As a climber, skier, sailor, my do-dads and such are persistently at risk for departure from my person and as such, I can point to where I last saw my last knife and the approximate height a certain pieces of electronics can tumble and still function effectively. Experiments aside, I have become an individual who is greatly focused on property retention so to minimize replacement and recovery costs.

Unfortunately, with my last cell-phone upgrade so went my LifeProof case that so conveniently had a small through hole for to thread a subtle tether.

Now, with the “latest” iPhone, I’ve been hard pressed to find a case that will retain positive connectivity with my phone and includes a tether so I may maintain positive connectivity with the case. 

After looking through the heaps of available cases, I landed on a cheap-o ($25) OtterBox, hecho en Mexico. For a while I grumbled around, disappointed that it didn’t have any mechanisms for attachment, then finally buckled down and examined the case for my opportunity to customize.

Fortunately, the phone floats, on their “Drop Protection” pad and plastic ‘inset-tabs,’ away from all the edges of the case.  The case front attaches in a number of places with overlapping tongues but nestled in the corner turned out to be an ideal location. With thicker plastic (for the corner strength), sitting just below the overlapping tabs from the front half, is a space a few millimeters wide that is the perfect location for two 1/16th” holes.

After punching them through, pulling a byte of moderate strength thread, and securing via cow-hitch, I then punched one hole (so to reduce rips & failures of the material) through the rubber bumper and threaded the tether through for clean access to the outside. 

Now with a small loop, I can attach and detach a variety of tethers at my leisure and whip out my device whether I’m above blue water, or high up in blue skies.