I've used a leather (or at least leather-like) phone case on my duty belt for the past couple of years but I just got a smartphone and thought I'd protect my investment a little better by buying an Otterbox. It looks like it will protect my phone but I'm not so sure about the belt clip holding up. The clip feels flimsy and it obviously won't fit on a 2.25" duty belt so I'm wondering who else has experience with one. I can carry the phone in my pocket if I have to but I ride bike patrol and I'd rather have it on my belt. I wear a nylon duty belt most of the time and a leather rig in class A. I'd appreciate any insight...does the clip hold up? Will it stay on the belt, etc?
Anybody carry an Otterbox on your duty belt?
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Bravesfansince70
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I've used a leather (or at least leather-like) phone case on my duty belt for the past couple of years but I just got a smartphone and thought I'd protect my investment a little better by buying an Otterbox. It looks like it will protect my phone but I'm not so sure about the belt clip holding up. The clip feels flimsy and it obviously won't fit on a 2.25" duty belt so I'm wondering who else has experience with one. I can carry the phone in my pocket if I have to but I ride bike patrol and I'd rather have it on my belt. I wear a nylon duty belt most of the time and a leather rig in class A. I'd appreciate any insight...does the clip hold up? Will it stay on the belt, etc?
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465 Posts
I have an Otterbox for my Blackberry. I carry it every day off duty on my belt, and on duty clipped to my passenger side visor. It works very well and has held up well. I ended up breaking one when I caught the main body of the holder on a door frame and basically ripped it off with my body weight. I started using my wife's holder (she never used the belt holder) and it's worked fine since. It doesn't fit on my duty belt but I don't have room for it anyway.
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The OtterBox cases are great, I did not have a lot of luck with the belt clip. I got it caught on a few things and it fell off. I bought a pouch from the "Tactical Taylor" who has their shop near me and used that for almost two years. Cordura and velcro, phone never came out or off.
Two guys on my shift do, one with an iPhone 4 and the other with a Droid. Neither have had any issues. I just keep mine in my shirt pocket and have never had an issue. Initially I was worried about breaking the screen but have yet damage any of them.(various smartphones including an EVO with a huge 4.3" screen) I have enough crap on my belt as it is.
The Seidio Rugged Combo fits duty belts, and, IMHO, is as good as an Otterbox. I have carried it on my duty belt, although now it is clipped to my external carrier:
http://www.seidioonline.com/product-p/bd5-hkr5mtdx.htm
http://www.seidioonline.com/product-p/bd5-hkr5mtdx.htm
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I did when I was in uniform. We have 3 iphones in my house, and all are in otterboxes. My agency blackberry is in one too.
i keep mine at 1 o clock, i use an otterbox and keep it inside of another velcro case. Pretty sweet case, it also puts the phone on standby when in the case, saves a lot of battery. The velcro case also has a lot better/stronger clip than the otterbox imho. Found the case at cheaper than dirt for $10 i think?
http://www.niteize.com/collections/everyday-phone-cases/products/sport-case-tone-wide
i have a picture of the case and carry location here:
http://glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=565935&page=45
http://www.niteize.com/collections/everyday-phone-cases/products/sport-case-tone-wide
i have a picture of the case and carry location here:
http://glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=565935&page=45
I'm not going to get in to the cell phone on a duty belt debate, besides to say that 90%+ of the time my phone is in the car, on the visor, where it belongs.
Otterbox USED to make a "heavy duty" clip that would fit a 2.5" duty belt for some phones, but they stopped. I contacted them when I got a new Blackberry (two years ago) and they told me that they were done making them. I ended up using some pliers to remove the HD clip from my old holster and put it on the one for my new phone. Even though I don't carry the phone on my belt, I thought that the HD clip was far superior. It eventually broke from being streched over the visor too much, and I miss the stupid thing.
It would be nice to see Otterbox sell just the HD clip piece for $5-$10 bucks to retrofit on to your existing holster. It would save them from having to produce a second line of holsters for everything in their line up and it would allow us to replace the clip piece easily if it broke.
FWIW I have been using the Otterbox Defender since 2008. First on a Blackberry Curve 8330, then on a Tour 9630, and now on a Motorola Photon (MoPho). All three products were oustanding, and each time I get a new one I am impressed with how much better their designs get. The MoPho Defender (makes the phone one tough MoPho...no, that hasn't gotten old yet) is incredibly well thought out and designed.
Otterbox USED to make a "heavy duty" clip that would fit a 2.5" duty belt for some phones, but they stopped. I contacted them when I got a new Blackberry (two years ago) and they told me that they were done making them. I ended up using some pliers to remove the HD clip from my old holster and put it on the one for my new phone. Even though I don't carry the phone on my belt, I thought that the HD clip was far superior. It eventually broke from being streched over the visor too much, and I miss the stupid thing.
It would be nice to see Otterbox sell just the HD clip piece for $5-$10 bucks to retrofit on to your existing holster. It would save them from having to produce a second line of holsters for everything in their line up and it would allow us to replace the clip piece easily if it broke.
FWIW I have been using the Otterbox Defender since 2008. First on a Blackberry Curve 8330, then on a Tour 9630, and now on a Motorola Photon (MoPho). All three products were oustanding, and each time I get a new one I am impressed with how much better their designs get. The MoPho Defender (makes the phone one tough MoPho...no, that hasn't gotten old yet) is incredibly well thought out and designed.
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Agreed. Having said that, when I do keep my phone on my person on duty, it's an iPhone4 in an Otterbox in my right shirt pocket. Too much stuff on my belt as is. The other option is to get rounder and create more real estate.....NOT!
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I tried using the Otterbox on my gun belt. Wore it around one o'clock. It would occasionally pop loose and land in my lap while driving, and, I was certain that it would eventually let loose and drop my phone in a urinal.
Finally, the belt hook snapped off while i was in shorts and a T shirt off duty and I got rid of it. I just carry the phone, in its rubber case, in my right front shirt pocket. It sticks a little but, I don't have to worry about it sliding out while searching a car or something.
Finally, the belt hook snapped off while i was in shorts and a T shirt off duty and I got rid of it. I just carry the phone, in its rubber case, in my right front shirt pocket. It sticks a little but, I don't have to worry about it sliding out while searching a car or something.
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I appreciate the input, guys. I get it with the issues about a cell phone on a duty belt but, as I said, I ride a bicycle. We use cell phones to communicate a lot during a shift so it needs to be with me and I can't leave it on the bike. If I get into a foot chase or out on a call the bike might sit wherever I left it for an hour or more before I get back to it so nothing valuable stays with it. It is what it is.
It definitely looks like the clip is the weak point of the Otterbox system. My wife wants one for her phone and won't use the holster so I'll have a spare when mine inevitably breaks. SCSU74, I like the case you linked and I'll look into that after I try this one out. My belt is set up almost exactly like yours except I'm a lefty. I've worn my old phone at 3:00 for two years and haven't bumped it on anything yet so it's in a good spot.
There's no better way to find out about something than to ask people who have experience with it. Thanks again.
It definitely looks like the clip is the weak point of the Otterbox system. My wife wants one for her phone and won't use the holster so I'll have a spare when mine inevitably breaks. SCSU74, I like the case you linked and I'll look into that after I try this one out. My belt is set up almost exactly like yours except I'm a lefty. I've worn my old phone at 3:00 for two years and haven't bumped it on anything yet so it's in a good spot.
There's no better way to find out about something than to ask people who have experience with it. Thanks again.
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Am I correct in assuming the issue with your cell on your duty belt is the possibility of exposing personal info to BG's?
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No shirt pockets on my bike uniform. The cargo pocket is an option but, like I said in my OP, it's not my first choice unless the Otterbox holster just won't work. I'll probably try SCSU74's suggestion before I go with the pocket.
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It's not really my issue. I was just acknowledging that there are issues after a couple of guys brought that up. That's not a discussion I wanted to get started because it's a bit like a caliber debate. I just wanted to know whether the Otterbox holster clip will break or fly off my belt the first time I get into a foot chase.
I am thinking about trying a strip of industrial strength velcro on the back of the clip to stick it to my inner belt. I did that with my Asp holder because the scews always loosen up and it locks it into place. It might help since the clip is short. Worth a try.
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