Droid 2 Otterbox Commuter Case Review

[zero7404]

I have now dropped my Otterbox'd Droid 2 twice in the last week (what a klutz I am, I know), and both times, the back portion of the case came off as the phone hit the ground, landing several inches away from the phone (which itself landed on its exposed back side both times). Both the case and the phone itself seem fine, though, so as far as I'm concerned, the Otterbox has been doing its job.

cant blame u for dropping the phone ... semi-dry hands in the winter + a slippery finish on the case make for a drop ur phone experience ...

the main body isnt really attached with a positive lock on the phone, it clicks in very gently. the case should stay on the phone if it falls to the ground, not come off. i have the commuter, but actually prefer the verizon gel snap on case. that case sticks to the phone like krazy glue.

posted via android

 

[zero7404]

speaking of protection ... i just had a mishap similar to yours, the phone fell and the main body of the case also came off.

still it defies logic that the case comes apart whilst protecting the phone ....

guess this case is just for show ....

posted via android

 

[mingaldrichgan]

speaking of protection ... i just had a mishap similar to yours, the phone fell and the main body of the case also came off.

still it defies logic that the case comes apart whilst protecting the phone ....

guess this case is just for show ....

Yeah, but didn't your case break during the fall too? So far, I haven't managed to damage my case, and I've been rationalizing that the case absorbed most of the shock even if it did come off in the process...

Wonder if the Seidio active case has the same problem.

 

[zero7404]

speaking of protection ... i just had a mishap similar to yours, the phone fell and the main body of the case also came off.

still it defies logic that the case comes apart whilst protecting the phone ....

guess this case is just for show ....

Yeah, but didn't your case break during the fall too? So far, I haven't managed to damage my case, and I've been rationalizing that the case absorbed most of the shock even if it did come off in the process...

Wonder if the Seidio active case has the same problem.

with the first commuter case, the screen bezel popped off and cracked @ the bottom tab. complained to otterbox, they sent me a replacement (mind u i didn't buy from otterbox, and they didn't ask for the broken one back).

so dropped the phone with this second one and the body portion popped off this time.

i think with the first drop there was some light scuffing on the bezel that's around the screen (on the phone, not the case), due to the case coming off.
on the second drop it was less than 2 ft and onto hardwood, no blemishes found on the device ...

it's the design of the phone that makes it difficult to get a really good protective case for it. not sure what seidio has done, i know this case barely clips on, the fitment of the phone is done without much pressure at all.

i have a verizon gel snap on case that's rubberized all around but it has molded in hard plastic where the clips are. that case goes on tight and does not want to come off easy. but it doesn't cover all the buttons/ports, and it actually scuffs the body of the phone getting it on/off because the clips are hard and difficult to bend out of the way.

 

[arsci]

Some very good reviews here. I've been debating between getting one of these cases or just sticking with my cheap-o ebay case.

I started with the verizon case, but I HATED the lack of room between the keyboard and screen. I have a verizon screen protector as well and am not really impressed with it. The only reason I still have it on today is because I've taken the cases off. Also the verizon case seemed to have a silicone coating on it and it was very difficult to get in and out of my pocket and eventually it started peeling. it was very weird, and looked like total crap.

Went on ebay and bought another one for like $3, and while it had a little more room, the tabs holding it on were MASSIVE. The case was a total pain to get on, then back off later which was good but because the tabs were so big, they actually rubbed on the keyboard as I slid in open and closed. Left some scratches.

All the things everyone describing here, the weird fitment, etc I think i'd rather have over the scratching and weird silicone coatings (both cases had, verizon case was peeling, and didnt have the ebay one on long enough to find out). Anyway, with all the reports of cases breaking on impact, I'm wondering if that is part of the design. I've never owned an otterbox case for any other phone so I wouldnt really know, but it may be like a car in that it's designed to absorb the impact and reduce it as much as possible. The case coming off on impact could be a result of both impact absorbtion, and the awkward fitment.

Anywho, I think I am going to go ahead and get one of these. Its better than not having a case at all and it seems like the screen protector it comes with will be better. It also seems like their customer support is pretty good if they are willing to replace broken cases and screen protectors free of charge.

 

[Barchetta]

Love my Otterbox case. It's the first case I bought and have not regreted it. I even dropped the phone coming out of my car and it slid 3 feet under the car and it was fine. The bottom did jar loose, but no issues.

 

[warped1987]

I've had my Otterbox for a while now, and I will get right down to it, I hate it. Total waste of money.

I hate the front left edge of it, it doesn't lay flush with the phone and has a large gap in it.
The rubber is a great addition, but it collects "gunk" like you wouldn't believe.
At first I hated the carved edge of the front piece (so you can get your thumbs to the top row comfortably) but I don't notice it anymore
Every time I accidentally drop my phone the entire thing comes apart, and not only that but somehow my battery case comes off with it. After about the third time of dropping the phone I noticed one of the clips on the front right side snapped off. Well when I read reviews on this thing everyone said it was hard to get on and really hard to get off, which is good, you don't want it just falling off.....well it kinda does.

But it is better than the really cheap cases I always buy for my phones off ebay, the basic ones for like 2-3 $

Oh but I had no problem with the screen protector, you just need a micro fiber cloth that covers the entire screen until your ready to place the plastic on, and I take it a step further and use my Dust Remover (air can) and keep blowing any dust particles that may land. the annoying part with them is getting the last piece off, cuz you have to peel it back while the screen protector is trying to attach to the corner, and sometimes it wants to come off, lol, annoying.

It's all the problems with my cases for slider phones that make me wish I could just deal with a touch only phone, their cases are so much easier, they just snap together around the phone and barely ever come off, and they have the Otterbox Defender (for the iPhone) which is a beast.