Hands on: BlackBerry Bold 9700 Go Bare by Case-Mate
by Mac Jadalhack
I like rockin’ my BlackBerry naked sometimes. There are moments where an OtterBox is good (I love my Commuter for the Bold 9700), and then other times where I want to enjoy the actual device. Life is short, no need to never miss out on what’s all the way underneath five layers of casing. We’ve seen the Invisible Shield by ZAGG and other clear covers available from other vendors. In reality, this was intended to be a comparison review to ZAGGskins as we haven’t seen those yet and were supposed to have some on hand by now. So since we never received them we’re going to give you the full scoop on Case-Mate’s all new Go Bare which was introduced at CES this year. In my opinion, we were really excited to test out another product similar to ZAGG’s which is very comparable to it as far as quality and “performance” goes.

It’s tough to take actual pictures of the Go Bare on the BlackBerry since it is invisible and unnoticeable so bare with us! We did our run test on the Bold 9700, Curve 8900, and Curve 8520 so far but since it’s pretty much the same for all them, let us stick to the Bold. Generally, we are really impressed by the heavy duty feel the clear covers provide as well as how unnoticeable it is after applying it. The instructions were very much precise and easy as the only hard part was actually getting it on right without making any mistakes.
Conveniently the Go Bare covers come with an installation card to squeeze any bubble out and a fresh cloth to wipe off dust, dirt, and finger prints making your BlackBerry shiny before the procedure. What we found difficult was applying it perfectly without getting any fingerprints on them. The ZAGG Invisible Shield does come with a spray that can be applied on your fingers and device screen that will eliminate any visibility of fingerprints.
Even though it seems to be inconvenient, Case-Mate is pushing for simplicity as they exemply that there is no need for spray and the only real tools required is your thumb. If you’re confused check out the thumbnail images below to see what I’m talking about. Have no worries. After you put on the first few pieces, it gets easier and easier. If you’re looking into purchasing one, we definitely suggest to leave the screen til last as it is the biggest challenge. Everything else goes on simply and can be readjusted without noticeable prints. Just please be careful when applying the screen cover.
The quality on the Go Bare is phenomenal and there is actually a feature that Case-Mate doesn’t bring up (not to our knowledge at least). Having the Go Bare gives your BlackBerry a better grip in the hands which will avoid tragic incidents of dropping it on the floor and so on. Given that it covers your whole device, gripping it becomes very easy, keeping you confident walking around in the streets with it at hand. Another cool feature we saw was that even after removing it off your BlackBerry, there is no nasty stick adhesive gunk all over. All the sticky substance stays and remains with the Go Bare at all times. A lot of covers out there give your screen that annoying gunk and an annoying glare on the screen which will results in you removing it in a heartbeat. If you apply the screen cover correctly, then you will not notice any difference while using your BlackBerry. As we learned the hard way on the BlackBerry Curve 8520 test, the screen came out a disaster as I went ahead to apply the screen cover before anything else stubbornly and resulted in a lot of bubbles! As we suggested earlier, leave the screen cover til last so you get the hang of it.
So overall, we love the Go Bare. If you’re looking to get the latest and greatest, then the Go Bare is for you. The ZAGG Invisible Shield will run you $24.99 as the Go Bare does as well. As these products are still not out on the market yet, they are coming soon and the retail packaging will look just as you see them in the images below. If you have any questions about the Go Bare before purchasing it, drop us a comment below. Stay tuned for more as we’ll be announcing the availability of the Case-Mate Go Bare for BlackBerry.
-by Mac Jadalhack
Related posts:
- Case-Mate announces Go Bare for Mobile Phones
- Case-Mate Clear Armor for BlackBerry Now Available
- BlackBerry Bold Backpack by Case-mate
- BlackBerry Bold 9700 Commuter Case by OtterBox releases
- Hands on: BlackBerry Bold 9700 Commuter Series OtterBox
- ZAGG Invisible Shield – BlackBerry Bold 9700 Scratch Test
- AT&T introduces “A Bold Step Ahead” to market Bold 9700
- BlackBerry Bold 9700 spare parts now available on CNN.cn
- BlackBerry Bold 9700 available via Walmart for $129.99
- BlackBerry Bold 9700 goes live on Rogers Site








