Customer Reviews

Seidio Innocase II Surface Spring Clip Holster Combo for iPhone 3G, 3GS (Black)

5 star:		(118)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(24)
2 star:		(19)
1 star:		(28)

 

 

Recently purchased a new iPhone for my job. Given the amount these things cost (and that the AT&T insurance for the iPhone 3G is non-existent) I wanted to get a hard shell case to protect my investment as well as a belt-clip holster. After looking through literally every option at the local Apple store and not finding anything I liked (even bought another black rubber case / holster combo that I'm no longer using) I noticed this one on a fellow iPhone user. Here's a quick summary of the key features.

1. Very solid hard shell case, though slim enough to allow it to mount on most iPod music stands without removing it. Really hate fat phones.

2. Matte finish with soft rubber-like feel. Easy on the hands, comfortable to grip . . . Not awful shiny hard plastic that feels awful and easily slips out of your grip.

3. Perfect cut outs for all key buttons, camera, mounting doc, and even for the shiny apple on the back--improvement on all those cases, including the one I bought where you have to press the button through the rubber.

4. Low profile holster with belt clip. Clip swivels and is short and easy to get onto and off of my belt. Holds on very securely, will not accidentally pull off. Does not add unnecessary bulk.

5. Spring loaded holster clip allows you to get the phone easily into and out of the holster, but holds phone tightly once you slide it in.

6. And (my favorite feature) the velvet lined holster back prevents the screen from getting scratched while on the go. Note this is a FACE-IN style holster so be aware if you don't like that.

7. Also comes in a choice of three muted colors (black, a rust red, and navy blue). Was tempted to get the blue, but went with all black to match the phone.

All in all this is a beautiful case. Price was right. Many dealers, including iphoniacs.com (where I was looking), sell this as two separate pieces for $30 each. Amazon was the only place where I could find both as a combo for a smaller price ($45-ish). While that's a bit more than some of the other cases it is miles better than all the others (yes I looked at apple's InCase options--not even close) . . . definitely worth the extra $$. All in all very satisfied with this purchase. Highly recommend. You won't be sorry.

As many others have stated, this is a fantastic case/holster combination. However -- I've used it for less than a full year, and twice the clip that holds the iPhone in the holster has broken. Seidio provided a replacement holster the first time the clip broke, but they have refused to provide a second replacement (since I was past 180 days from my original purchase). I try to be as careful as I can with my phone, so I'm not sure why this is happening -- never had it with previous holsters for other phones. I must also note that, thus far, others that I have convinced to buy this holster have not yet seen a similar problem.

If it wasn't for this issue, I'd give this case five stars, but I have to hold back, given my personal experience.

This is an excellent case and holster.

The case fits the 3G and 3GS like a glove, fully covering the back except for the Apple logo. Some protection is afforded the logo since it is below the level of the case, but those who want to fully protect the logo will want to cover it (perhaps with a piece of screen protector film). It adds minimally to the iPhone size, as it is only 1-2mm thick and shaped to exactly fit the curves of the phone.

The inside is coated with a felt-like material that gives a tight fit and prevents scratches. The edges wrap around and over the chrome bezel, putting them about 1-2 milimeters above the level of the glass screen. This provides some very minor protection for the screen, in that if you lay the phone face-down on a flat surface (like a desk) the glass is supported 1-2mm above the desk rather than touching. But those who want full screen protection will still want to add a screen protector film.

The exterior has a matte or "silk" finish. This provides enough friction to be easily held without slipping from your hand, yet is not "grippy" like the silicon cases and will therefore slide in/out of a pocket or pouch easily and without gathering lint. All controls and ports are fully exposed and conveniently accessible, but this also means there is no protection from splashes/rain. If you are frequently in wet enviornments, you may want to forego this convenience and buy a case that covers buttons and ports too.

A sync or charge cable can be plugged in with the case installed. To use the phone in a dock, you must remove the bottom 1" of the case -- which separates and slides off leaving the rest of the case still installed. Removing this bottom 1" is a bit difficult, as it is a tight fit and needs to be pulled "straight down" or you risk breaking thin plastic alighnment tabs on each side (reason for 4 star rating instead of 5). It is very easy to reinstall. I decided to forego the dock and just use a cable.

