Otterbox | At Home with Tech

June 15, 2025

Here’s Why Attaching a Bumper to Protect your Apple Watch is a Smart Idea

A long, diagonal crack mysteriously appeared on my Apple Watch screen. No, there wasn’t an ‘incident’ or moment of impact that I could recall. Yes, it was shielded by its OtterBox integrated bumper and screen protector.

I could feel that the crack went deep. But I didn’t know how far down it went and whether it reached the surface of my Apple Watch Series 9.

Yes, I was concerned.

Apple Store ER Visit
So, I visited my neighborhood Apple Store and booked an ‘instant’ appointment with an Apple Genius. (Do they call them that anymore?)

My Genius walked over to me like a doctor entering an examination room. He asked me to take off my OtterBox’s bumper. I quickly realized I couldn’t. It was stuck on. Really stuck (like an alien face-hugging Xenomorph). I asked if he could help. He had trouble too.

It took the Apple Genius a couple minutes, and he needed to use a special Genius ‘tool.’ But eventually, he pried the bumper off. The integrated screen cracked further along the way, but it eventually revealed my Apple Watch’s screen… in perfect condition.

Phew!

But a fair amount of ‘particulate matter’ had accumulated in all the nooks and crannies. My Apple Genius happily polished it up for me and then handed over my Apple Watch.

Time for Another Bumper?
My naked Apple Watch rested in my palm, gleaming. So now what?

No, Apple doesn’t sell bumpers or screen protectors for Apple Watch.

However, my Apple Genius mentioned how much he liked the OtterBox brand and that I could probably buy a replacement bumper online.

I strapped on my Apple Watch as it was meant to be worn… without any third-party protection. But I must admit… I do occasionally hit my wrist against doors and walls. So, my experience may fall outside of Apple’s definition of ‘normal.’

I walked out of the Apple Store with my next mission: Buy a replacement bumper.

In Search of a Better Bumper/Screen Protector
I jumped back online and searched OtterBox’s website. I didn’t want to buy the exact same OtterBox ‘Eclipse’ bumper/screen combo. Not because it only lasted for barely more than a year. I didn’t appreciate how difficult it was to remove.

OtterBox didn’t offer another choice. So, I expanded my search.

There aren’t many manufactures in this market, and even fewer from brands I recognized. The options on Amazon mostly fell in the sub $10 price point. Sometimes, you’d get two bumpers for ten bucks… even with the built-in screen protector.

How good could any of these really be?

And I couldn’t find consensus with reviews… the few that I could find. It’s like this was a forgotten/abandoned product category.

Perhaps Apple is right… Apple Watch doesn’t need protection.

Still, I knew that mine did.

OtterBox EXO EDGE
After my exhaustive search through uncertainly, I eventually ended up back where I started with the one brand I knew.

OtterBox also makes the EXO EDGE bumper without a screen protector. I figured the simple bumper by itself would be more structurally flexible without a rigid screen protector on its top.

So, I gave it a shot… Click.

And in fact, the EXO EDGE bumper does have a bit more give and take. It popped easily onto my Apple Watch. More importantly, I expect it will be simpler to remove when the time comes.

And here’s my Apple Watch with its new EXO EDGE bumper
(and Nomad leather band).

No More Screen Protection?
Case closed, right?

Well, what about the screen? It’s now exposed to any number of dangers with no net.

Yes, I’d prefer to also have a screen protector on my Apple Watch, but I don’t want to use an integrated solution that can cause damage when removed.

My EXO EDGE bumper should offer sufficient protection from most scenarios. But no, it won’t protect against a sharp object at 90 degrees moving directly towards the screen.

You Can’t Protect Against Every Situation
I could seal my Apple Watch in bubble wrap and duct tape. Or perhaps I should just keep my Apple Watch in my pocket all the time. But, of course, that’s all absurd.

I’ve taken reasonable precaution to protect my Apple Watch’s body and screen with a simple OtterBox bumper. We’ll see how far this sensible approach takes me this time.

