4 Cases For Your iPhone 15 Pro Actually Worth Traveling With

Let’s be honest, the main reason that any of us buy cases for our phones is because we’re terrified of breaking them. Rightly so, given how what they cost to buy in the first place, and how much Apple charges for repairing delicate bits like the screen and cameras.

You can drop a phone anywhere, of course, but it always feels like a bigger risk while traveling: you’re just more likely to be outside, taking photos and sliding phones in and out of pockets and bags, in places where they’ll get damaged if they’re dropped.

I’ve got first-hand experience here: an accidental elbow knock on a scooter in Thailand a few years ago saw the screen of my near-new phone cracked so badly that it wouldn’t even show a picture. The occasional sad vibration was the only sign of life until I could get to a repair store several weeks later.

While any decent case offers at least a degree of protection, some of us need a bit more help than others when it comes to keeping our beautiful $1000+ phone safe. It’s always a tradeoff, though: the tougher a case is, the bigger, heavier, and honestly, uglier it becomes.

Having tested literally dozens of cases over the years, I’ve now got a good idea of which ones I’d actually choose to protect my expensive smartphone on the road, and which ones I’d leave on the shelf. As you can see, it’s not a long list!

Note that while I’ve linked to the iPhone 15 Pro version of each case below, since that’s the device I tested with, you can buy all of them for the other sizes and specifications of Apple’s latest phone as well.

OtterBox Symmetry

Ideal for: extra protection from a well-known brand

Of all of the cases I’ve tested over the years, those from OtterBox have consistently been some of the best. They’re about as close to a household name as you’ll find when it comes to phone cases, and although you’ll pay more for them than those from lesser brands, it’s not hard to see why.

I could have picked a few different models to recommend here, but after using most of them and giving it a bit of thought, decided to go with the Symmetry.

It’s not the toughest case that Otterbox makes (that’d be the extra-chonky Defender series), nor the cheapest (that’s usually the Commuter), but as Goldilocks would undoubtedly say, the middle-ground Symmetry is just right for most people.

While travel and the outdoors can be hard on our phones, there’s generally no need to go with a super-rugged case. They’re just too big and heavy for everyday use for most people: if they mean your phone won’t easily fit in a pocket or purse, they’re not a practical option.

The Symmetry is the slimmest of the company’s cases, but there’s still a significant lip around the screen and camera array that offers plenty of protection without making the case excessively bulky. The silicone rubber exterior easily shrugs off minor knocks, scratches, and nicks (I tested with a pocketknife).

One of the big benefits of all Otterbox cases is the all-around protection they offer. The corners of any phone are what often hits the ground first, and all that force concentrated in one spot often leads to cracking on the edge of the screen.

The cushioning on the edges and corners of the Symmetry is noticeably better than most other non-rugged cases: in the real world, my family members haven’t had any cracks or damage on three different iPhones (including the 15 Pro) after switching to this model of case four years ago.

It works well with Magsafe chargers and car mounts: I’ve had no problem using either the standard Apple puck-shaped charger or a range of different third-party versions. They connect firmly, and charge at the same speed whether the phone is in the case or not.

Available in a wide range of colors and designs, including whimsical glitter-filled versions if that’s your vibe, the Symmetry remains the same great case option for iPhones that it has been for several years.

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Mujjo Full Leather Case

Ideal for: extra style points, with or without a card holder

In a sea of silicone, leather phone cases always stand out. My partner has one for her iPhone 12, and even after a couple of years of abuse, it still looks better than a generic rubber one. You pay more for it, of course, but the same is true for almost anything with a touch of style.

Based out of the UK, Mujjo has been turning out a small range of attractive leather cases for Apple devices for several years. I’ve always liked them, and five minutes after it arrived on my doorstep, I felt the same way about the latest iPhone 15 Pro version.

You can choose between two varieties, a standard case or the “wallet” version that includes a slim pocket for cards at the back. I pay for most things using contactless payments on my phone, but as I found out the other day at the supermarket, sometimes those systems go down without warning.

For that reason, having a physical debit or credit card to fall back on, perhaps with a folded banknote behind for when I need to go really old-school, still has value. If you don’t like carrying a separate wallet with you, go for the case with the card holder.

Both the wallet and standard versions of the case are Magsafe-compatible, but you’ll need to remove whatever’s in the wallet section before trying to charge wirelessly.

Whichever one you go for, it looks great: I particularly like the blue version in my photo above. If that’s not your thing, there are black, tan, and burgundy options as well. The leather feels like, well, leather: smooth but with just enough texture to make it obvious it’s a natural product.

The case snugly fits around an iPhone 15 Pro: it’s not compatible with other models, although you can buy different versions of this case for them. The inside is lined with microfiber that’s soft enough to avoid scratches and marks, and most of the non-leather parts are made from recycled materials.

