Getting a Grip on the Switch Lite (A Skull & Co. grip case review)

I have a confession: I hated the Nintendo Switch pretty much from release. Its existence spelled the inevitable end of support for my trusty 3DS family of systems, it isn’t optimized for portability (too big!), and is very uncomfortable for me. Furthermore, when Nintendo shut down StreetPass relays, I got so irritated I went out and bought a PS Vita in protest.

I was surprised at how much I loved the PS Vita. It is by far the most comfortable handheld to play with no grip, and is very portable. In short, the Vita was everything I wished the Switch could be: Portable and comfortable. Who could ask for more?

Well, when Nintendo announced Fire Emblem and Animal Crossing games for the Switch, I knew what I was gonna buy one after all. I waited for a smaller, more portable version, and I got one in the Switch Lite. However, when I purchased one in February, I found that even though it is a vast improvement over the full size, it is still uncomfortable for me to play. How to make it into a playable system?

Enter the Skull & Co. grip case

Front and back views. I love that you can get the matching colors!

I ordered this beauty after doing some research and seeing that there were only a couple of grips for the Lite that were nearly universally praised. I went with Skull & Co. case because it features 3 interchangeable grip sizes and a case that holds the Switch Lite with the grips installed. I figured with 3 sizes I was unlikely to end up with no options that I liked.

What is included?

The medium sized grips ones on the case are perfect for me.

You get the clear case that the Switch fits into, 3 sets of grips that slide into place on back, and a large carrying case (pictured further down).

How easy was it to install?

Smallest size on top and the largest on the bottom.

The clear case wasn’t bad. I struggled at first because I somehow flipped it around the wrong way. Once I fixed the IDIOT error it went on easily!

The grips themselves are a little tricky to slide into place. I haven’t taken them on and off too much, but the curvature seems to make it a bit touch and go to slide on correctly, leading to a few nerve wracking moments where it didn’t catch and suddenly flew past the track and nearly skinned the thumb of the hand holding the Lite. This appears to improve with practice. I’m not sure I’d recommend changing the grips too often anyways, as they are plastic, but they seem to be holding up okay so far: A nick or two on the back of the grip and a scuff mark on the case where the grip is slides in was the worst of my misadventures. I suppose there is a chance you could catch one of the shoulder buttons and damage it if you try to slide a grip on and it doesn’t latch properly. I have no qualms about them at all as long as you intend to leave them in place pretty much all the time.

The one exception is the smallest grips. I had an extremely hard time taking those off. I just could not grab them properly and was seriously worried I had gotten them permanently stuck. I finally slid them off, but it was very difficult. If you think the smallest grip is the one you’d like best, keep in mind that they may go on and stay on. I suppose it’s possible I somehow installed them wrong somehow, but I’m not trying it again to test that theory.

How comfortable are they?

I use the medium grips and I LOVE them. It transformed the system from “I’m not sure buying this was the right decision” to “I LOVE MY SWITCH LITE!”. It sits in my hands perfectly. I quibble with the basic Switch Lite design because the bottom joystick and pad are still a bit awkward to reach, but this grip fixes the bulk of the comfort issues I was having when I initially purchased the Lite.

How is the travel case?

With the charger in the bottom it’s tight to close.

Great! It’s bulky, but it holds your Switch Lite with the grips on. It has a little velcro strap to keep the Switch from sliding out when you open it, which is very helpful. There’s room for 8 games as well, and it appears to hold the cartridges snugly. Storing the charger is a tight fit but can be done. I was not able to figure out a way to store the largest grips in the extra compartment, but I’m not sure why you’d need to be carrying different pairs of grips. If I didn’t write this review I never would’ve bothered trying the other sizes.

Keep in mind that it is a BIG case for a travel case. It adds a lot of bulk to carrying your Switch Lite around. I love it for using around the house, but I don’t store my charger in it. It may not be your favorite case if you want to keep the charger inside. It’s possible, but tight.

Alternate cases?

Handy if you want to take it out for the day without the huge case.

I occasionally would want to take my Lite out into the world, and the included case is huge for those purposes. Theoretically, you can slide the grips off and carry them separately and carry the Lite itself in a slimmer case. I tried this with Nintendo’s Stealth Case and the fit was snug but doable. Zipper was a bit tight around the corners depending on how perfectly you placed it in the case, but it’s not too bad. Slide the grips back on at your destination and you’re ready to go!

Your mileage may very with this solution. It’s viability depends on your comfort level: Are you comfortable with the durability of the grips themselves, and how comfortable are you sliding them back into place? As mentioned before, the latter is tricky, and when it fails to click into place it’s unnerving when your hand goes flying forward because of the pressure you used. Woe betide the thumb that finds itself in the way when you do that!

That said, I will probably do this myself every now and then when we are allowed outside again. However, everyone will have to decide if this solution is for them after testing it out.

Any downsides?

Using the power button when the Lite is in the case will almost certainly cause you to turn the volume all the way down. Not a major problem, just slightly annoying.

Speaking of volume, using headphones is touch and go. Sometimes I’ve gotten it to work, other times I can’t get the jack to connect because of the extra bulk of the case. My earbuds work perfectly though.

Incidentally, NO problems at all with the shoulder buttons, which I’ve been lead to believe can be a touchy point on cases. They always respond fine. They stick out a tiny bit so I am concerned about catching them with the grip if I have a failed installation as described before, but since it has become easier with practice I’m not too worried.

The verdict

I love this case! It fits well, can be bought in matching colors to your Lite, is very comfortable, and comes with a case that would be pricey if sold separately that allows you to keep the grips on at all times if you want. 

My only real concerns are that the grips can be tricky to put back on if you take them off, the issues I had taking off the lowest profile grips off when I tested them out, and that the travel case is such a tight fit when you carry the charger. None of these are major problems for me, but buyers should be aware. If you are looking for a grip that will stay on at all times, seriously consider this one. If you’re thinking you may have to take the grips off a lot, still consider it, but you might do more research to see if something else catches your eye.

The final word

I’ve gotten so used to using the Switch Lite in this grip case that that last time I played the Vita it felt tiny and cramped in comparison! Since that has been my benchmark for portable gaming comfort for at least a year now, that just shows you how much this case has improved my gaming experience.