BODYGUARDZ for iPad – Gear Review

So you just shelled out half a grand for a brand new iPad, and you’re still looking for a way to keep it in pristine condition without having to buy an ugly case? The body and screen protectors from BODYGUARDZ are exactly what you need.

For the record, I’m a huge fan of this type of shielding, you can’t find more discreet than that, and it does an amazing job at keeping scratches away from your favorite gadget. I’ve used BODYGUARDZ as well as invisibleSHIELD products on my MacBooks for years, and to this day they still look great.

In a nutshell, BODYGUARDZ is a thin clear protective film that covers the full body of your device. It is custom fitted in order to protect the whole device, from front to back, without altering its looks. The film is actually made from the same material used to protect the front of automobiles from stones and other abrasive elements.

First Impressions

The BODYGUARDZ for iPad comes in a tube. It’s a bit oddly-shaped, but it keeps the skin crease-free. The skin actually comes on 2 separate sheets, one for the front, and one for the back and the sides. All the pieces are perfectly fitted for your iPad. The package also comes with two bottles of application solution, which should be enough for one iPad, as well as a “squeegee” (if you don’t know what a squeegee is, it’s pretty much a piece of plastic that looks like a credit card, designed to help you apply the skin on the device – and no, you can’t use it in an ATM!).

Installation

I consider myself a veteran when it comes to skins, as I’ve installed many over the last couple years. Still, even when you know what you are doing, the installation is painful. It’s not BODYGUARDZ’s fault, it just requires a lot of trial and error to get it perfectly right, but it’s a small price to pay to get a great result.

First of all, make sure your device is turned off, as things will get a bit wet and messy. Make sure you put a towel on top of your working area in order to protect it, and use it to clean the iPad as you progress. Spray the application solution on the sticky side of the skin while you peel it away from the sheet (quick tip: make sure you apply generous amounts of solution on it). Pick a corner, and start from there. Make sure the skin is properly aligned, and slowly apply it over the device. You may have to peel it back and adjust it a couple times to get it perfectly aligned, so make sure you re-apply some solution on the skin until things are perfect.

When you’re done positioning the skin, grab the squeegee and use it to squeeze as much solution from under the skin as you can. Don’t hesitate to be a bit rough, the skin won’t move, and it’s the only way to get rid of all the bubbles trapped beneath the skin. After 10 to 20 minutes of work, your iPad should be ready. You may still have a couple tiny bubbles trapped here and there, if you can’t get them out with the squeegee, no need to panic, most of them will disappear after curing (quick tip: the corners on the back of the iPad tend to be the most difficult part to deal with, as the skin doesn’t always stick to them right away because of their curvature… just apply some pressure with the palm of your hands on each corner for a minute or so, and this problem should go away)

BODYGUARDZ recommends to wait 24 hours in order to make sure your iPad is perfectly dry, and to make sure the skin is cured. I usually don’t wait that long, but if you want a perfect result you may want to listen to them.

Test

In order to see if the BODYGUARDZ would actually live up to its promises, we submitted it to a quick torture test (please, don’t try this at home!).

Test passed. If you look carefully, you can see some “marks” on the skin, but these are not scratches, the skin “morphs” to absorb the stress applied by my key, and these residual marks actually disappear within hours. Here is a picture of the back of the iPad about an hour after the test:

Looks good to me!

Verdict

The good: BODYGUARDZ will help keep your iPad in pristine condition, protected from scratches and light wear and tear. It is virtually invisible, doesn’t alter the looks of your device, and is a great alternative to cumbersome cases.

The bad: It’s not a case! It won’t protect your iPad from accidental drops, or from major dents. It’s also a bit painful to apply (the reason why it doesn’t get the full 5 stars).

Overall: BODYGUARDZ’s skin is a cheap way to keep your iPad good as new for the years to come. Perfectly fitted, resilient, and discreet, for less than $30 there is nothing comparable available on the market today.

Score:

Editor’s note: Thanks to BODYGUARDZ for providing the skin used for this review. You can find their product here. As usual, PadGadget was not compensated for this review.