This topic falls under a larger question I sometimes have regarding the practicality of manufacturing expensive, shiny surfaces that require constant protection. (Wouldn’t it be great to drive a car with a tough, rubberized exterior?)

Alas, I know you’ve just got to travel your life’s path without worrying about every possible stumble.

But it’s okay to be smart and apply certain protections.

And just try not to trip.

March 24, 2024

How to Slow Down the Inevitable End for your Beautiful Tech

Yes, I immediately ruined the sleek beauty of my new Apple Watch by strapping a protective bumper over it. Was that necessary? Here’s what happened the very next day…

Design is a key element for the look of your personal tech. Sure, how your gear works is important, but it sometimes feels like style supersedes function.

So, if a piece of technology is designed to look beautiful, covering it up can be viewed as something of an insult. Or at the very least, you’re certainly not cool.

But the reality we move through every day doesn’t usually contain smooth edges and gleaming surfaces, unmarred by the brutality of existence. Wearing expensive and beautiful personal tech in an unpredictable and messy world creates inevitable danger for your devices.

Let me count the ways I’ve put my tech in harm’s way.

Projectile AirPod
During the latter part of the pandemic, I was walking to work from Grand Central Terminal wearing my Apple AirPods. When I stepped into the crowded office elevator ten minutes later, I temporarily popped on a face mask.

As I exited the elevator onto my floor, I quickly pulled off my mask. That was a mistake.

One of the mask’s ear loops caught the left AirPod, and a rubber-band effect propelled it forward into the elevator-bank hallway.

My AirPod flew towards the wall and hit it hard (with a horrible ‘ping’ impact). It ricocheted onto the floor and then skidded about like a glass marble. I chased after it in horror.

Somehow, my tiny AirPod seemed undamaged.

Apple Watch Scarface
Five years ago, I bought my first Apple Watch. Of course, I immediately bought a plastic bumper for it, which provided a protective raised edge.

I had to ruin my Apple Watch’s sleek beauty in the name of common sense. I often whack my wrist on objects. I felt the watch would simply never survive.

And for years, the bumper worked just fine. Then one day, I looked at my watch to check the time, and I saw a diagonal scratch on its face. There had been no impact that I could recall. The silent attack obviously came head on and avoided the bumper.

It would have been a more crushing moment had it occurred earlier in my Apple Watch’s life, but it was still annoying.

That said, I often spot people living with mutilated smartphones, the spider-cracks spanning entire screens. And these people act oblivious to the damage, since the screens somehow continue to function. (But I know they must be crying inside.)

My Apple Watch’s singular scratch was a laughable inconvenience by comparison.

OtterBox Bumper
I finally said goodbye to that scratch when I recently upgraded to my new Apple Watch Series 9.

And this time, I not only bought a bumper to protect my new Apple Watch’s edges, I found a model with a built-in screen protector. Yes, please!

It’s the OtterBox Eclipse Case.
$39.95 on Amazon

While not exactly inexpensive, I think the OtterBox Eclipse is well worth its cost for the added screen protection.
So, I popped on the Eclipse. A warm feeling of invincibility washed over me (silly human).

A Danger at Every Corner
The very next day, I walked up to my closet to pull out my sneakers. I used my left hand, which was sporting my new Apple Watch. My hand almost imperceptibly brushed against the door frame’s edge as it moved in for my sneaks, which were jammed in the left corner.

An hour later, my heart skipped a beat when I realized there was a long horizontal scratch by the OtterBox’s lower edge.

What?! This is day 2 for my new Apple Watch! And I’ve ruined it already?!

I looked closer…

Phew. The scratch was actually on the OtterBox case… not the Apple Watch. (Yay OtterBox!)

And it wasn’t a scratch. It was a whisper-thin line of paint that had rubbed onto the case from my painted door frame as my wrist brushed by.

Was my brand-new OtterBox case now permanently scarred? Not necessarily.

Scrub Up
I quickly set up a mobile tech repair station on my dining room table with a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a folded strip of paper towel. I dabbed an edge of the paper towel into the rubbing alcohol and then very gently ran it over the line of paint on my OtterBox case.

