Griffin's Journey protects your iPhone from bumps and falls

by Jeff Byrnes

October 28, 2015

Let’s face it, some people are tougher on their iPhones than others. For those people, a case that offers screen protection as well as armor makes perfect sense. Other folks just need a bit of protection for their devices, to keep their iPhones safe from bumps and falls. Griffin’s new Survivor Journey is designed with those people, folks who just need a medium amount of protection for their devices, in mind.

The Facts

Company Name: Griffin Technology
Product Name: Griffin Survivor Journey
Price: $29.99
Compatibility: iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus
Website: Griffin’s Web page
Date Reviewed: Oct. 28, 2015

The Basics

The Griffin Survivor Journey is a slim, snap-on shell that’s designed to protect your iPhone from 6.6-foot drops onto concrete. It features a shatter-resistant multi-layer shell that deflects and absorbs impacts, keeping your iPhone safe and sound if you accidentally drop it. Meanwhile, the molded-in Impact Dispersion System cushions your iPhone. It fully protects the back, sides, and buttons of your device, but offers no screen protection and doesn’t cover up your Lighting or audio ports.

The Griffin Journey is available in a variety of color schemes to match your aesthetics. You can choose from dark gray on black, pink on gray, blue on black, or white on black.

Integration With iOS Devices

My iPhone 6 fits perfectly in the Journey case, and the buttons all work flawlessly. Since the screen isn’t covered, there’s no worry about touch sensitivity being affected, and everything works just as it should. Access to the ports on the bottom of the device is good, but you may need an extender to plug in your headphones if the jack has a wide base to it.

Use and Feel

The Griffin Survivor Journey case looks good and feels good in your hand. The rubber armor provides an excellent non-slip grip, to help prevent you from dropping the handset in the first place. If you do drop it, you can rest assured that your iPhone will be protected by the shell, as long as it doesn’t fall face-down onto a protruding object. Onto flat concrete, the protruding lip of the case should keep the screen of your iPhone from contacting the ground, and the Impact Dispersion System will do its job of deflecting the impact away from your handset.

What’s Hot

Super-slim, but solid protection
Excellent color trim availability
Shatter-resistant case

What’s Not

Access to the audio port might require an extender (not included)
No screen protection
Might not be compatible with edge-to-edge screen protectors

How Does It Stack Up?

The Griffin Survivor Journey is a solid step up from your run-of-the-mill bumper. It won’t provide the full-device protection of a case with a screen protector, but it isn’t designed for such needs. It’s designed for people who need protection from bumps and short falls, and it fulfills that function quite well.

Where Can You Get It, and How Much Does It Cost?

You can purchase the Griffin Survivor Journey case from the manufacturer’s Web page for $29.99, or from Amazon for the same price. Prime shipping is available from Amazon.

Our Advice

If you’re looking for a shell that provides excellent shock resistance from short falls, the Griffin Survivor Journey is an excellent choice. It has wonderful impact dispersion technology built in, and will protect your device from a fall of up to 6.6 feet onto concrete.