There’s a small lip around the edge of both the screen at the front and camera array at the back, offering reasonable protection against broken glass if you drop your phone. It’s not a super-tough case by any means, but it’s a lot better than nothing.

Reasonably-priced for what it is, simple yet stylish, and well-constructed, this is what I’d recommend to anyone looking for a leather case for their new iPhone.

Torras UPRO PStand

Ideal for: watching shows and saving money

If you watch a lot of video on mobile devices, you’ll already know what a pain in the butt it can be. A ten second TikTok is one thing, but if you’re watching a half-hour YouTube episode or TV show, holding your phone in your hand the whole time is…not fun.

Sure, you can find something to prop it up against if you’re lucky, but in my experience, that happens maybe half the time at best when I’m out of the house. How many times do you need to pick your phone back up off the airline tray table before you start looking for a better option?

Phone cases with inbuilt stands aren’t hard to find–I’ve sure been sent enough of them over the years–and there are many different ways of achieving the same basic goal. Surprisingly though, one of the best versions I’ve come across for the latest iPhone is also one of the cheapest. That doesn’t happen often.

The Torras PStand is a simple affair, made from a rigid polycarbonate with a mostly opaque backplate. You’ve got a choice of several colors for the non-opaque section, or an entirely clear option if you’d rather let your phone color shine through.

My phone fitted snugly inside, with a 1.0-1.5mm lip protecting the screen and camera array. As with the Mujjo leather case mentioned above, that’s enough to offer a reasonable degree of protection against damage while still staying slim enough to fit comfortably in a pocket.

There’s a magnetic ring built into the backplate, and it’s strong: I tried it with both Apple and third-party Magsafe chargers, and they clamped very firmly into place and started charging immediately. I’d have no qualms using this case with a Magsafe car mount, even on bumpy roads.

In terms of the stand itself, the case takes a more straightforward approach than some, with a slim flip-out section at the bottom that extends to a little over 45 degrees. That’s enough to keep the phone stable in landscape mode; it’s a bit easier to knock over in portrait mode, however, at least in one direction.

If you think that’s likely to be a problem for you, take a look at the company’s OStand model instead. It essentially lets you fold out the magnetic ring from a recess on the back of the case so it can act as a stand instead.

It looks more stylish than its sibling, and is more stable in portrait mode: I couldn’t easily knock it over in either direction. You lose the ability to charge wirelessly when the stand is extended, though, the magnet isn’t as strong, and the hinge mechanism felt a little flimsier as well. You win some, you lose some.

Both models are usually priced about the same, and either one provides an easy way of keeping your new phone both protected and upright without spending a lot of money.

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OtterBox OtterGrip Symmetry

Ideal for: having less chance of dropping your new phone

While super-strong cases do a great job of protecting your phone when it falls, there’s an even better way to reduce the risk of damage: by not dropping it at all.

Of course that’s much easier said than done, but there are a few things you can do to tilt the scales in your favor a bit. One of them is to buy Otterbox’s OtterGrip Symmetry, the modified version of the plain Symmetry case I mentioned up top.

The OtterGrip version adds a flexible pop-out silicone grip on the back, that you can easily slide your fingers under while still holding the phone normally. I really can’t overstate how much more secure this makes your grip: while it still wouldn’t be impossible to drop your phone while using it, it’s a lot less likely.

The grip really comes into its own when you’re on the move. I was testing this case on a scenic steam train ride recently, where you’re encouraged to sit on the window sill and take photos. Holding onto a support bar with one hand and holding the phone with the other, I was very glad of the extra security.

This style of grip is new with the iPhone 14 and 15 versions of this case; in the past, Otterbox offered a pop socket-based model instead. It achieved pretty much the same thing, but I’ve found the new one offers a more secure hold, so I think it’s a win.

The only other thing worth mentioning about the grip is that it’s, well, only a grip. Even though it looks like it could be used as a stand in the product photos, in reality it’s too flexible to hold the phone up in any meaningful way. That feels like a missed opportunity, although it does keep the case size down.

All of the other aspects of the case are the same as the standard Symmetry model. That’s a good thing, since you still get a good level of protection if you do manage to drop your phone, and Magsafe charging still works just fine.

Just like the standard Symmetry, there are loads of different color and design options available for the OtterGrip version as well. If you’re prone to dropping your phone, or often use it in situations where it’d be difficult or impossible to retrieve if it fell, this is the case to go for.

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Now I want to hear from you. Do you have any of the cases I’ve talked about here? What do you like or dislike about them? Or is there one that you particularly love that I haven’t mentioned and you’d like me to test?

Let me know, down in the comments below!

Title photo via Hadrian/Shutterstock.com, all other photos via author