[HTC EVO 3D] ebolamonkey3:
Part 2

Rubber case/Plastic exoskeleton:

Going on the outside of the Surface case is a rubber wrap-around case to protect the phone from scratches and absorb shock from falls. I didn’t test shock absorbency because I didn’t want to chuck my new phone at the wall :p, but the rubber feels thick and bouncy, and I feel the plastic skeleton gives a good amount of rigidity to the case. With the rubber case and plastic exoskeleton and the screen protector, the only parts of the phone exposed is the 2D/3D switch and the earpiece and front facing camera on top. Overall, I feel it protects the phone well and it feels solid in the hand, though it does add a good amount of bulk to the phone.

The rubber case covers every switch and port except for the 2D/3D toggle. There are bumps over the power, camera, and volume buttons so they are easy to find by feel. One of the common complaints for the EVO 3D is that the power button is too easy to press, and the volume buttons are too difficult to press. Surprisingly, the rubber case makes the power button harder to press than normal, and the volume rockers easier to depress. I think this is because the power button is located on the left top corner, near the column from the plastic exoskeleton, so that there’s extra stiffness at that part. The rubber over the volume rockers on the other hand, makes the volume buttons more protruded and easier to press. The camera button feels the same, and neither it nor the 2D/3D toggle jiggles anymore. And finally the camera cover pulls back and the little knob on it fits into hole on the back of the plastic exoskeleton, so it holds that piece in place when you're taking a picture.

Belt Clip/Holster:

The holster is kind of like the bottom half of the Surface case, but bigger and the back extends to the whole length of the phone. There is a spring tensioned clip at the top of the holster that holds the phone, which goes in the holster with the screen facing inside. The inside of the holster is again lined with a felt like material, so your screen won’t be damaged (it doesn’t touch the screen anyways). The clip on top has a recessed face so you don’t have to manually push it back with your finger when putting the phone into the holster. Just dock the bottom of the phone into the bottom of the holster, and push the top of the phone into the clip. The slanted shape of the clip and the slanted shape of the rubber case will allow the phone to simply clip into the holster. To take the phone out, you’ll need to push back the clip and pull the phone out from the top.

There’s another larger clip on the back of the holster to clip unto your belt. In the vertical position (parallel with the length of the case), there’s a bit of wiggle, but it goes away in the horizontal position (perpendicular to the length of the case). There’s also a little hook at the end of the belt clip, which prevents the holster from falling off if you’re running or jumping. It’s a nice detail to see, but it means you’ll probably have to use both hands to remove the holster. And another nitpick here, the sticker on the top clip was misaligned :p I know it means absolutely nothing about the case, but it drove me nuts and I promptly removed it haha.

I think the holster is meant to be put on w/ the belt clip in the vertical position, and then worn during the day w/ the phone turned in the horizontal position. That way the phone doesn’t brush against your body and it’s super easy to remove and put back into the holster. The only thing I would say is it’s easy to press the volume buttons and turn on the screen, but you would have to take the phone out of the holster to press the power button and turn the screen off again. Nothing hugely annoying, and it only happens if you’re playing with the phone while it’s in the holster.

^You have no idea how hard it was to take this picture haha

Conclusion:

Overall I would say the Seidio Convert combo is a great product, the included Surface case and screen protector makes for a great slim case to carry around in the pocket, and the outside rubber case and plastic exoskeleton combo provides good protection if you don’t mind the bulk. Finally the holster is easy to use and great for someone who wants to carry their phone on the belt clip instead of in their pocket. I hope this has been helpful, and please feel free to ask me questions about the case.

And yes, you can use the belt clip as a kickstand ;)