I'd get a speck hard case. It doesn't protect the screen but it has worked well for me and it is not too bulky.

OP, I have killed 6 iPhones and today is the 5th anniversary of the iPhone. My most recent one has lasted the longest (year and a half) and I have dropped it a million times, it is used by my kids and overall lives a pretty rough life. The only case that has meet my criteria for function, looks and durability is the ones they sell at (of all places) mixed bag designs. They are available online at:
http://www.mixedbagdesigns.com/Spring-2012/Tech_7

They are "bouncy" if you drop the phone so they absorb the impact quite a bit. Mine is over a year old and still looks great, they have lots of patterns. I swear by them because I'm the sort of user that voids warranties.

I have the Otterbox commuter which is a little sleeker than the Defender but def not as beefy. i'm not sure i can drop it in water and have it survive, but it should take a fall w/o a problem.

I have a Tumi which cost 40-something. I've seen ads for the Otterbox and that looks like it's tougher but Tumi is pretty good, too.

"Get an Otterbox -- not one of the sleek ones. I dropped mine in a bathtub once and the iPhone was fine."

This. It's also the only one I know of that covers the screen. Fuck fashion, for something my toddler has started messing with, I need utility.

If you want something that doesn't add that much bulk (the way otterbox does) I definitely recommend the Speck candyshell case. An apple store employee recommended it to me a couple of years ago and it's been great (I've dropped my phone on the sidewalk several times without any problems).

Otterbox. So ugly and anti-apple, but safe.

Anonymous wrote:I got an $8 foldover case on Amazon. I've dropped it a couple times and its survived (plus, it protects the screen from accidental key-in-the-same-pocket syndrome). And it fits in my pocket.

This: http://www.amazon.com/Wallet-Style-Magnetic-Leather-iPhone/dp/B0058TWCAO/ref=sr_1_37?ie=UTF8&qid=1340976183&sr=8-37&keywords=iphone+4+wallet+case

It is showing signs of wear and tear, but otherwise is holding up well.

Not the OP, but that's the kind of case my phone slipped out of and smashed. One of the little corners had broken off a little, but it was enough to lose its hold. Be careful!

I got an $8 foldover case on Amazon. I've dropped it a couple times and its survived (plus, it protects the screen from accidental key-in-the-same-pocket syndrome). And it fits in my pocket.

This: http://www.amazon.com/Wallet-Style-Magnetic-Leather-iPhone/dp/B0058TWCAO/ref=sr_1_37?ie=UTF8&qid=1340976183&sr=8-37&keywords=iphone+4+wallet+case

It is showing signs of wear and tear, but otherwise is holding up well.

I dropped and smashed my new iphone. So I bought a Griffin Survivor after reading a lot about the various options. I think I chose it over the Otterbox because it had a higher ridge on the front of the phone which would have avoided the accident I had (phone falling face first onto rough car park floor).

You need an Otterbox but it's not pretty and it's not easy to fit in your pockets. I had a sleek case and dropped my iPhone on the asphalt, and the screen shattered. Got the Otterbox the next day.

Otterbox. It will make your phone huge and bulky, but if you're worried about destroying it, you're not going to be able to go with one of those cute little sleek ones.

Get an Otterbox -- not one of the sleek ones. I dropped mine in a bathtub once and the iPhone was fine.

So, my work is going to kill my blackberry (yay, I hate it!) which means I need a phone. Thanks to DH obsession with all things Apple, this means an iPhone. My concern is the case.
I am the kind of person who breaks any kind of screen on any device.
I am the person who actually gets their $$'s worth out of extended warranties.
I am the person who accidentally runs over their phone with their car.
Etc.

What I'm looking for is a serious case with little/no impact on the size of the phone. Since I'm going to have to slip it in and out of my work pants all day. Something that will still fit in my front pocket since women's work pants all seem to have "decorative" back pockets.

DH is no help. He has a military grade case but it makes his phone literally 2-3x larger! Suggestions please!