This is my first smartphone case for my first smartphone. I have a vibrant, however, is dimensionally identical S Galaxy, and confirms that the Otterbox case works equally well for both models.
The traveler Otterbox adds a bit of width and thickness of the Galaxy S / vibrant, and adds a lot of texture to a form of otherwise smooth and slippery. The phone just feels important in his hand. In the event that your fingers are sweaty or slippery for any reason, with the Otterbox your phone will make you much less likely to drop in the first place, and provides significant protection if you do.
There are actually three separate parts of the Commuter Otterbox. First is a clear screen protector optional. Second is a soft silicone skin slips over the back of the phone and on the bezel, and provides a small ledge slightly above the projection screen. Finally, a rigid polycarbonate "shell" or "shell" snaps onto the back of the silicone, offering a kind of exoskeleton and anchoring the silicone skin, preventing peeling off.
The polycarbonate covers the entire back (except for two ports for the camera lens and speaker), and most of the ends and sides, with the corners protected by the inner layer of silicone. Impacts on polycarbonate are distributed over a wide area and the inner layer of silicone absorbs and dampens the force.
The headphone jack is covered by a rubber plug that can be peeled if you want to use it, and on / off and volume control buttons can be molded in raised rubber buttons on the silicone.
There are some nice touches, including a cloth to clean the screen before installing the screen saver, and a small card to smooth out air bubbles after installation. Otterbox logo is discreetly molded into the rear of the polycarbonate.
The OtterBox is one of the most expensive out there. It is well designed and well made, and based on investment in the phone itself, I felt the Otterbox was a purchase worth it to protect that investment.
