An odd design and a lot of bulk. “Impress friends and colleagues alike with the bold lines and vibrant colors of the Daytona V, the watchband-textured case for iPhone 5.” While I would like to agree with that statement, this case would impress people in mostly wrong ways. The Daytona V by The Joy Factory (Amazon), priced at $34.95, is definitely a unique case that might look neat in photos, but in person, just doesn’t seem like a winner.

One thing that the Joy Factory got right was to include not only a crystal-clear screen protector, but a water-proof bag, called the “BubbleShield.” It has dual zippers to make sure that no moisture gets into the sleeve. The actual sleeve is quite thin, and while I didn’t test it much, I can say that I don’t feel all-too confident in using it for anything hardcore.

The case itself is composed of two layers. The first layer is an outer hard plastic, which is no doubt thick. The second layer is an also thick silicone. With both layers in place, you get a very bulky mess. The Joy Factory is aiming for a watch-band design on the back, and executed it in a way that’ll probably make people look towards other products, all at the expense of the user being able to hold their phone in their hand comfortably. The case is quite thick, adds to the width, as well as the height, of your iPhone 5. Did I mention that this case is thick? Thick enough to where you get heavily annoyed?

Anyway, for protection, you get plenty of it, thanks to that very thick silicone and plastic. Lay-on-the-table design? You have it. Unfortunately, the plastic on the back of the case will easily show signs of wear, even after a few days of using the case normally.

The best thing about this case is regarding the button covers for your two volume buttons and the power button at the top of the iPhone 5. The silicone nubs add an insane amount of feedback when pushing the buttons, which I believe is always a plus. However, due to the case adding to the width of your iPhone, the silent switch cutout is a bit recessed and hard to get into. The camera cutout on the back is the perfect size, and causes no issues with the camera’s LED flash. Lastly, at the bottom of the case, you’ll find individual cutouts for everything at the bottom of your iPhone.

Overall, the case itself is undoubtedly bulky, and the design isn’t for everyone. The added bulk makes your iPhone difficult and uncomfortable to hold, so I would think extra hard about the purchase, should you be interested in checking this case out. On the bright side, this case will give you plenty of protection.

Feel free to follow Brian and The Tech Erra on Twitter.

Video