Forsaking Defender

[Grant Lamontagne]

It finally happened- I have forsaken my Otterbox Defender case.  I had a Defender case for my Motorola Atrix, one for my Galaxy S3, one for my Nexus 7 and most recently one for my Galaxy S5.  I am a big fan of the Defender case and buy one when I buy a new device.  I usually won't settle for anything less, although with the S3 I did step up to the Armor Series Otterbox for particularity crappy weather.

The only drawback I have to the Defender case is that there is a small cutout at the top and bottom of the screen to allow for sound and use of the home key.  This isn't a problem as the S5 is waterproof on it's own and a little water getting at it through small holes isn't a big deal.  The issue is that water gets between the screen and screen protector and then the screen becomes unresponsive because it doesn't know what you are trying to do- it gets input from every place it's wet.

So, out goes my trusty Otterbox Defender and in with Lifeproof.



I've been using the Lifeproof case for a week or so and I think I like it better than the Otterbox.  It seems a little slimmer and it is completely waterproof, so I now have double water protection I guess.



The Lifeproof case is a two piece affair, just a front and back while the Otterbox is a three piece unit with front, back and a rubber cover over that.  Technically it's a four piece since there's also a sheath with a belt clip for carrying it, but I found that too bulky and I haven't used that for a while.



Putting the two faceplates together you can see the hole for the home button at the bottom and the large open slot at the top of the Defender case.  These spots have a membrane over them in the Lifeproof version.





In short I don't need a waterproof case to protect the phone, I needed a waterproof case to use the waterproof phone.  There is also a clear panel in the back of the Lifeproof case to show what color the phone is (I have a white one) and I was thinking of putting a small note in there that says "Reward is found, contact ________" or something similar.  I have that written on the lock screen, so I'm not sure how important that might be.

The only other thing I found noteworthy about the Lifeproof case is the charging port cover.  It's open on the Defender (again, not a big deal as the phone is waterproof already) while the one on the Lifeproof has a snap cover.  While this is nice for additional waterproofing, it also overhangs the phone a bit too much for some charging cables to plug into it, so if you have multiple charging cables like I do, be prepared to replace some of them.

Over all I'm happy with the Lifeproof case.  I find the volume and power button feel takes a bit to get used to after the Defender- they seemed easier and more responsive on the Defender, but the ones on the Lifeproof case aren't a real problem.  The Lifeproof was also a bit more expensive than the Defender, so unless you find yourself suffering with water under the screen protector I'd stick with the Defender.

Def

[ryan1835]

i think the defender series are better against drops, i thought my lifeproof cover for m iphone 5s was a bit flimsy and wouldnt really trust it that much.

[NKlamerus]

Ahhhhh! We got us a TRADER!!!

JK bud I've never owned a life proof, all of my phones have either slid with a keyboard (Droid 1, 3, and 4) or had a stylus (Note 3) and life proof doesn't really make cases that require such features.

I did use otterbox for awhile and I finally switched to Trident.

Otterbox quality for my Note 3 was so below par, the back rubber started peeling. It took 30 days for turnaround for a new peice. So I ditched them.

Trident is really nice! 4 out of 5 of my family switched to trident. Plus they come in cool colors!

[NutSAK]

Looks like a great case!  The topic of this thread caught my attention. 

I'm curious...  Why do folks use screen protectors?  I've had two Galaxies (Infuse and currently S3), and even after all the abuse I've put them through, I've never scratched or cracked the Gorilla Glass.  To me, the screen protectors only serve to detract from the look and feel of the screen.

I've found that a fairly minimal case will protect the S3 well, but perhaps I'm not as rough on my equipment as others.  This is the one I use: http://www.amazon.com/Acase-ACS-01PCSLSGS3BK-AS-Superleggera-Hybrid-Samsung/dp/B0089YS4CK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427395171&sr=8-1&keywords=samsung+s3+acase

[Higgins617]

Looks like a great case!