It was critical not to overexpose the OtterBox case to the rubbing alcohol as it could ruin the case’s finish. And of course, I knew not to touch the screen protector with the rubbing alcohol. (I’m not a chemist, but I didn’t want to discover how quickly I could do even more damage.)

My light-touch strategy worked. The paint disappeared, and my OtterBox case looked like new. Life was good again.

Have a Repair Plan
One more word: AppleCare.

You can cover up your tech all you like. Sometimes that’s not going to be enough to protect it. You might say that damage is inevitable. It’s just a matter of when and how.

You can’t control everything, and that’s okay.

No, it’s not a good idea to catapult your AirPod onto a marble wall. Try not to drop your smartphone on a cement sidewalk or whack your Apple Watch onto what feels like a diamond-edged wall corner.

But when you do, having paid a little more for a repair plan certainly helps.

Bumpers for Bumps
After AI takes over the world, I expect personal tech design will no longer focus on physical beauty. I imagine the iPhone 45 may be a gruesome-looking device with sharp wires fused to our skin like a Star Trek Borg interface.

Until then, we must endure the limits of sleek and delicate design for our personal tech and do our best to protect against the bumps of daily existence.

Otherwise, your gear’s ‘End of Life’ may come sooner than you’d prefer.

January 20, 2019

Why I Replaced My OtterBox iPhone Case with a Pelican

I’ve said goodbye to my Otterbox Symmetry case and turned to the Pelican Shield to protect my iPhone XS Max. Here’s why…

When I bought my iPhone XS Max, I was consumed with the idea of showing off its beauty with a clear case. So, I tried to maintain both its glamor and safety by buying an OtterBox Symmetry Series Clear Case.

Yes, the Symmetry had a slim profile (for an OtterBox). And it offered the legendary drop protection OtterBox cases are known for. I thought I was covered… until I actually started using it.

That’s because the clear plastic-like construction of the case didn’t provide enough… grip.
(Though it did attract plenty of finger prints)

Whenever I pulled my iPhone out of my pocket, I never quite felt that I had a firm hold on it. Several times, I experienced that micro-bobble moment where you feel like you don’t have total control of what’s in your hand.

That’s not good.

Sure, I knew my OtterBox could likely handle a drop or two. But I really didn’t want to test that capability on my precious new iPhone.

Plus, whenever I placed my iPhone on a table, it felt a bit like it was resting on ice. That said, the designers of this Symmetry did give the case some rubbery grip on the circumference of the front edge. So, when I placed my iPhone on a flat surface facing down, the Symmetry was much more likely to stay put.

…But then I couldn’t see my iPhone’s screen and notifications.

The evidence was mounting that it was probably smart to get another case. Sure, that created some frustration around my original purchasing decision. But when you consider the larger cost of dropping an expensive smartphone (regardless of how much protection any case provides), it’s the right choice to find another case you feel totally comfortable holding.

Goodbye OtterBox
I had to secure my iPhone in a more ‘grippy,’ non-clear case. Sure, I could easily go with another OtterBox model, but my irrational ‘id’… still in search of a ‘fresh design’ pointed me away from the proven safety but sometimes bulky world of Otterbox.

Yes, I wanted rugged protection… and an appropriately distinctive look too.

It was time to give it another shot…

Hello Pelican Shield
There are the usual suspects of well-regarded tough iPhone cases out there that reviewers talk about beyond OtterBox.
(Such as Supcase, Urban Armor Gear, Spigen and Lifeproof)

But I couldn’t quite ‘connect’ myself to the designs of any of them.

Then, I came upon the Pelican Shield.

I’m not sure if fatigue was beginning to wear me down or whether I actually liked the Shield’s look more than the competition.

It didn’t hurt that its drop protection capability won a three way tie in a CNET drop-test competition at CES 2018. Maybe I gravitated to it, because it’s made with Kevlar fibers in its back.

It wasn’t so much ‘sleek’ as it was noticeably ‘different’… with the tops of tiny screws embedded and glinting in three of the back corners. Its armor looked like something you might see if you traveled to the alternate universe of the TV series, “Fringe.”

