LunaTik Taktik Strike and Seismik iPhone 5s cases review

The LunaTik Taktik Strike and the LunaTik Seismik are a duo of rugged cases for the iPhone 5s. However, unlike many of the strictly utilitarian-looking offerings out there, the LunaTik bunch comes with a decidedly heavy accent on design.

Based in Chicago, LunaTik originated as a Kickstarter success story back in 2010. The design studio powerhouse MNML is responsible for the looks of the company’s products. Read on to find out how the Taktik Strike and Seismik iPhone 5s cases fare on a daily basis!

LunaTik Taktik Strike case

There is hardly any other way to say it: the LunaTik Taktik Strike case is built like a tank. Literally bolted around the smartphone, the case surrounds the iPhone 5s with a 9mm patent-pending impact truss, as well as a massive edge to protect the screen if the device falls on the ground face first.

LunaTik Taktik Strike case live photos

The charging port and the 3.5mm audio jack are unsurprisingly sealed too. The latter features a cool-looking aluminum flap.

The LunaTik Taktik Strike case is available in three different colors – black, white, and pink. The last two are particularly eye-grabbing.

When it comes to keeping your iPhone 5s intact on a daily basis, I can hardly think of a casual accident which the cover won’t handle. Heavy water damage and seriously deliberate attempt to destroy it aside, the Taktik Strike can handle just about anything. The sealed ports on the other hand, make sure than no dust or other debris reach the device. In short, you can be quite sloppy with you iPhone 5s after you dress it in one of those cases.

In case someone finds the Taktik Strike case tad too weak, LunaTik will gladly offer you the Taktik Extreme case. It features similar construction to the Strike, with an added layer of Gorilla Glass over the iPhone’s display, as well as water and dust resistant membranes.

Ergonomics of the Taktik Strike case are good, considering its rugged nature. All the covered buttons are easy to access, and so is the charging port.

The case brings a welcome enhancement to the speaker quality of the iPhone 5s. It channels the sound from the bottom to the front of the device, thus providing better experience when gaming or watching videos.

The ergonomic downside of a case this rugged comes from its sheer size and weight – at 90 grams on its own, the LunaTik Taktik Strike adds a good deal of bulk to the slender iPhone 5s.

Another quirk is related to the audio jack. It won’t accommodate most L—shaped connectors of today’s headphones so an adaptor is recommended. Thankfully, one can be found for a couple of dollars online.

As a whole, the ergonomic downsides of the Taktik Strike case are a direct tradeoff for the high level of protection it offers. They are in line with those of other rugged offerings out there.

LunaTik Seismik case

The LunaTik Seismik case for the iPhone 5s takes a more accessible approach to the rugged case theme. The cover features the same impact truss system as the Taktik series, but sports less armor to go with exposed ports and loudspeaker.

LunaTik Seismik live photos

In person, the Seismik case is significantly more elegant than its Taktik Strike sibling. The exposed impact truss adds a dash of toughness to the case, as well as a great deal of visual character.

The LunaTik Seismik case is available in five different dual-color schemes. They are black/smoke, gray/clear, gray/blue, gray/pink, and gray/lime like the unit in the photos above. I’ve always been a fan of rugged cases in bright colors, so having such options available for the Seismik case is really nice.

The overall level of protection provided by the LunaTik Seismik case, while not as comprehensive as the one coming from the Taktik Strike, is plenty enough for a casual user. The case will handle an accidental drop without breaking sweat.

Naturally, the screen is protected by a protruding edge too. It allows you to leave the phone face down on a table, as well as keep it from damage in case the handset falls down with its screen first.

Ergonomics of the LunaTik Seismik case are expectedly miles better than those offered by the Taktik Strike. It is a fair tradeoff for the lesser level of protection which the lighter weight cover offers.

At only 31 grams, the cover is much lighter than its tougher sibling. It is also considerably more comfortable to carry in a jeans pocket.

The case is easy to install – it simply snaps on to the iPhone 5s. All the covered buttons are easy to access, and so are the speaker and the 3.5mm audio jack of the device.

Wrap up

Both the LunaTik Taktik Strike and Seismik cases are great options for users who are looking to keep their iPhone 5s from the dangers of daily use and abuse. Naturally, there are some small compromises to be made with each of the cases, though I found none of them to be a deal breaker.

The Taktik Strike case in particular will have the iPhone 5s come out intact from just about any situation life throws at it. By far, it is the most rugged case I have experienced.

The Seismik on the other hand, like I already mentioned above, offers all the protection most users will need, while keeping the superb iPhone 5s ergonomics fairly intact.

The LunaTik Taktik Strike case is priced at $59.95, while the Seismik case will set you back $34.95. You can find both in the manufacturer’s online store over here.