The case for a case

As you might expect when it is intended to use iPads in an environment such as a dissection room, protecting them becomes a particular issue. Anticipating the worst we went ahead and purchased GumDrop cases. These are robust three-part cases. One part covers the back of the iPad, the second part, a translucent screen cover, snaps on top of the first, and the third part is a thick rubber bumper that surrounds the back and sides of the case. First the good - the cases are robust and work really well. The bumper is easy to grip even with slippery latex gloves, and the case gives excellent protection against casual drops and bumps. Now the bad - ugly, ugly, ugly. You no longer look like you are using a slick, well-designed modern tablet. Secondly, the fit between the back of the case and the screen protector is so good that opening the case can be difficult and might cost you a fingernail! And finally, (and the deal breaker for me) was the length of time it took to wash the cases and dry them, and especially to dry the screen protector so that it didn't have annoying streaks all over it.
We switched to a low-tech but effective method which I had been using with my own iPad. When the iPads are removed from their storage case, the students wrap the iPad they are using in good quality clingfilm/plastic wrap (we use stuff from Western Plastics). When done, the clingfilm is just discarded. Every couple of days (or as needed) the iPads are wiped with some alcohol free cleansing wipes. So far this has worked well for us and we haven't had any drops or damaging accidents. We also require students bringing their own tablets into the lab to use this method.
The quality of the film/wrap IS important, and the bargain stuff doesn't really work. The film/wrap must have an excellent degree of 'clingability' and 'stretch' (I bet there are official measurements for these parameters!) so that one or at most two layers can be tightly wound onto the iPad. We have found that cheap film doesn't cling and so just slides off.
Of course we wouldn't recommend this method for all uses/circumstances but it fits our needs perfectly for now. At some point in the near future we will buy and test the newly released Seal Shields iPad2 cases. Apparently these are so slim so as to be almost invisible and allow complete immersion of the iPad in water, as well as being impregnated with an anti-bacterial coating. If they work as advertised these could gain wide acceptance is some clinical settings where sterile practice is paramount (actually sterile practice should be paramount in ALL clinical settings when you think of it!), as well as in settings such as ours where there is a need to protect the devices from chemical splashes and spills etc.