RhinoShield CrashGuard NX for Apple Watch Review

You may be using a case on your smartphone and tablet to protect it, but have you considered a protective case for your smartwatch? RhinoShield’s Apple Watch case, dubbed the CrashGuard NX aims to add some protection to your watch without adding too much bulk.

Video Review

Design

The case is available in a range of different colours, I have chosen to go with the black case as it matches my watch and band nicely – but more vibrant and saturated colours are available.

The case has a matte plastic construction which surrounds the watch, providing protection around all sides. The top and bottom sides have cut-outs for the watch band, which will need to be removed when putting the case onto the watch.

The left side has a large arch-shaped cut out for the microphone and speaker, whilst the right hand side has a small cut out for the crown and a button incorporated into the case to provide protection over the side button.

I’m not too sure why RhinoShield decided to have the left and right side follow different designs and why the left side doesn’t have smaller cut-outs for the speaker and microphone as this would’ve provided some additional protection along the side of the watch. I do not think this is a huge issue, I just found it to be an interesting observation.

The underside of the case leaves the original Apple Watch surface exposed, which makes sense as this is the part which will be on your arm and it allows the watch to breathe and prevent any grime or dirt from getting caught on the underside of the case.

The case also sits slightly above the display which gives the screen some protection if the watch impacted or fell onto a surface. This top area of the case consists of the case rim which secures the watch into place and can be easily removed by the user but stays securely in place during use.

Experience

I’m a big fan of the design, the variety of colour options is nice to have and allows you to have additional personalisation for your watch as well as the added protection, as well as the case colours there are also customisable rims to have a two-tone design for the case.

I was a little worried on how bulky the case would feel on my watch as the Apple Watch is a fairly small product with a design which I find very comfortable. The case is extremely comfortable, and I couldn’t notice any significant difference in the feel of wearing my watch with the case on, RhinoShield has done a fantastic job at ensuring that the case is comfortable and slim.

The digital crown is a little harder to quickly turn as the case does cover and protect this area, but I usually use the touchscreen to scroll through items and lists so I didn’t find this to be too much of an issue for myself.

Through day-to-day use, the case has performed well and has held up nicely. I’ve been trying different colour combinations and I did notice a slight scuff on the black rim that I was first using with the case, but I’ve not experienced this issue with any of the other rims I’ve tested.

Putting the case to work, I built a shed wearing the case on the watch and it was extremely useful for this as it meant I didn’t have to worry too much about my watch during the construction process. If you’re a labourer or do a lot of outdoor sports that may put your Apple Watch in harm’s way, I could see this case as being very handy for adding that extra bit of protection and peace of mind.

When it came to taking off the watch, even though my watch band fits I did find the Apple Watch loop band to be a little more difficult to pull the Velcro pads through the loop. When it came to putting the watch on my charging stand, it fit as usual and charged without any positioning issues.

Conclusion

I think RhinoShield has done a great job at creating an unobtrusive case for the Apple Watch that provides ample protection from bumps from daily wear. I like how the case has a modular and customisable design that allows the watch to have a more unique appearance.

Aside from my issue with the Velcro pads on the loop band requiring a little more force to pull through the strap, my experience using the case has been great and I’m a big fan of the thin design.

The CrashGuard NX for Apple Watch is available for all current Apple Watch generations, including Series 1/2/3 as well as Series 4/5. For more information visit RhinoShield’s website.