I am constantly looking for better ways to carry my iPhone. For a while, I was using the Sena Magna Wallet, which was great because it carried my credit cards, IDs, held my phone firmly in place without limiting touch around the edges using a great sticky back plate, and it had a wonderful magnetic strap. And, while I like having my wallet and phone in a single case, I began to find it inconvenient when I was traveling and pulling it out a lot to take pictures, use social media, or show ID cards where I may not want to be flashing around my entire financial identity at the same time.
Which brings me to the CM4 Qcard case, which I’ve been testing out for the last month. This bumper style protector/wallet is available in iPhone and Galaxy s4 versions, both of which I was able to test out. The case is a slim yet secure bumper style, with enough of a front lip to protect your phone from most dips and falls and a single pocket on the back for holding credit cards and cash.
The construction of the Qcard case is a solid but smooth soft touch rubber, with a simulated leather fabric pocket on the back.The button covers are as easy to use as if they were uncovered, and after several months use it still looks as good as the day I took it out of the box, despite dropping it a few times. At $39.99, the price is very reasonable.
The marketing material for the CM4 promises that the back pocket can hold 2–3 credit cards plus some cash, but in my own tests I’ve not found this to be the case. Although I can fit 2 cards at a pinch, they then become difficult to get in and out, and there is certainly no room to get in more than a single bill of cash. That said, what I’ve started using it for is to cary my company ID and a spare $20 bill for emergencies. This works really well, since I regularly need to be able to flash my card at security doors, and I generally have my phone handy.
The final verdict? This is my new case for the time being. The Qcard can not take the place of my wallet, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Although I can only fit the single card and an emergency $20 in the pocket, that actually works better for me than if it were bulked up for more cards. This system still lets me quickly scan my work card — which I do several times a day — and I’ll just carry a separate wallet for the rest.
Get the CM4 Qcard case for $39.99.
I have used a similar product for years. It is the ID Credit Card Case from Casemate.
http://www.case-mate.com/iphone-4-cases/case-mate-iphone-4-4s-id-credit-card-cases.asp