. The edges of the case are quite shallow but will barely keep your iPhone’s screen off a flat surface, even with a screen protector installed.
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Functionality – iPhone button access is quite nice!
Accessing your iPhone is quite nice in the case. We do have to give props to Gear 4 as their buttons are top notch despite being a wider case. The cutout is big enough for 3rd party lightning cables and the camera and flash aren’t effected by the case.
The last thing we will say about the Piccadilly is that one-handed usage is quite poor with the case. The slick back doesn’t offer your hands any grip so selfie mongers might want to stay away from this case. Again, the poor one-handed usage won’t be as worst on the iPhone 7 version of the case.
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That’s all we have for our Gear4 Piccadilly Review for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Have questions? Please ask them below, or on our Facebook page or our About Us page. To stay up to date on everything we’re doing, check out our Twitter and Instagram feeds!
Andrea Myers-Pfeifer
April 6, 2018 at 8:44 pm
Hi,
I’ve been watching and reading your reviews and I’d love your opinion. I am very hard on my phones. I have two toddlers who throw them and I drop them constantly. I have been happy with the protection from my Lifeproof cases but I don’t like the look or durability of the cases themselves.. I have bought a gear4 Piccadilly for my new iPhone 8 but I’ve seen from your reviews that it may not survive a face first fall. In your opinion would ballistics glass be enough protection or should I stick with Lifeproof. (I am also looking at Otterbox Symmetry).
Aaron Ho
April 7, 2018 at 12:06 am
The Gear4 would be fine as long as you get a plastic screen protector (like the Evolutive Labs Rhinoshield one). With that being said there is still a chance your screen might break since the screen protector doesn’t cover the entire iPhone like the LifeProof Fre does.
I’d be wary with a glass screen protector since they tend to keep coming apart after they crack which isn’t great for kids.
If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to the LifeProof Fre, check out the Ghostek Nautical 2. I’ve been using it for a couple of weeks now and it’s a better case than the Fre. It will last longer.