Pitaka's Colorful iPhone 17 Pro Cases Win On Style While Staying Tough

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One of the biggest reasons I avoid protective cases on my smartphones is simply that they look dull. And above all, they hide the phone's original aesthetics. Clear cases have a yellowing problem, and let's not forget the ugly scuff marks they attract. I've mostly remained loyal to those precision-cut plastic films for all-around protection, but even they come with a heating caveat and start peeling off pretty quickly. For my iPhone 17 Pro, I was in a similar dilemma until I got my hands on Pitaka's latest iPhone 17 series protective cases (sent to me for testing purposes for this article), which come in a variety of styles, colors, and material choices.

For the past three weeks, I have been rocking the Aramid ProGuard (Moment · Moonrise) and the Aramid UltraGuard Case (Moment – Sunset) cases to shield my pricey investment. This is the first time that I haven't felt bored by the looks of a case, or worried that it's ruining the pristine all-metal look of the iPhone 17 Pro.

On the contrary, I've kept them on my smartphone for the most part. And at the time of writing this review, at least three strangers have asked me about it, one at a concert and a couple of random strangers in a tiny coffeehouse. These Pitaka cases are unlike any durability-focused protective garb for phones I've tried so far. And the fact that they come in a variety of design choices while retaining their top-tier material quality and resilience is something that won me over within a few days of testing.

The surface has an understated finish, almost like grounded matte glass. I believe that's by design, because it gives the woven fabric underneath plenty of space to shine. Another benefit is that the surface is not slippery, especially when compared to the naked polished metal chassis of the phone it is protecting. But it's really the material underneath that's my favorite. I've always had a soft corner for fabric-inspired or yarn-derived accessories. Maybe it's because my family has been involved in the textile industry for nearly a century now. Pitaka, however, is taking a rather novel route with the build.

On the Aramid UltraGuard case, for example, you get interwoven aramid fibre fused with Orca resin. The fiber mesh is clearly visible, and despite the resin layer, you can still feel the subtle silky texture with your fingertips. The rest of the body relies on a dual-layer TPU material with soft cushions. Despite its luxurious looks, the Pitaka UltraGuard case promises military-grade drop protection and can brush off a vertical fall from an elevation of up to eight feet.

The all-metal buttons also offer a satisfactory tactile experience, and I didn't notice any wobbling or sideways movement either. On the functional side of things, it's fully compatible with MagSafe or other Qi-certified chargers. My only quibble with the case is that the surface does a nice job of brushing away dust accumulation, but if your digits are grimy and oily, the imprints are visible. You can, thankfully, wipe it away even with a wet paper towel.

My biggest gripe with rugged cases is that they lack gravitas, and often end up looking like a tank decor slapped on a phone. They ignore ergonomics, lack consideration about the bulk profile, and look far from tasteful. That's where the Pitaka Aramid ProGuard case offers some much-needed respite. Pitaka has created what it calls a Weaving+ series where the woven fabric's pattern and yarn colors mimic the sunrise, moonrise, and the Milky Way galaxy, among other nature-inspired themes.

Thankfully, the design is not over the top. On the contrary, it's something that blends in pretty well and doesn't scream ostentatious. I was pretty skeptical about using a decidedly rugged case on my iPhone, but I didn't regret the choice I made with the Pitaka ProGuard case. It's stylish, slim, and still keeps the phone's in-hand bulk effortlessly manageable.

This one offers MIL-STD-810H-certified military-grade protection. Pitaka assures that this case can survive drops from a height of up to 2.4 meters. Corner protection is the standout aspect of this case. Instead of swollen corners that you see on a healthy bunch of cases out there with internal padding, the ProGuard case by Pitaka features a dual-lined arched corner with a visible gap between them to absorb the drop shock.

It still has the silky woven fabric finish on top. In fact, the fabric finish is more pronounced on this one because it lacks the orca resin on the surface. The rugged exterior of the ProGuard case employs aerospace-grade Aramid Fiber and TPU, while the inner lining in contact with the phone is PU leather. I prefer this one.

Ever since Apple put a capacitive and pressure-sensitive Camera Control button on its smartphones, it has been a constant struggle to find cases that play well with it. On the Pitaka Aramid UltraGuard Case, there's a dedicated protective element made specifically for this button. This element has a high-strength glass on top with color accents matching the rest of the case. There's no wobble or raised edges, and I haven't faced any sensitivity-related issues while pressing on it, or swiping on the surface to switch modes, lenses, or zoom levels in the camera app.

Another recurring concern that I faced with smartphone cases is adequate protection for the camera lens array. And let's be honest here. A key reason to pick the iPhone 17 Pro is the camera chops. Needlessly to say, you want to keep the entire camera hump well guarded. Pitaka's cases feature a raised lip around the entire camera island, with a rubberized layer on the outside and a metallic inner lining for maximum structural strength.

So far, in my travels spanning over three thousand kilometres (1864 miles), the phone has slipped from my pocket on brick-lined floor, tumbled down the stairs, and even slipped from my hands and fallen on the asphalt while riding pillion on a bike taxi. So far, my phone hasn't taken any cosmetic damage, and the case has also held on pretty well.

Overall, I'm pretty impressed with the Pitaka ProGuard and UltraGuard cases for the iPhone 17 series. There's also a Slim option on the table, if you value thin-format protection. If you've recently purchased an iPhone 17 series device or the iPhone Air, I can easily recommend the latest selection of cases from Pitaka (as found in the Pitaka brand store on Amazon) for their eye-catching blend of looks and substance.