The holster works very well and appears to be very durable. The clip rotates with firm detents, so it will stay in a vertical or horizontal position and work correctly whether you wear it on your left side, right side, or anywhere in between. The iPhone faces inward, with the glass towards your body and the holster. Although the glass doesn't actually touch the holster, the area of the holster closest to the glass is coated with the same felt-like material as the inside of the case. The spring clip holds the iphone firmly, and the phone is easily snapped in/out of the holster with one hand. It might be possible to accidentally release the clip by brushing against something just right, but I've been using it daily for about 3 weeks now and haven't had this happen.

I don't know how much protection it would add when dropping the phone, and I'm not willing to experiment. If I drop ever drop it, I will update this review at that time. While the case is minimal thickness, the material is flexible and should add SOME impact absorbtion, which in some instances might mean the difference between a bounce and a cracked case or screen.

All in all, a quality product that provides some protection and a better grip, plus the convenience of a holster at the same time. (Note: The case and holster are sold as a combo, but are also sold separately if you don't want the holster, or want to buy the case now and add the holster later.)

I fell in love with this case/holster combo when it arrived, promptly as usual, from Amazon. The case is slim, has a good grippy feel in the hand and looks great. I've dropped my phone a handful of times and the case has protected it well. Even landing screen-side down, the fact that the case extends a bit beyond the bezel, the extra lip serves to protect it. (Mind you, if it took a hit directly to the screen you'd be SOL.) I use a matte screen protector in conjunction with the case and feel pretty good about the combo. If you're the type that needs to remove the case for charging at night, or for some other accessory, this is likely not the case for you. Removing the bottom portion of the case can be a chore. I would check to see if your accessory can accommodate a case first. I use it with a Konnet iCrado Metal Charging Dock for iPhone, iPhone 3G, 3GS and iPod (Black) + Charge and Sync Cable and it works great.

As for the holster... Initially I was really pleased. The action is smooth, the belt clip latches into place and won't easily slide off, and the placement of the phone, face-side in, with the logo showing through the window on the case, is attractive and adds extra protection. The problem is that the spring clip that holds the phone in the holster has broken off twice requiring replacement. There are quite a few reviews on Amazon pointing out this "design flaw". I've included some links below if you wish to research it further. The long and short of it is that the tab that connects the spring clip to the holster body is weak. Twice in about 3 months I've had the clip snap off. First it was within the 30 day Amazon warranty; I was getting in my car while talking on the phone, so the holster was naked on my belt, I got into the driver's seat and the clip broke off. I'd read that the reviews sighting the spring clip as a weakness of the holster, so, I took extra care making sure to protect it from then on, trying to limit times when the holster was empty. Amazon replaced it no questions asked. Unfortunately, a couple months later I had the holster in my jacket pocket, because I needed the phone out for an extended period of time, and I wanted to protect the holster. What happened? I leaned against something and heard the telltale cracking noise, the clip had snapped off in my pocket. Playing devil's advocate, one could argue that the holster shouldn't be able to withstand that kind of abuse, that without the phone installed, the holster would be prone to cracking. I disagree. The purpose of a holster is to hold the phone when not in use. When the phone is in use, the holster should be able to withstand normal wear and tear. Getting in and out of a car with the phone out of the holster is a pretty common occurrence. The fact of the matter is that the connecting point where the spring clip connects to the holster body needs to be more robust. (I've posted product pictures illustrating the holster problems.)

I have written Seidio about this issue, pointing out the design flaw and sighting the many reviews that also reference this problem. In Seidio's defense they promptly mailed me a replacement holster. However they did not offer any feedback on the issue, nor did they respond when I asked if they intended to correct it.

To add insult to injury, as I was packing up my second broken holster to return to Seidio, I noticed a stress crack in the bottom corner of the body of the holster, further evidence that this holster is just not the way to go.

PROS:

- Low profile case with grippy feel.
- Case protects phone well.
- Case/Holster combo looks great.
- Durable belt clip holds phone securely.
- Reasonable price for the two items.

CONS:

- Case offers limited protection to screen (but really, you'd want a different class of case if this was really important to you).
- Holster has CRITICAL DESIGN FLAW with the Spring Clip, making it completely unreliable.

BOTTOM LINE: I recommend the case, but not the holster. For now I am going with a nylon/velcro pouch style soft case that slides on to my belt.

AMAZON REVIEW REFERENCE: (It appears Amazon won't allow me to post links to other Amazon reviewers who have experienced the same problem with the spring clip breaking. This strikes me as odd, as two calls to Amazon support assured me that including the permalinks was OK. So, I will try again by posting the quotes only, without the links. These reviews are relevant to my experience with this product. In researching my purchase a red flag went up as I read some of these reviews. Finally after my own holster failed, in trying to investigate whether or not the clip failings were a common occurrence, I collected these references, and confirmed it was indeed so.)

