If you're in the market for a tough iPhone 5 case then there are lots of options out there. Possibly too many. The majority add bulk and create a feeling of "distance" from your device. But the LifeProof Nuud offers up one crucial difference: there's nothing in front of the screen, so touch-sensitivity and brightness are unaffected. Cool.

The Nuud works by creating a seal around the iPhone 5's screen. Glass is waterproof, after all, assuming that you're not one of the many rocking a smashed-up screen.

It's a great idea and one that made us feel a tad nervous about whether it could work. But it certainly does - we dunked the cased-up iPhone 5 into a tank of water and, hey presto, had a fully functional iPhone 5 return.

The LifeProof Nuud case is a bit of a bulky chunk though. It's not heavy at all, it just - as is typical of such cases - bulks out on the big stuff and makes an iPhone 5 feel like it's morphed into a special-edition Incredible Hulk version. And this despite it being the "thinnest, lightest iPhone 5 case ever created", according to the company. It's an unavoidable condition that a case is going to add to a device's dimensions.

But that doesn't impact functionality. Using the iPhone 5's touchscreen works just as normal, while the side buttons also felt responsive even when encased in their rubbery shroud. It's even possible to plug into the headphone jack.

There's more than just waterproofing on the features front too. The clue's in the LifeProof name, we suppose, as Nuud is also "four proof": dirt, snow and shock resistance can be added to the list alongside waterproof.

We'd use it only for rugged outdoor excursions though, as it's not exactly a slim and pub-friendly case. If you need a serious case for your iPhone 5 to resist all that life throws at it, then we reckon it's worth going Nuud.