I waited a long time for Otterbox to release this thing, babying my phone the whole time to keep it safe. When Otterbox finally released the Defender case, I jumped on it immediately. At first I was disappointed. While the hard shell fit perfectly, the silicon outer shell didn't fit well at all. It left a huge gap at the bottom of the phone where the buttons are which I just knew would eventually fill up with grit and dirt, damaging the phone more than protecting it. Eventually though, with a little bit of manipulation and time to let it settle, the silicon layer has shrunk and layed down flat, and I'm perfectly satisfied with it. I have to admit, while it adds a good bit of heft to the phone, this case is bomb proof. My phone takes a lot of abuse during my daily routine, and this case takes it all without flinching. I especially like the locking feature on the holster clip that allows you to lock the clip open until you get it around whatever it is you're trying to clip it to. The access plugs were clumsy and loose at first, but now fit well and are easy to open and close. I guess the silicon just has to have time to adapt. I don't know how it would adapt to constant removal and re-installing, but I don't plan on removing it. In my case there's no reason to. OtterBox Defender Case for Motorola DROID X MB810 (Black)
When I first bought the Droid X I got the body glove case that they sell in the Verizon store. That lasted about 3 months. I'm in the Navy and sometimes I would carry my phone in my coveralls. After about 3 months of use the edges of the glove part started coming off.
This case has a soft silicon layer then underneath is a hard plastic case. The case has a very high quality feel to it and the touch screen protector which is part of the plastic case is an excellent solution compared to having to line up and stick on a shield.
I feel very secure that the phone will not be damaged by using the Otterbox case.
Let's face it. The decision to buy the Defender comes down to choosing it over the Seidio Rugged which I do not have but a neighboring Office worker does, so this review is Objective.
One of the first things we discuss when commparing our cases is the look. My Defender looks like a more tradtional Rubber case that retains the native shape of the device, whereas her Seidio Rugged makes her Droid take on the shape of a construction site Two-Way Radio. Depends on your taste but her Droid-Rugged does look pretty cool
I like that my case has the camera lens opened yet protected with intergrated clear shield. Yes, if the shield get's scratched somehow, your left having to take the camera out everytime you what to photograph. Hers has a rubber flap that gets pinned back when the camera is going to be used, but if it were to get torn off, that's it, lens is exposed for good. Honestly, I prefer hers, I like the lens completey covered between use as it seems to be much more protected than the exposed yet lightly shielded lens of my otterbox
Protected Display/navigation buttons were the deal maker for me in choosing the Otterbox. The Case fits like a tight glove and the Built in Screen protector looks and works flawlessly even over a screen which already had another protector installed. The illumated navigation buttons are also completey covered. This basically means my droid is completed covered on all sides with only a few little speaker holes permanently exposed in a rubber covered indoskeleton that is actually tongue&groove sealed, it seems like it could almost survive moderate topside exposure to h2o. Her Seidio,, while equally covered on only five sides, pretty much uses a regular screen protector for the top duties with no top button coverage at all, it would certainly suffer h2o damage from even the slightest exposure topside as the integrity between the separate screen protector and the exposed buttons are no match for my tonue&groove sealed Defender Case. much prefer the Otterbox strategy of completely covering all 6 sides and losing direct top button contact/illumanation is worth the sacrifice.
I did not try moving Icons aroundd on her Seidio Droid, but it is quite challenging on the Defender. While the touch screen works perfect, it's moving icons to different pages left or right, which is problematic. The Sealed Rubber case lip is so thick and steep that getting your finder to the far border to trigger the move is challenging and takes full concentration, and since it is a tongue/groove seal, the rubber cannot be simply momentarily pulled back. This is not a deal breaker, but limits the convienence consideraby. Not sure what it is like on a Seidio.
I actually prefer the handsy feel of her Seidio Rugged case when holding portrait as it's fingered contours are more comfortable than my blocky otterbox.
The Holsters are fairly close. Her Seidio Holster seems to grip the case better than my Defender case and her buckle clip is huge. Ultimately, I prefer the compact design of my Defender holster
Protection is the bottom line and both her Seidio and my Defender should long outlast the phones. Unlike gel slip-ons or faux leather flip opens, these are more than just cases. The investment and installation force you to aknowledge a bigger bulk of an otherwise compact phone in exchange for security of mind. I would say her Seidio is slightly better protection on 5 sides but more vulnerable topside whereas my Otterbox is total consistent protection all around. A 10 ft drop? I would trust her Seidio Exoskeleton on every side but the top , but against h20 or a heavy topside impact, especially the buttons. I prefer my Defender
In the end, I would have prefered the Seidio excpet for the 1 dealbreaker and 2 subtle features that the Otterbox offeres, 1. Intergrated screen/navigation protection 2.Tongue&Groove Silicone/indoskeleton seal 3. Holster natively supports screen in/Screen Out mounting.
Great case, If I had another Droid x, I would buy another Defender to go with it - Otterbox - Droid Case - Droid X - Case'
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