Since the beginning of the Smartphone Revolution there has always been a trusty companion to the 21st century must haves; their figurative 'clothes' you could venture to say: cases. As the years have progressed and the iPhone has gotten sexier many people have begun to ask, "Do I even need a case?" or "Why should I use a case when it's in my pocket?" Plenty of my own friends have asked me these questions and I always give them the same answer: Yes! You need a case!

You may have fallen into a false sense of security over the past several years if you haven't yet broken your iPhone or smartphone. I'm here to tell you 'don't trust your hands so quickly.' I have been there and I have experienced its consequences. Without me going too much into my own iPhone horror story (lets just say that it involved basketball, basketball shorts, and playing basketball) I'd like to tell you several reasons why I think you should keep your iPhone clothed and protected. I'll also tell you what the best iphone case features are and what to look for in a case to insure your phone's protection.

The first and simplest reason you should be using a case on your iPhone is this: It's glass! On both sides. Most people are aware that the phone's front screen is made of glass but I've found that far fewer people are aware that its backside, perhaps its more vulnerable side, is also made of glass. I think this reason alone warrants a case but if you disagree let me delve further.

Picture this scenario: If you were on top of a skyscraper and you happened to fall over the side, how well do you think the glass on the building would slow you down or keep you from falling? That's a very similar sensation to pulling your phone out of your pocket and lifting it to your ear. Now imagine that you had just gotten out of the shower, just finished exercising, or anything that caused your hands to become moist. Chances are, the phone is going to feel very slippery and that's a lot of money you are putting in jeopardy.

The last reason I think getting a case is worth the extra bucks is this: It simply feels good to give the iPhone a little bit of extra thickness. The phone out of the box is beautiful no doubt, but the extra grip and security a case provides can make it feel even better in your hand. With a case on, it suddenly feels more full and stable.

Ok, now that you are protected from the iPhone's nemesis, the ground, I'm going to tell you what to look for in a case. The most important qualities to look for are a hard exterior, a soft interior/lining, and a raised bumper on the front of the case. I'm going to tell you right off the bat the iphone case that meets all of these needs: Speck CandyShell. The hard exterior will protect the backside of the phone, the soft interior will keep the phone from getting too rattled from a drop, and the front bumper will keep the front glass screen from touching the ground. There are additional features that can benefit you as well, such as covers on the buttons, a wide cutout around the camera lens to prevent overly bright photos, and large port holes for easier use of your headphones and charging cable. There are many cases out there that fit these parameters, now it's up to you to go find the best iphone case!