Ballistic Cases

crimsontde88

Active member
Jun 7, 2012
26
2
0
Visit site
Does anyone here have experience with these? If so are they as protective as an otterbox with less bulk? I've always had an otterbox on my smartphones and have had no problems, but they are very bulky. Tia
 
Last edited:

HolyBuckeye

Well-known member
Mar 3, 2011
267
3
0
Visit site
umm, curious as well, I liked the protection the otterbox gave my X, but it was very bulky..

and with the S3 possibly being a little bit more on the fragile side than other phones, I def want the protection..these also have a bit more style to them than the otterbox's it seems
 

NIKSTORM

Well-known member
Mar 25, 2010
446
34
0
Visit site
That case looks nice ... I am tired of otterbox. I have never had one, however they are expensive... Bulky ... I have seen a iPhone break in one ( unexplainably ) and the rubber on the outside rips.
Check out cases made by trident .... If I wanted big protection I would go with them .... I have been hands on with it and I like them .
 

rortt

Active member
Apr 24, 2010
39
0
0
Visit site
I am in the military and I work outside a lot.

If you want a rugged holster phone, I would recommend the seidio line of cases. They have multiple grades like otterbox so you can get the surface case (just a silicon skin, but good protection), the active case (hard shell covering soft shell) with a lockable holster, or the convert which is very rugged. Of course, the more you ruggedize the phone, the bulkier it gets.

I have had the convert (used to be called rugged) on my original Dinc for over two years and the phone is like new. It has been dropped many times in/out of cars, slammed with steel beams, rolled on with body armor, etc.

One of my work phones (Droid Razr Maxx) has the Otterbox, and it is beyond bulky, but does give a good bit of protection.
 

FrankTheFrowner

Active member
Sep 13, 2010
40
0
0
Visit site
I bought the Ballistic ShellGell and I'm not a fan of it. The "gel" layer is bulky (which is supposed to afford extra protection) but picks up lint like crazy, especially since the hard gel goes around it but doesn't completely cover it.

It makes the phone much bigger & heavier -- which is the point with this much protection -- but with a phone that's already this large, it was a bit too much IMO.
 

dcs3473

Member
Nov 6, 2009
6
2
0
Visit site
I purchased my Ballistic SG Maxx case the day after I got my phone and I love it. Before I put it in the case though I put a Zagg InvisiShield full body on. Just to be sure.
 

cgardnervt

Well-known member
Jun 24, 2011
3,556
118
0
Visit site
I had the case for about a day before I returned it with my ATT S3. The screen protector isnt very good. It had this bubble affect. Meaning you had to press down pretty hard to get the screen to respond to you. I now have an Otterbox Defender case that will be here Tuesday or Wednesday I hope. They make a better case IMO. HOX OB defender case fits perfectly. So I am guessing the S3 version will as well. I will met you know when I get it!
 

The SuperUser

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2012
87
0
0
Visit site
Okay, so I use a Ottorbox Defender case. And my personal experience is great. But before I get into that...let me tell you about my experience with Ballistic cases.

I owned a ballistic case for my S3(forgot the make) but it was the rugged one. Now. I was in the shop and I turning the corner quite fast and I felt a nudge, heard a crack and looked down and low and behold my holster had cracked right off my side and my phone was out of the case(odd). So I gave Ballistics a call hoping they would replace it because I had just bought that case about 20 days before. I got a rep on the line and she told me she could do anything for me and wanted me to pay another $50 for another one!

I took my happy ass over to RadioShack(I also bought a 1 year warranty for $5). And I picked me up a new ottorbox defender(the one I have now) and it offered great protection.. I absolutely love it. I have dropped metal on the back of it and nothing has happened...it has fell from the welding booth and nothing. I love it.
BUT..I went down to pick up a piece of metal from the floor, and again CRACK...(I said some bad words)
I broke my holster.( I now keep my holster on my back belt loop)
I called up ottorbox and within 15 minutes the lady said she would send a WHOLE BRAND new case to my house free of charge(I didn't even have to send it in).
I also still have my 1 year warranty...it's quite the best of both worlds.


I Am The SuperUser
 

Trees

Well-known member
Sep 20, 2012
1,544
12
38
Visit site
I've been using the Ballistic Shell Gel for since I got the phone last summer. I've accidentally dropped the phone a few times from chair height, and none the worse for wear. I can take the case off to clean the phone, remove battery, SD card, etc and the case retains its shape afterward. Since the phone is in/out of my pocket multiple times daily, there is some minor "sandpaper" marks on the front of each bumper corner. The case is black, and I don't care about that kind of stuff, so not an issue for me. The only minor concern I have is that the case edges just barely touch the Spigen screen protector enough so that lint gets between the screen and the cover around the protector edges. There is some bulk and weight, but thats the tradeoff for good protection.