The Shield is also built with a cover protecting the iPhone’s lightning port. That’s there to keep dirt out. But I recognized a long time ago the danger that simple pocket lint accumulating inside the port can pose to iPhones. A port cover greatly reduces the need to clean out nasty pocket lint with a pin. Otherwise, it’s a real nuisance that needs addressing every couple of months.

The Power of a Good Brand
But ultimately, I think what got me across the finish line was the brand… Pelican.

They’re the folks who make those indestructible cases and luggage for outdoor enthusiasts and professionals who travel with delicate gear. And of course, that includes the world of video production equipment.

That’s how I know Pelican.

When you marry a third-party case to your iPhone, there’s usually a logo in plain sight. Maybe that brand in your hand doesn’t say quite as much as your choice to own an iPhone.
(And that isn’t so much a statement anymore either…)

But it says something. Maybe it’s just a fashion statement. Ultimately, I think it boils down to what ‘feels right’ to you… how it complements your own identity.

I think the simple idea of holding a Pelican product in my hand was appealing to me, because it successfully connects back to my professional video world.

All of the other factors follow after that…

Two Choices
So, that’s the psychology of how I landed on my Pelican Shield decision.
(I’ve got to make use my Psych degree sometimes, right?)

Pelican offers an all-black Shield model or black with a white edging.

I went all black.
(It has a black/grey pattern on its back.)

The Pelican Shield for the iPhone XS Max lists for $59.99.
$42.87 on Amazon Prime

Click.

First Impressions
Two days later, I received my Pelican Shield…

The two-piece design secured itself around my iPhone with three latches. How logical it that?!
(It’s not like the one piece design of the Otterbox Symmetry where you have to apply what feels like an unhealthy amount of force to jam all four corner in.)

The Shield’s raised front edging protects the iPhone’s screen when you place it face down on a smooth surface, and the back design protects the camera lenses in the same fashion.

Interestingly, the Shield has a rubbery edge on its back side… so that give you better surface grip when the iPhone is facing up. This is opposite to the OtterBox Symmetry’s design. And while I would ultimately prefer some grip on both the front and back edges, the Shield’s design is more practical…

It allows my iPhone to face up and not slide around when it sits on my desk.
It provides more grip in my hand, because the back edge and my index finger make full contact.

And beyond the rubbery back edge, the Shield’s overall design has more bumps and edging that definitely provide additional grip opportunities for your hand.

The Pelican Shield is a little bigger than the OtterBox Symmetry.

And you can see that the Shield’s extra quarter inch in overall size enables the inside construction design to offer an extra layer of rubbery protection.

I should also mention that the Pelican Shield also comes with a belt holster, which doubles as a kickstand. I don’t need it, but you never know what the future might require.

The Importance of Finding the Right Fit
The parameters of my journey wasn’t to find the toughest case out there… but to locate protection with appropriate balance between ‘rugged’ and ‘attractive.’

The OtterBox Symmetry clearly attempted to maintain my iPhone’s beauty. It was slim and sleek…but ultimately too slippery for me.

The black Pelican Shield morphed my iPhone into something entirely new… a more angular device that you might expect Walter Bishop from “Fringe’s” more sinister alternate universe to be carrying.

It almost flaunts its utilitarian structure, seemingly designed to disdain the silly notion of maintaining iPhone beauty.
(It even strangely sports a tiny part number on the side of the front edging… MIL-STD 810G.)

But I still like the look.

For the record, I believe OtterBox makes great cases for smartphone protection. There’s even the Defender series, which more directly competes against the Pelican Shield. But this fickle human simply wanted to go down a different path.

And Pelican fit the bill.

Prepare Your iPhone to Travel in Any Universe
I’m happy to report that my Pelican Shield is doing its job quite nicely, but not because I’ve dropped my iPhone (well, not yet). My objective was simply to gain a better grip when holding it.

Goal… accomplished.

As for the design, the Shield certainly focuses more on protection than beauty. But it also manages a unique look that I enjoy.

Now, you must excuse me… I’m late for a conference call in the alternate universe.

Tag: Otterbox

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: