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The Otterbox brand has become the go-to for heavy duty and high quality. They have a number of cases for many devices across most platforms, and all of them do a good job protecting your device. The Commuter case for the iPhone falls into the middle of their robustness category; it aims to protect your device without adding too much bulk, and for the most part succeeds.

The Commuter comes with three distinct parts: a silicone inner case, a hard plastic outer shell, and a clear screen protector. Installation is pretty simple. Take the screen protector, remove it from its plastic and carefully insert it onto the front of the screen. Use the included tool to smooth out any air bubbles. Then insert the iPhone into the silicone interior, ensuring all holes line up. Take the outer shell and fit it over the inner, avoiding ripping any of the hole covers.

Once done, your iPhone is no longer a super sleek attractive work of art, but neither is it a thick, unusable beast. The Commuter case adds around 5mm to the entire width of the device, and a couple extra grams, but you get the feeling that it is all worth it. The back of the device, except for the Apple logo, is thoroughly protected, and the lower half of the sides are as well. The plastic is well-made and robust, and after dropping the device, has shielded it many times from drops.

A benefit and drawback of the Commuter case comes from the extra bits attached to the silicone base to cover any holes on the device. The audio jack and power connector both have flaps that fit securely into those exposed areas, ensuring nothing gets in them. When they are on, they work wonderfully, and are a great addition. When removing the outer shell, however, the flaps usually get caught and look precariously like they’re going to rip. I’ve removed the case around twenty times so far with no issues, but one time, if I’m not careful, I’m going to have a problem.

The included screen protector, as well, is no replacement for a real water-based skin, like Zagg’s InvisibleShield or Best Skins Ever. It uses a kind of non-stick glue to adhese to the screen, and while it doesn’t leave any residue, its installation, for me at least, was marred with air bubbles. It also significantly lowers the brightness of the screen, so you’ll have to turn it up to compensate, likely lowering the battery life. In a pinch, it certainly works, but don’t get your hopes up that this will replace your need to purchase a separate, quality protector.

The Otterbox Commuter is not a cheap option. Its bigger brother, the Defender, is even thicker and more serious than this one, but unless you’re a construction worker I don’t think anyone really needs it. This affords great protection and doesn’t bulk up the device. It’s a good compromise.

The Commuter case is available in six colours from Otterbox for $34.95.

Highs

• Heavy-duty protection
• Intuitive design
• Screen protector included
• Well-made

Lows

• Alters the sleek iPhone form factor
• Adds quite a bit of bulk to the iPhone
• Quite pricey

Rating: 8/10