Otterbox are a producer of protective solutions and are especially known for their systems for handheld technology, such as Apple, Blackberry, HTC products etc. As they say, their cases are dedicated to all the klutzy, spontaneous, chaotic, graceless individuals who have broken their tech due to their active lifestyles.

The product that I tested was the iPhone 4 Reflex Series case. Although Otterbox make waterproof cases this is not one of them, so if you need waterproof then this isn’t the case for you.

According to Otterbox the Reflex is ready to respond in any situation, it can be used for everyday protection but users can also drop their phone without worry. The case is compact and lightweight yet inside incorporates revolutionary, rule-defying technology. Surrounding the device with a cushion of air, the Reflex flexes upon impact and rebounds to its original form. Focused on protecting its contents, like the crumple zone of a car, the case not only takes a hit but recoils and springs back, ready to protect again and again.

It comes with a self-adhering screen protector and a two-piece hard shell, as shown below.

It weighs in at 26g, and has dimensions of 120.97mm x 63.88mm x 13.41mm. These are very good specifications for the high level of protection it offers.

There are lighter cases out there and the Reflex does add some bulk to your iPhone, albeit not considerable, however the lighter and thinner products don’t usually offer anything like the same level of protection.

The two piece shell snaps together and makes placing the phone within it very easy, although you do need to take care not to catch the edge of the protective screen film otherwise as you push the shell down it starts to lift the film up away from the screen of the phone.

Once in place the shell stays together thanks to the snap design and I didn’t experience any problems with it coming loose during the test. Although this may wear over time it is very secure when new. You can easily insert a USB cable connector into your iPhone whilst the Reflex case is in place, however, it is necessary to remove the bottom half of the shell in order to place the device into most docking stations. Here the design is an improvement over many protective cases, as you only need to remove half of it, not the complete case.

The Reflex allows for full access to the iPhone retina display screen without impeding it in any way. The cut out for the camera and flash do not cause any problems whilst framing or taking photos or videos. The headphone cut out allows for easy insertion and removal of a jack plug too. The ring/silent switch is uncovered so even with the case in place you can toggle between the two.

The volume and on/off buttons are fully covered and are quite stiff on a new case but this stiffness may improve over time.

Obviously I didn’t want to test the case to the point of destruction but it coped easily with a few test drops and Otterbox have reported testimonies that it survives being dropped from height onto solid floors without any damage to the phone.

The Otterbox Reflex is sleek enough to use as an everyday case but comes into its own when the chances of dropping or knocking your phone increase. Overall I’d recommend it to anyone who needs this level of protection for their iPhone 4, it may cost a little more than some cases but is much cheaper than replacing the phone.


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