I'm curious...  Why do folks use screen protectors?  I've had two Galaxies (Infuse and currently S3), and even after all the abuse I've put them through, I've never scratched or cracked the Gorilla Glass.  To me, the screen protectors only serve to detract from the look and feel of the screen.

I've found that a fairly minimal case will protect the S3 well, but perhaps I'm not as rough on my equipment as others.  This is the one I use: http://www.amazon.com/Acase-ACS-01PCSLSGS3BK-AS-Superleggera-Hybrid-Samsung/dp/B0089YS4CK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427395171&sr=8-1&keywords=samsung+s3+acase

I don't have a Samsung, but I know that I would much rather pay 50 or so bucks for a fairly robust case than pay the 250 they want with insurance to replace the phone. The case certainly doesn't mean I won't break it, but it's a better piece of mind than having nothing on it.

[NutSAK]

I wouldn't walk around with no case on my phone either.

Looking back, I would have wasted large sums of money in my life had I always bought protection or insurance for products just for peace of mind.  To me, insurance is something used for possible expenses that cannot be paid out-of-pocket.  So, I never buy extended warranties, phone insurance, etc.

I've never had to replace a phone, and the $50 I would have spent on an expensive case for each phone I've owned would easily buy a couple of phones in the future (or some nice multitools  ).  Using the case I linked to above (with no screen protector), I've dropped my S3 on concrete, tile and gravel many times without a scratch, thus my question about the screen protector.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have scratched the Gorilla Glass on a phone- my Motorola Atrix had a half inch scratch on the glass before I could get a case for it.

For the record, I also pay for the insurance even though I have a case on it.  I think it's $13/month which is peace of mind in case I lose or break mine.

Def

[jekostas]

Given that you work on a dock prioritizing water protection of drop protection is probably a good idea.

And, well, if drop protection is a concern you can always just glue it in to your hand.  Make sure it's your off hand, though.

[sawman]

I have scratched the Gorilla Glass on a phone- my Motorola Atrix had a half inch scratch on the glass before I could get a case for it.

For the record, I also pay for the insurance even though I have a case on it.  I think it's $13/month which is peace of mind in case I lose or break mine.

Def

You need that insurance. It usually works out a lot cheaper than a new phone.

[Cupboard]

Gorilla glass is remarkably easy to scratch. I've had two phones with Gorilla Glass screens that have both been scratched by keys and MTs.

My current Moto G2 I've only had less than a month and that's already got a couple of scratches despite never sharing a pocket with anything more than a plastic pen.

[derekmac]

When I get a phone, it doesn't leave the store without a screen saver on it.  A good one doesn't take anything away from the screen at all.

I have Apple care on my iPhone also, and I prefer not using a case, but my wife gets rather upset with me if I don't.    Right now, it's in an Incipio Dual Pro case, and I also have a super minimalistic clear case for it.  It's doesn't offer much protection, but doesn't add any bulk either.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Grant Lamontagne]

Given that you work on a dock prioritizing water protection of drop protection is probably a good idea.

And, well, if drop protection is a concern you can always just glue it in to your hand.  Make sure it's your off hand, though.

The Lifeproof case has a small lard attachment point and I think I might attach a floating hand strap thing I bought for my GoPros, if not for regular use then for certain when I go kayaking.

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

Now that I have been using the Lifeproof case for six weeks or so I have to say I like it quite a bit.  About the only drawback is that there is less clearance around the charging port so some charging cables won't work with this case on.

Also, it makes accessing the phone itself (to change cards or batteries etc) a bit more difficult,  but that's not a huge deal as I rarely ever do that.

I also liked the Defender, but the Lifeproof case solves the one problem I had with it (water under the screen protector) and measures up about the same for everything else so I'm calling this one a success.

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

I am losing faith in the Lifeproof case.

After about two months with this case I have cracked the case and lost a chunk out of it.  I haven't done anything to it that I haven't done with the Defender and yet there's a crack in the upper left hand corner.  I'll post pics of it later, but this is causing me to lose faith in it.  I'll keep using it for now, but we'll see how well it continues to hold up.

