iPhone 5’s have literally been flying off the shelves since their release a couple of months ago! Anyone who has a new iPhone 5 and is active, accident prone or outdoorsy; you should listen up.

And, with the Holiday season upon us, even if none of those traits apply to you, this is still good information to bookmark. After all, an iPhone 5 heavy-duty case can make a great Holiday gift for someone in your life who does happen to fall into the above-mentioned categories!

To that end, I have rounded up some of the best, rugged protection, heavy-duty iPhone 5 cases out there.  Featuring the Lifeproof frē, the Griffin Suvivor, the Otterbox Defender, Ballistic's Hard Core, Trident's Kraken, and Seidio's Convert. Read on after the break for full review details!

Lifeproof frē

For all around extreme protection (from practically everything ) in a case design that adds minimum bulk and is so low-profile and streamlined that it functions as a discreet enhancement to the iPhone as opposed to an encumbrance, you have to consider the Lifeproof frē case. The Lifeproof frē is, in general, one of the best cases on the market.

Even if you feel you don't need the extreme protection the Lifeproof affords, Lifeproof is still one of the best iPhone cases you will find! It is unobtrusive, and something that can be used everyday, all the time. And since it is available in both black and white, matching the iPhone colors, that only adds to its consistency of design.

The Lifeproof frē comes with some impressive specs for a case so compact and streamlined. First of all in my opinion, is that it protects the iPhone 5 from its greatest nemesis: WATER!

The iPhone 5 is very well built device, we all know that. Especially now with the new and improved Gorilla Glass 2 screen. It is already designed to sustain a moderate whooping and stay in good condition. So that is a good thing that a good case will only improve upon. But one thing that remains the iPhone 5’s Achilles Heel, is the fact that it’s not waterproof, in fact, it's barely even water-resistant! Until now...

The Lifeproof frē, believe it or not, considering its low-profile design, is completely waterproof (IP-68), rated waterproof down to 6 feet and for up to a half an hour at that depth. That's impressive! Again, especially considering how svelte the case is. Based on other waterproof cases the market has to offer the Lifeproof frē is not only the most unobtrusive, it is also the most functional! While there are other waterproof cases, no other waterproof case on the market at this time offers waterproofness while also letting you charge your iDevice while it remains in its case. In fact in every way, the Lifeproof frē allows full functionality and interaction with your iPhone 5.

Weighing in at a just over an ounce, the Lifeproof frē also comes with double AR-coated optical glass lenses over the rear camera for crystal-clear photo and video quality. Additionally, the frē evenimproves the iPhone 5's sound quality by utilizing the specialized sound channels and the back of the case to create a much richer and fuller speaker response. The Lifeproof frē is an ingenious design and in my eyes, it represents the pinnacle of what an excellent, top of the line iPhone case can be!

The Lifeproof frē meets up to all the required specs for Military Standards of certification, including being extensively tested for shock, drop, vibration and compression resistance. This is a superior case and the fact that it’s a few dollars more that some of the competition is only because it is a premium product. Such a premium product in fact, that I would say it is actually a great value at its $80.00price.