- "I've used it for less than a full year, and twice the clip that holds the iPhone in the holster has broken."

- "The clip at the top of the holster that secures the phone just snapped right off, leaving the holster virtually unusable."

- "...the top where the spring clip attaches the plastic tab holding on the spring clip is not strong enough. The tab fails..."

- "The clip broke after a week."

- "I used this happily for 2 months, and the hinge on top just broke off, and I dropped my iPhone."

- "The spring clip broke after 40 days of use."

- "...have broken the holster twice it simply doesn't stand up to active day to day use. The top piece that holds the phone in place is thin plastic and snaps off."

- "loved it for the first two months. That's when the 'durable' plastic spring clip broke."

I've been using Seido holsters for my last 3 phones, I just got the iPhone 3G version, and it is quality as usual. These belt clips are sturdy and well constructed. Worth every penny to protect your devices!

Don't buy... don't buy, unless you are OK with paying $32 for a product that breaks after six months. Purchased January 7th and product broke (clip) June 30th. Just like the other posts, I too liked the product until it BROKE.

I love the case for this but the clip broke within a month! :( Now I have a case but no belt clip...

Had this case and holster for 7 months. Like others, the holster broke at the retention spring/tab due to a less than robust design. I never abused or was rough with the case or holster but just the same, it broke. Well, Seidio has a rather paltry 180 day warranty, but I figured that since this was only 1 month outside their warranty period they might stand by their product and send me a new holster...no such luck. I emailed them and after a week they responded and said: "Unfortunately, Seidio products are warrant against defective materials or workmanship for 180 days from date of purchase (90 days for retractable product). Replacement product does not extend original warranty. We sincerely apologize that we cannot grant you the request of a replacement."

Apparently they do not feel the need to go the extra mile for users of their products and supply a new holster for something barely out of warranty. Oh, and the other problem is that once you get the case on you won't be getting it off without a major struggle, but that is a separate issue. Suffice it to say, but one month outside the warranty and you won't send a new holster..that's just being cheap IMO. I once had a picture tube blow on me one month out of warranty on a TV I had and the manufacturer replaced that (their response: it shouldn't have happened and we stand by our products), but I guess a piece of molded plastic is too precious.

Funny enough, but I found a replacement case and holster at Target for $12.99 by some generic company called Just Wireless...the best part is that it came with the exact same holster as the Seidio (I swear, it is identical) and their product comes with a lifetime warranty so I bought it. I know, the holster will likely prove to be of the same longevity but I'm a sucker for this type of design for carrying my phone and there are not a lot of options out there. Oh, and the case is a moderately stiff rubber one and more protective than the Seidio and easy to take on and off. Heck, I can buy two and still pay less than the Seidio and have a replacement on hand when I need it. Sorry Seidio but you won't be getting anymore business from me.

When I received my first iphone I was immediately in awe on how beautiful this phone really is. The glossy black case was so shiny and totally free of any scratches. I realized that in order to keep it in pristine shape I needed to protect it. I didn't want something heavy to take away from the sleekness of the iphone. I started watching all the video reviews and reading reviews on all the cases available. I soon realized there didn't seem to be one "perfect case" Everyone seemed to find a flaw with each of the cases I read about. I narrowed it down to the Seidio and the ifrogz case from Luxe. I liked both of these cases because many of the complaints from the other cases were the case scratched the iphone when you put it in or took it off. Both the Seidio and the ifrogs has a felt lining inside the case to protect the phone. The reason I went with the Seidio was I wanted an all black case. I am very happy with the case. The iphone feels great with this case on. It does not feel hard and plastic, more smooth. It doesn't add a lot of bulk to the iphone. You can get to all the buttons easily. I thought I wouldn't like the idea of the opening on the back for the apple logo, but it grew on me. I don't have a dock for my iphone, so I can still charge it with the case on.I did read there is a dock that you can use with this case as well. I also applied a Power Support anti-glare screen shield which I highly recommend. I also recommend the clip for this case. It is flat aith little bulk. The phone is placed in the bottom and clips securely on top. It goes in backwards with the face of the phone flat against the clip. The only negative I can see is you can't see who is calling unless you unclip the phone and turn it around. For me it wasn't an issue because I don't usually wear the clip. I use it in my purse and clip it to one of my side pockets. I am very happy with this combo from Seidio!

My clip holster broke. I email the manufacturer and asked to replace it but the manufacturer iognored my request. The manufacturer never replied my email.