Review: Otterbox Phone Case

It’s official: The mobile phone is the adult version of the security blanket. We rely heavily on them for so many tasks these days. And few things are as upsetting to us as losing or destroying our mobile phones. There’s not much you can do about losing it, but there are some cheap insurance options against damaging your phone.

Over the last few months, I’ve trusted my phone (a Blackberry 8300) to the Impact Series, a silicone phone case from OtterBox. The slim-fitting, rubbery case has saved my “smartphone” from several hard knocks. Unlike the cheap version I bought with my phone earlier, the OtterBox case is designed to truly protect. It has thicker material in the corners and back. Textured areas help you grip the phone.

And when my phone was stashed in the lid of my backpack during a backcountry snowboard trip, a clear sheet of protective film (included with the case) kept my screen from getting scratched by the nail file that also rode up there. The film bears a few hazy scratches, but the screen beneath it is shipshape.

At $19.95, the Impact Series is the cheapest of three options offered for my phone. If you fancy something more protective, as in rigid plastic armor, the company offers the Commuter Series and the even more protective Defender Series — both a little bulkier. OtterBox offers a staggering amount of phone cases, so whether it’s an iPhone, or a Nokia, the company likely makes a case that will give your phone some added safety.

—T.C. Worley