Good news - it really protects your iPhone... bad news, it's so bulky that it kills whatever style your iPhone came with. After using the Defender, and accidentally seeing it bounce from my car seat to the asphalt parking lot with absolutely no damage to the phone, I still had to give up on it.

It's such a shame that this is the only Otterbox that has a belt clip so you can carry the phone around in its case because the combo is so huge that it really does look like some strange appendage underneath a suit coat or jacket. Really, I know I'm a little geeky (I have to have the phone with me 24/7 because I do emergency response) but be forewarned, it really sticks out, particularly in horizontal mode. Vertical is a bit better. The other security trade-off is that it's really solidly clipped into that holder - removing it is a real test of determination to get it out. I've had phones from Palms to Blackberries to finally an iPhone - and maybe it's the glass front/back of the 4s that moved me to a Defender's level of protection.

But I sometimes need to carry it a little more discreetly, so the solution for me is an Otterbox Commuter. It's less weight, smoother surfaces so it slips easily in and out of jacket, pants and shirt pockets. Plus it's still an Otterbox. The downside is you can't clip it to your belt...oh well. If I go out on a disaster call, I'll use the Defender... otherwise, for day to day livability, it's the Commuter.
Good news - it really protects your iPhone... bad news, it's so bulky that it kills whatever style your iPhone came with. After using the Defender, and accidentally seeing it bounce from my car seat to the asphalt parking lot with absolutely no damage to the phone, I still had to give up on it. It's such a shame that this is the only Otterbox that has a belt clip so you can carry the phone around in its case because the combo is so huge that it really does look like some strange appendage underneath a suit coat or jacket. Really, I know I'm a little geeky (I have to have the phone with me 24/7 because I do emergency response) but be forewarned, it really sticks out, particularly in horizontal mode. Vertical is a bit better. The other security trade-off is that it's really solidly clipped into that holder - removing it is a real test of determination to get it out. I've had phones from Palms to Blackberries to finally an iPhone - and maybe it's the glass front/back of the 4s that moved me to a Defender's level of protection. But I sometimes need to carry it a little more discreetly, so the solution for me is an Otterbox Commuter. It's less weight, smoother surfaces so it slips easily in and out of jacket, pants and shirt pockets. Plus it's still an Otterbox. The downside is you can't clip it to your belt... oh well. If I go out on a disaster call, I'll use the Defender... otherwise, for day to day livability, it's the Commuter.