[Verizon Droid Charge] Rememo:
Since I get bored easily, I thought I'd splurge on a Trident Kraken 2 for my Charge. I previously compared the Otterbox Commuter to the Trident Aegis and found that while I preferred the Aegis, it still had some short comings.

So what do you get for twice the price of the Aegis?

A split case, which makes the Kraken 2 easier to install and remove.

A kickstand, which is metal and quite nice.

A screen protector, which is an integral part of the front cover.

Protection for the hard buttons, front facing camera, ear speaker, and sensors.

A holster.

Thoughts:

I've read other reviews of Kraken 2 cases which stated that the case doubled the weight of the phone. I never believed that, so I weighed the bare Charge and the Charge with the Kraken 2 on it.

Bare: 5 ounces.

With Kraken 2: 8.25 ounces.

So, I still don't believe it doubles the weight of the phone. :D

The hard case on the Kraken 2 seems to have slightly less grip to it than the hard case on the Aegis. Some may not notice a difference, but I do.

The integral screen protector appears cheap, but I guess any piece of plastic in that area would appear cheap. Mine arrived with a small flaw at the bottom of the protector, I may contact Trident about a replacement. It is factory sealed to the front half of the hard case, so it does provide good moisture protection. I was worried that having two layers of screen protection would have a negative effect on the touch screen experience, since I already have a Steinheil Ultra Clear protector installed, but I notice very little difference. I do notice a strange "oil slick" effect when the screen is dark wherever the two protectors make contact. I might remove the integral protector... time will tell.

Most of the silicon port covers have a different design than the Aegis, with the exception of the headphone jack cover. The new design makes it easier to open the covers.

The case is easier to install and remove than the Aegis, but I have yet to accomplish the task of removing it without the using a small flat bladed screw driver, or other prying device.

The kickstand is metal, operates well, and could be very handy.

The Kraken 2 is thicker than the Aegis, but I am still able to slide the phone in and out of the front pocket of my Levis.

The holster is 100% plastic. It holds the phone very well, but I question the durability of the clip. I'm sure the plastic that flexes when you operate the clip will have a very limited lifespan.

All of the buttons are very easy to press. No complaints at all.

You have to be more precise with your finger swipe to access the pull-down menu, because the hard case limits your finger movement near the top of the phone. I will adapt to that.

Overall, I really like the Kraken 2. Yes it is a large case, but it has everything I wanted, and then some. I'll be using the holster all of the time, and I may grow to love the kickstand. I will miss the flared top corners of the Aegis. They made for a very nice place to rest your index finger and thumb.

Photos:

I really need to buy a light box! Also, please ignore the poor fit of the Kraken 2. My wife had an appointment, so I had to install the Kraken 2 on her phone and snap the photos as fast as I could. I screwed up the install in a couple of spots.

Note: When the Aegis and Kraken 2 are shown together, the Kraken 2 is on the right.

The front cover (far right) has a built in screen protector.