OtterBox Defender Series iPad Review

I have been using an iPad for a number of years and during that time, I have always kept an eye out for a better iPad cover.  There have always been a good range of covers available but I have yet to find the perfect cover. From personalised to multi-use covers, I have tried most of them.  One brand I hadn’t tried but was been intrigued by was OtterBox, after seeing a friend use it for their iPhone.  They are well known for their hard wearing, durable protecting covers.

My initial reaction when I opened up the cover was how do I opened this casing!  After reading through the instructions, I was ready to rip it apart. So Mr C suggested to YouTube it instead.  Quickly typing in Otter Defender Series in YouTube and there are plenty of videos which guides you through it.

One of the videos I saw suggested to use a plastic card to separate the hard plastic case by locating the indicated arrows and unhinge each snap on all four sides of the case.  It was so easy to prise apart using a credit card – such a great tip!

After opened up the cover, I placed the iPad in and I was able to close it back up quickly.  It is very well covered with a soft and shock absorbing silicon cover.  It is not totally dust proof as there are gaps for the speakers and camera.  However, the connector port and headphone jack are very well covered with a lid.  The volume button is still sensitive.

It comes with a plastic shield that also acts as a stand.  It can be positioned in four working positions: low stand angle with portrait orientation or natural typing angle and steep stand angle with portrait or landscape orientation.

Pros:

It is well made and with great design.  This is perfect for those who take it travelling or for sports, for use in classrooms, or those who are accident prone.  There is no need to get a screen protector and the plastic shield adds extra protection on your iPad.  It is easy to snap the stand out and place the iPad on it.

Cons:

The aforementioned screen protector is also a weakness of the product as it seems to be a dust magnet.  I had to keep cleaning the screen so often.  Also, I found the screen too reflective which is not so great for using in direct sunlight.

I wasn’t so keen on the angle of the working position, but recognise this is down to individual taste. However, it would be nice if it could have been developed with different levels of working positions.

The case is quite heavy to hold in your arms. Compared with other covers that I have used, this is so much heavier and chunky. This is not ideal for a handbag but great if you like to chuck your iPad around in the car or at work.

This added bulk definitely adds a much higher level of protection to your precious iPad but this is not for me. The all-black functional design may make it appeal to men more and therefore it may make a great Father’s Day gift.

Disclosure: We received the sample for the purposes of writing this review, however, all thoughts and opinions remain our own.