Last summer I went canoeing in the Swedish wilderness. Canoeing is hazardous to any phone, and the iPhone felt extra vulnerable. As with everything you care about you want to keep it safe. Finding a watertight case proved impossible. I found products for other phones by a company called OtterBox. Sadly there wasn’t a watertight case for the iPhone, but thankfully they had the next best thing. A 3 layer of protection solution known as the OtterBox Defender.
The three layers are:
1. A thin membrane covering the screen. This plastic membrane is part of the second layer, and can’t be removed without voiding the idea of the case. The membrane works really well, and at times it felt like I had better response from the iPhone when using the case than without it. After several months of usage the membrane is somewhat bumpy. The bubbles disturb usage somewhat, and I hope it doesn’t get worse with more usage. Another important thing to notice is that you get watermarks between the screen and membrane. There are a number of ways to fix this as it is really annoying. The only thing I have tried worked brilliantly. Basically it involves adding a small cloud of baby powder to the screen. It removes the watermarks for me. Whether this voids any guarantee or not I don’t know. Still I found it really impressive that OtterBox managed to create a working fixed membrane.
2. Hi impact polycarbonate skeleton covering the entire iPhone. This hard skeleton is hard to crack, and the phone rests well within it without being neither too snug nor too loose.
3. A silicone skin is placed onto the skeleton, and fixed in place to the skeleton using special hook points. It sticks really tight to the skeleton, and after several months I see no stretching in the material. If the iPhone is dropped it bounces with a reliable thump.
I have yet to find a better case when it comes to protection. Actually it is the reason I got my wife to get on the iPhone wagon. She saw how well my yellow/black OtterBox Defender handled the abuse my then two year old, and one year old managed to exert on it. I got her a pink OtterBox Defender for her iPhone 3G. The pink/pink is really pink, and to a lot of people it might be a bit too pink. A lot of people have assumed that the pink OtterBox Defender was a toy.
When out in the rain there are really few cases I trust not to let the iPhone get damaged by rain. The OtterBox Defender is one of those cases that I gladly use when out Geocashing or running around playing Seek n’ Spell. Granted it isn’t waterproof, but it takes a lot of water to get into the case. A light drizzle isn’t enough in my experience.
The hip holster is sturdy, but I have had trouble with the iPhone coming loose when I am moving about rapidly. I lost my phone in the grass when out playing Frisbee, and my wife lost hers running down a hill. Thankfully both were recovered, but it is always a horrendous experience loosing your phone. I hope the holster will be updated to make it safer to use. I keep patting my side to see that I still have my phone, and feels a bit insecure.
When playing games the OtterBox Defender adds considerable bulk and weight. I found it tiring playing accelerometer controlled racing games. Touch based games work quite well, and at times it feels a bit quicker to respond using the OtterBox Defender. The bubbling that has happened to the screen membrane actually helps my fingers to stay in position when playing for example twin stick shooters. When I have removed the case to clean it out or to test other cases it has been like when you meet an old class mate. Wow was that how it looked? It is so small. The iPhone feels new and fresh after being encased in the OtterBox Defender for weeks. It also proves how bulky the case is. The bulkyness also adds a sense of security, and to me it feels good to thump the iPhone down on a table.
Summary
Pros
Extreme protection.
Working plastic screen protection.
Almost full functionality in all buttons.
The only case suited for toddlers, and children prone to drooling.
iPhone usable in mild rain.
Massive bulky design.
Available in four colours.
The hip holster can be used as stand when playing video.
Cons
The ringer switch is hard to reach.
The plastic screen bubbles after excessive use.
The plastic screen smudges, and needs special treatment to work well.
iPhone can be dislodged from hip holster during quick movements.
Not watertight.
Massive bulky design.
If you are looking for the best protection for the iPhone the OtterBox Defender might very well be it. You have to sacrifice the sleek lines of your iPhone, and the case makes the iPhone heavy when playing games for long sessions. If you are a parent who want to use the iPhone as a distraction for your child you should definitely get this. My iPhone has survived slobber, bite attacks, being thrown in a wall, thrown out of the car window, and dropped from the bicycle. I can definitely recommend the OtterBox Defender if you have an active or clumsy lifestyle.
Final Rating
OtterBox Defender 3G/3GS at OtterBox.com $49.95
OtterBox Defender 3G/3Gs at AppCraver Store $44.95
