by Steven Hoffman, Cofounder of Founders Space

Like most founders out there, I pre-ordered my iPhone 5, and I love it.  The one problem was that I was terrified of dropping it before I had a new case.

Fortunately, I just got two cases in the mail from Cygnett, and they’re pretty darn cool.

The first is Cygnett’s WorkMate.  It’s a shock-absorbing case that’s both rugged and stylish.  I’d say this case is for guys.  Mine is kaki green, and it looks like it’s ready to go to battle.  The case is well built.  It snuggly fits an iPhone 5, and it’s simple to remove.

The case is built of high quality materials.  Nothing cheap about it, except the price.  It’s only $24.99.  For the money, this is a good buy — especially if you’re a guy (or an outdoorsy woman) who wants a sturdy, yet stylish case.

The second case I tried out was the Cygnett UrbanShield.  Now this is a sleek and minimal case, and it too only costs $24.99.

What you gain in looks, you do lose in protection.  This case seems well-made, but it’s definitely not as rugged as the WorkMate.

For women and guys who’d rather have a smart-looking case, I’d recommend it over the WorkMate.

Again, this is made of high-quality materials, so it should provide adequate protection for most drops, but I wouldn’t go running over your new iPhone in a car.

Also, this doesn’t have much of a rim that sticks out over the glass, so if your phone falls face-down on a rough surface, it might not help much.  The WorkMate, mentioned above, does have a rim that protrudes well beyond the glass.

All things considered, it comes down to what you value most: style or protection.  You decide!

NOTE: We received free samples of their products for this review.