As a power user of technology and especially my phones, protecting the device that is my link to making money while not in front of a computer is vital. Prior to having an iPhone, I was an avid Blackberry user. Due to my power usage and the general delicateness of Blackberry devices, for several years, I literally went through as many as six Blackberry phones per year. That’s right! Six. It tends to get a little expensive when the devices run upwards of $350 for the latest and greatest (which being a techno junkie, of course I always had to have).
When I originally got the iPhone, the biggest concern was how long it would last in my ape sized hands in my rough and tumble world. With that in mind, I began to seek out the case that provided the greatest protection with the catch being that it needed to also support the ability to wear it with a holster. There are many great cases out there but unfortunately, most of them do not have an accompanying holster. I have yet to figure out what people who don’t carry a purse do with their phones when they leave the house.
In any event, to add to the complexity of my needs, not only did the new case have to be able to survive my abuse, it also needed to be able to survive the errant and accidental abuse of my two young sons (ages 2 and 3 when I first got my iPhone) who had been known to throw my phone like a fastball in a World Series game.
Thankfully, OtterBox came to the rescue with the OtterBox Defender Series.
For the unacquainted, OtterBox has been making waterproof, water resistant, impact resistant and ruggedized cases for nearly every variant of gadget imagineable for years. Naturally, they were my first choice.
The OtterBox Defender Series looks and feels like a military spec iPhone protector that has been ruggedized for war. It encapsulates the iPhone in multiple layers of protection.
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- Ultimate iPhone protection
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- OtterBox in Holster
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- OtterBox Holster Back
The first layer of protection is a thin clear membrane to cover up that gorgeous iPhone screen and protect it from scratches and dings. In my case, this serves as double duty because I had an additional screen protector placed on my iPhone immediately when I bought it at The Apple Store. The second layer of protection is a polycarbonate skeleton that the iPhone slides into and gets thoroughly encased in. This polycarbonate skeleton clips together and is then surrounded by a Silicone skin that acts as a shock absorber and grip aid. To top it all off, it comes with a polycarbonate holster with a belt clip swivel and built in tilt ability that allows the holster to serve as an iPhone stand for watching movies.
So, all that sounds great, but how does it rate?
For more than a year now my iPhone has been protected by the OtterBox Defender without a problem. It has survived being dropped more times than I care to remember on hardwood floors, tile, concrete sidewalks, pavement, you name it. Every time it used to happen, admittedly, I used to hold my breath as I picked it up off the ground to see if the iPhone was still functional. Thankfully, I have yet to be disappointed.
Case in point, several weeks ago while at Barnes & Noble, I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing and got out of my SUV without ensuring that the iPhone was in the holster. I had been charging it, unplugged it and had it sitting in my lap when I got out. As I made it from the parking lot to the front door, instinctively I felt to make sure I had my iPhone. I reached for the holster and my iPhone wasn’t there. Since I keep our businesses moving forward from that iPhone when not at my home office, I felt that, “Oh No!” feeling at the thought of not finding it. I retraced my steps, went back to my SUV and low and behold, laying on the curb next to my SUV was my iPhone. It had a big white spot on the OtterBox Defender Silicone cover from where it had hit the curb. I picked it up, dusted off the white spot, slid the slider to unlock the iPhone and, as expected, found everything to be in perfect working order.
If you are looking for the absolute best protection for your iPhone, look no further than the OtterBox Defender Series. Presently, they retail for $49.95. For me, it solved every need I had for a protective case for my iPhone:
- Ruggedized protection from my abuse
- Holster
- Increases the size of the iPhone and has a Silicone skin the combination of which makes it easier to use my iPhone because of the size of my hands (I am 6′4″)
When I got mine, you could get it in any color you wanted as long as it was black. Since then, OtterBox has developed a whole line of colors and the OtterBox Defender is now available in black, yellow, pink and white.
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