Everyone wants to keep their iPhone safe and that’s where the Hybrid Commuter Case from Otterbox comes in handy.  This case is a mix of soft and hard protection that covers your iPhone while not making it so bulky that it becomes hard or uncomfortable to carry.

I received the Commuter Case as a gift and used it to replace the prior case that I had for my phone.  That prior case followed the same general design, but I have found the Otterbox to be a stronger case that has lived up to my phone’s many drops and bumps better than the older case was.

Commuter Case Basics

The Commuter Case from Otterbox consists of three different parts.  The outer shell is made from a polycarbonate material that provides hard protection against those accidental drops or bumps your phone is sure to experience (I know mine does).   The silicone inner sleeve wraps your iPhone and absorbs the energy from impacts.  The clear screen protector covers your touchscreen and protects it.

The case does provide access to all the ports and buttons on the phone.  The ports are covered by small flaps that protect them from dirt or other materials getting in there. 

Use of the Commuter Case

I have been using the Commuter Case on my iPhone for several months now and have been happy overall with how it has worked.  The case has protected my phone from a number of drops, bangs and from being tossed into bags and carried around.  There are a few scratches on the plastic but overall the case is still as sound as it was when I first put it on.

Getting the case on and off is easy.  The screen protector is like any other and requires you clean your screen and then gently place the protector on.  There’s a little squeegee thing to push out air bubbles.  Once that is on, you put the silicone sleeve on your iPhone.  Once the sleeve is on, then the hard polycarbonate case goes over that.

I have found that the case can slip off the phone a bit when you have it your pocket.  Usually one of the upper corners will start to pull out.  In that case you just have to push the phone back into the case.  I have only had this happen when I keep the phone in my pocket for a while.

The only downside I have found is that the headphone port can be hard to use with the case on.  With my iPhone earbuds, they plug in without a problem, but with other plugs, I have sometimes found that the plug does not go all the way into the port, leading to problems listening on headphones or in the case of my car, listening through the stereo system.  With these plugs, I usually end up taking the case off and using the phone caseless while I am in the car.

The nice thing about this case, beyond being able to protect your phone, is that the protection does not come at the expense of making the phone so bulky that you cannot carry it.  With the Commuter Case on my phone, I can still easily put it in my front or back pocket without much trouble.

Final Thoughts

Considering this case has protected my phone through multiple drops, trips in backpacks and other rough behavior, I am very happy with the Commuter Case from Otterbox.  The downsides such as the trouble with a headphone jack or the slight slippage on the case are minor and when you compare that to the fact that my phone has not been scratched or damaged, I really consider them insignificant.

I think if you have an iPhone 4 or 4s, this case is a good choice if you want to protect your iPhone without making it so bulky that you cannot carry it in your pocket.

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