Review of BestSkinsEver Skin for BlackBerry Storm

January 28, 2009 in BlackBerry
Tags: BlackBerry, protection, skin, Storm

Protection is important. I don’t know about you, but I like to keep my gadgets free of scratches and smudges if possible. I had a screen protector on my Handspring Visor. I put a case on my wife’s iPod. But there’s nothing like actually touching your device sans case. To actually hold it and use it without freaking out about getting it scratched when you put it in your pocket or you purse, that is my dilemma. To solve this crisis of anal people everywhere, clear plastic skins have come on the market that protect the device with a minimum of impact on the feel and bulk of the gadget.

my skins arrived

I recently received my skins for the BlackBerry Storm from BestSkinsEver (at bestskinsever.com), a site that sells skins for numerous gadgets and laptops. Having had previously used their product for my MacBook Pro, I decided to try their skins for the Storm as well.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I am hoping to receive reimbursement for the skins from the company, as they are soliciting reviews on their ordering page. That said, I feel under no obligation to give a positive or negative review, I will try to be as balanced as possible.

I ordered two sets of skins, just in case something happened during the application process, and also as a backup for replacement should I ever need to. There are two sheets of skins, one set for the front, and the other for the back.

Please recycle

They arrived minimally packaged in a regular envelope, a conscious decision on the part of the company to reduce packaging. There are two sheets of skins, one set for the front, and the other for the back.

The company details the application process on their site, and I followed their directions. Having done it before, I knew what to expect, and the whole process took about an hour and half.

Ease of application
Applying a plastic skin to your device requires that you wet the skin with a soapy solution before applying it to the surface. The film of soapy water allows you to position the skin in exactly the right place. As the liquid evaporates, the adhesive sets and the skin is now stuck on your device.

It is advised that you put the flat portion of the skin on first, and then work the curved edges over second. I started with the front panel, doing the upper and lower sections first. I decided to leave off the screen and the button skins for the time being. (My screen still has the factory protective plastic on it, and it’s doing its job for now.)

Skin on the upper front

Skin applied to lower front

I then worked my way around to the sides, which were probably the trickiest.

Side with button cutout

The corners gave me the most trouble, they just didn’t want to stay down.

corners are tricky

With patience, the corners eventually do ‘take’ and stay put. I then did the two rear pieces for the upper and lower sections.

rear upper section skin

the skin on the rear lower section

The final piece, and the easiest, was the rear battery panel.

Skin is on the battery panel

The Look
I managed to apply the skins without any air bubbles or pockets forming underneath. Because the BlackBerry Storm is so small, with few flat pieces save for the battery panel, it is hard to use the credit card method to smooth out any bubbles. Initial application and making sure the skin is soapy goes a long way to avoiding air bubbles.

using credit card to smooth skin

The skins impart a glossy sheen to the surface, which on the back gun metal battery panel, I found quite attractive. It depends what you like. There were a few rough looking patches, where I could not smooth it out any more. I found it to be a problem on the rear upper section, where the camera is located. This section has ridges along the sides, and it was difficult to smooth down the skin.

a bit wrinkly

Coverage
Skins are supplied to cover every surface of the BlackBerry Storm, except for cutouts for the side buttons and the speaker, mic and camera. Also, the corners are notched, and there may be a small gap at the corners depending on how adept you are at applying the skin.

the Storm is skinned

Recommendation
I would definitely recommend the product to someone looking for skins for the BlackBerry Storm. While it may not include the applicator solution or spray bottle that other companies have, the skin itself is durable and the pieces well cut, fitting the device perfectly. Priced well below the competition, and shipping in an environmentally conscious package, bestskinsever gets high marks for its BlackBerry Storm Skin.

Image Gallery

my skins arrived

Please recycle

Skin on the front top

Skin applied to bottom front

Lock button area

corners are tricky

Side with button cutout

the skin on the rear bottom section

the rear top camera section

rear upper section skin

Skin is on the battery panel

the Storm is skinned

using credit card to smooth skin