Embrace the Case- OtterBox Defender Reviewed

After a week of carrying the phone in my pocket, small scratches accrued across the front of the shell, tarnishing the clarity of the face.  While the case prevented blemishes on the iPhone’s actual touch screen, dust would creep into through the shell’s openings and accumulate inside, forcing a biweekly cleansing. After a month of removing and reapplying the case, I noticed the housing had left a deep scratch on the back of my iPhone; the snugness of the container, coupled with a jutting plastic connector had permanently scarred my hardware.

Fortunately, the people at Otterbox have come to the rescue. Save for some very small qualms, their Defender case for the 3D iPhone is a near-perfect solution for the person who craves thorough protection for their adored device. Altogether, the kit offers three elements of protection for the phone: first, a plastic shell protects the unit from scuffs and dings. On top of that, a silicone sleeve increases the amount of shock-protection if the unit is ever dropped. Lastly, a clear membrane is build into the hard shell, protecting the touch screen from errant damage.

Installing the Defender was effortless and took less than two minutes. First, the phone is secured in the hard shell, and then the rubbery skin is pulled around the unit. Unlike other cases, the molding of the Defender is made to precise specifications; each piece seemed meticulously engineered. After the silicon protection was stretched around the unit, each aperture was closed by a series well designed flaps, making an impenetrable seal. Unlike the clear case which allowed dust to enter, the Defender created a hermetic enclosure, stopping any dust from collecting on our screen.

Once Otterbox’s creation is applied onto the iPhone, the unit is transformed. The delicate, fingerprint-collecting device morphed into a secure, poised piece of hardware with just a bit more heft. I loved the feel of the Defender; the silicone skin felt less slippery than an unprotected iPhone and felt quite natural in my hand. Instantly, I become less worried about my phone, and the biweekly cleanings were no longer necessary.

Our caveats with the OtterBox Defender are few. At first when the casing was applied, the membrane created a small bubbling effect that resembled moisture caught between the clear face protection and the touch screen. A quick search online produced a very simple and inexpensive remedy- ‘dusting’ the inside of the membrane. Although I was skeptical at first, I applied a nearly invisible layer of talcum power to the Defender, which remedied the problem completely. Once applied, the outside cover of the Defender became imperceptible, and unlike our experience with the hard shell casing did not accumulate abrasions.

With that impediment negated, our only authentic qualm with the Defender arises from the case’s inset. Along the touch screens borders, the case extends upward about a fifth of an inch. While this likely protects the membrane from scrapes, it also makes touching the edges of the screen slightly cumbersome. I noticed I was consistently hitting the ‘v’ on the virtual keyboard instead of the space bar. More diminutive Defender owners may not have this same issue- my fingers are quite large.