[cyberpaw]

My Surface Case lasted about a week. The little plastic clips that hold the case together start breaking off after taking it in and out of the Spring Innocase Clip.
I am now going to try out the Otterbox Commuter case with the Seidio Innocase clip. Someone else said they fit together very well.
This time I ordered it from Amazon, so I can return it. I haven't found customer service to be very good at Seidio.

[bbueding]

I have had the Innocase Surface for about a month now, it fits well and I have taken it apart several times with NO PROBLEMS!

[cyberpaw]

I have had the Innocase Surface for about a month now, it fits well and I have taken it apart several times with NO PROBLEMS!

Do you use it with the Spring Clip? I think that is where the problem is. The force of taking it in and out breaks the case.

[underway99]

I've also heard that the Otterbox Commuter will fit the Seidio belt holster. Unfortunately, it won't work with the charging base.

I bought my 360s from Amazon, too. One of them broke just after Amazon's 30 day return window closed, so I contacted Seidio directly for replacement. They were great about it, and replaced my case at no cost. I didn't have to return the broken one to get the replacement. The entire process took four days. I have no complaints at all about Seidio's customer service. I hope that I don't have to test them again.

BTW, I have seen the Otterbox Commuter case at Verizon stores and at Best Buy. You could check the cases against your spring clip holster before you order from Amazon. I may do that if the Surface case doesn't do the trick.

[underway99]

After 10 days with the Innocase Surface case, I am sending both of them back. If a phone falls from the couch, the case splits. When I take the phone from the Seidio holster, the case splits. When my wife drops her keys into her purse (and onto the side of the phone), the case splits.

If the case is designed to break apart to dissipate the force of impact, great. But the phone is then unprotected for the inevitable rebound and slide across the floor/pavement. The case does not quite fit into the Seidio holster or their charging base, either. It's very close, close enough that the manufacturer can say it fits, but the older Innocase 360 fit a little bit better.

If Amazon won't take them back since they have been used, I'll contact Seidio directly to arrange replacement. While the Innocase 360 for the Tour was a tiny bit larger and will have to be modified for my Bold, at least the case remained intact.

[cyberpaw]

I think Amazon will take it back if it is within one month of purchase.
All you have to do is go to My Amazon, look up your history and there is a place to check for returning. Just put down that it is defective. They will give you a prepared label to print out and they are really good about keeping you informed about when your account has been reimbursed.

It is too bad these cases are not made like the ones for the 8330. I used those of 2 BBs for over a year with absolutely no issues.

I am now using the Outerbox Commuter case with the Innocase clip. Works great.

[underway99]

Thanks. They are already on their way back to Amazon.

Looks like you were right about the Innocase Surface not remaining intact. The final nail was when the phone fell from my Seidio holster last night on the driveway. The Innocase Surface was smaller than the Innocase 360 by just enough that it didn't fit as well in the Seidio clip holster. It didn't take much to knock the phone from the clip. The case broke open and went in two directions, neither of them in the same direction as my now sliding face-down Bold. Scratched the paint on my 5, 9, and 0 keys, along with the chrome on the right side of the keyboard. That's what I bought the case to prevent.

I'm not sure which way to go now. The Otterbox Commuter looks like a good case, but I really like a case that will work with a charging base. To my knowledge, Seidio is the only company offering that combination. I may wind up with another Innocase 360 for Tour, and modify it to work with my Bold's USB port.

Having had both the Innocase and the Otterbox, which do you prefer (assuming that the Innocase worked as it should). Is the Otterbox substantially more bulky?

Thanks

[jlb21]

I don't find the Commuter bulky. I prefer it to my Seidio. In addition, I found that dust always seemed to get underneath my Seidio case resulting in scratched surfaces. The Otter seems to work far better at resisting that.....

[underway99]

I noticed that last night when I was pulling the cases off the phones. I have some scratching on the plastic between the speaker and the BlackBerry label.

Now, if the Otterbox is an open case, how does it prevent the dust scratching?

[cyberpaw]

Sorry to hear about your BB getting damaged. That is kind of pathetic considering that is why we are buying the Innocase in the first place - to give our phones at least a little protection from minor spills.

The Otterbox Commuter is a tad bit bulkier - but still works very well with the Innocase holster.

2 answer you scratch concern, The Otterbox has a silicone shell that fits around the phone first, protecting the corners, with a thin plastic armor that fits nicely over it. It also comes with a screen protector, although I haven't put it on.

So now that I have both cases on 2 BBs, which do I prefer? I prefer the texture on the Seidio - a bit less slippery. But if they cannot make them stronger, I will be switching over to Otterbox Commuter for both of my 9650s. I am confident that the Otterbox offers more protection than the currently made Seidio Innocase.

BTW: I bought my Otterbox off Amazon to save a few $$s. So if you order it and don't like it, it is an easy return.

Good luck with your choice.

[underway99]

Have you dropped your phone while in the Otterbox? Did it hold up any better than the Seidio?

[cyberpaw]

Have you dropped your phone while in the Otterbox? Did it hold up any better than the Seidio?

Okay, we just did a test - on carpet - dropping them from about 3 feet. The Seidio opened up a bit; the Otterbox was solid. The way the Otterbox is made, it cannot come apart like the Seidio. The Seidio corners are plastic - no give. The Otterbox corners are silicone rubber - cushions corners.

I would do a test on something more solid, but I don't want to take a chance....

[Barefoot_Kevin]

You're right, halfway in is no good. (Haha) But seriously, even though the edge of the housing touches against the side of the hole in the case, the micro usb does fit all the way in.

Some of us can only get halfway in

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[underway99]

Okay, we just did a test - on carpet - dropping them from about 3 feet. The Seidio opened up a bit; the Otterbox was solid. The way the Otterbox is made, it cannot come apart like the Seidio. The Seidio corners are plastic - no give. The Otterbox corners are silicone rubber - cushions corners.

I would do a test on something more solid, but I don't want to take a chance....

Understand that one. Thanks for doing the test. It looks like I need to logon to Amazon. They have the Otterbox for just $21.99.

Thanks for the help here.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com