With the failure of the Griffin Survivor case and the potential failure of the Lifeproof case, Otterbox may be able to count on me as a customer for the rest of my life.

Def

[jzmtl]

Why else do you think it's called lifeproof? It'll die as soon as you use it. 

I suppose you could run a tiny bead of silicone around the home button so water doesn't leak through on the otter box.

My gripe with galaxy phones are the camera sticks out too much so without a case it can get scratched just by placing on it's back, so I'm stuck with a thick case that keeps it recessed. I also have a glass screen protector on mine, feels better than plastic film but also quite a bit thicker.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I don't mind a bit of bulk to a case as long as it fits well and holds the device properly.  Frankly I think devices are getting too thin these days anyway.  I'd rather have something twice as thick as the S5 and have a much nicer battery.

But I digress- I'd seriously considered scotch tape or plastic wrap over the holes.  of the Lifeproof case continues to fail I guess I'll have to give those ideas more thought.  Thankfully I didn't get rid of the Defender.

Def

[jzmtl]

You are right, I don't care for the thin phones either. Id like to see it thick enough to recess the camera, and less slippery rims.

[Grant Lamontagne]

After six months in use, the Lifeproof case is no more.  Not a great lifespan for an $80 protective phone case.   

As I mentioned above, the front bezel cracked and a shard of plastic stabbed me in the ear every time I tried to use it as a phone, one of the corners broke away, and in the end it was just not worth it.  I needed to get access to the phone innards yesterday and the Lifeproof refused to come off, so I grabbed it by the broken bit and broke it off.  What a freaking waste of money.  I figured my phone could survive a couple of hours until I got home and could put it back in the Defender case, which I should have done long ago.

Unfortunately my next stop was a phone store, and I saw a case that looked so cool I just had to have it- the Lunatik Taktik Extreme.  It's a giant hard rubber bumper with black anodized aluminum back and bezel and Gorilla Glass screen protector.  A manlier case could not be found, and I believe I actually grew four more chest hairs when I picked it up.



For only $50 it seemed like it might be worth a shot.  It looks and feels really nice, and I like that the phone has to be sealed in with six screws- really neat effect for the guy that absolutely has to tweet from a combat zone.  They also give you an extra two screws, you know, in case you get a couple shot off when going for the ultimate dramatic selfie.



While it looks and feels cool and tactical and manly as all get out, it is also quite bulky and very heavy.  The Gorilla Glass screen protector seems solid, and since the phone already has a Gorilla Glass screen, it's like your phone is protected by two gorillas.  Unfortunately, the screen then becomes only slightly more sensitive than two gorillas, and for now at least any of the keys on the left of the screen are resistant to being used.

The last gripe I have with this case is the charging port.  It is a gigantic hunk of rubber that resists opening so much that you almost end up tearing it off when you try.  Rather than being molded to the rest of the rubber, it has a flap with four small nubbins that fit into four small holes in the case.  I pulled three of the four out the first time I tried to use the case- pretty fragile for a so called tough case. 

Once you manage to get the flap open, the case is so thick you think you need spelunking gear to get far enough in to open the port cover on the phone.  It's lucky that I have girly man hands, because folks with normal to large sized hands will never get into this thing to open the phone cover!

Ok, so it's inconvenient.  So what?  It looks so cool it doesn't have to be practical.  In fact, it's better than practical, it's tactical.  Or should I say TAKTIKAL to the EXTREME!

In fact, I'm not sure my Maxpedition Tactical Operator laptop bag is cool enough to carry a device this awesomely dressed!

Def

[Etherealicer]

Looks alot like the Love Mei case I have for my Note 3 (although those run at 20 - 25$).
I had similar contact problems, taking it apart, cleaning very well and putting it back together solved this for me.

[dks]

just get one of those Caterpillar phones