# TOUGH smart phone suggestions



## illbuildit.dd

I have been using the galaxy phones since they first came out but I am ready for something that can take a beating. 
I've been researching catapiller and kyocera because they have great reviews. Anyone have input for tough phones? I'd like to hear from you guys instead of some stranger doing reviews


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## griz

I can't kill my S4, what the heck you doing to it?


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## dutchroots

Otter box


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## griz

I have two S4's.....

One with Otterbox one without....

can't kill either one....


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## illbuildit.dd

griz said:


> I have two S4's.....
> 
> One with Otterbox one without....
> 
> can't kill either one....


Do you have the s4 active?
I had an otter box on mine and was walking down the stairs in the dark went to grab the rail and it slipped. Mine is just s4. I had galaxy 1 for 3 years and not a scratch.
Got my phone fixed and I'm pretty sure they dont use gorilla glass for replacement. It cracks almost just by looking at it.


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## griz

Just plain 'ol S4's....

Very durable....


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## illbuildit.dd

I think what happened to mine was just bad luck. I was told if they hit just right, they'll go. kyocera hydro can be dropped on the ground or in water and take it all. I hate to switch because I've been galaxy for years.


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## BarryP

I love my Note Edge... no protection... gorilla glass


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## CrpntrFrk

I am typing this out on an Galaxy S5. Water resistant by itself but I bought the Life Proof case because I know I put my phones through hell. Water resistant, impact resistant, and keeps the dust and dirt out. Really good case. A lot less bulky than the Otter Box, but from what the salesman told me, Otter Box owns Life Proof.

The S4 Active is exclusive to AT&T and we are through Verizon or I would have gotten the Active. I do like the S5 though. So far it has been a great phone. Way more stuff on it then I'll ever use.


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## illbuildit.dd

CrpntrFrk said:


> I am typing this out on an Galaxy S5. Water resistant by itself but I bought the Life Proof case because I know I put my phones through hell. Water resistant, impact resistant, and keeps the dust and dirt out. Really good case. A lot less bulky than the Otter Box, but from what the salesman told me, Otter Box owns Life Proof.
> 
> The S4 Active is exclusive to AT&T and we are through Verizon or I would have gotten the Active. I do like the S5 though. So far it has been a great phone. Way more stuff on it then I'll ever use.


Kinda angers me about the active only being with att. Makes me want to drop samsung. Why would they even go through the trouble to do that? Idk but I've been missing the boat on these other phones. Kyocera even makes one with a sapphire screen that is tough enough to withstand gravel scrapes


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## CrpntrFrk

illbuildit.dd said:


> Kinda angers me about the active only being with att. Makes me want to drop samsung. Why would they even go through the trouble to do that? Idk but I've been missing the boat on these other phones. Kyocera even makes one with a sapphire screen that is tough enough to withstand gravel scrapes


I was bummed about it myself. I had the Casio GzOne before and it was extremely durable. The trade was that the phone had horrible storage. So add just a few apps and the phone became slow. Basic functions like texting and calling became a chore. It was military specs though.


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## madmax718

its the edge of the glass, you catch it just right, the screen cracks. The replacement glass used is most likely knock off glass- You can tell when its knock off glass after it breaks, because the gorilla glass is tempered. The replacement is just regular glass, which comes off in larger shards. 

The Kyocera do make some good tough phones for a reasonable price, but none of them are "cutting edge".


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## TWhite

iPhone 6 with OtterBox and no problems.


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## MarkJames

I just got the S5 (Verizon), Otterbox, on the edge plan (no plan) from Costco. Happy with it so far after a couple drops. Costco also has some cheaper smartphones they don't display, though they have display pics of them. One has to ask to see them, and they do so reluctantly. Probably not a bad consideration at half the monthly phone cost. If you break it, just replace it.


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## Caro

Iphone 5s - as soon as I bought it I put it in an Otterbox Armor case. The phone on its own seems like it would break if you looked at it wrong but the case saves it on a daily basis. (We're stuck on Apple because we like the way the desktop, the phones, and the iPads all work together without needing a lot of techy knowhow)

http://www.amazon.com/OtterBox-Armor-Series-Waterproof-iPhone/dp/B00B59NKUM

It's been dropped (pretty much every day) on every kind of surface and walked on more than once. It's bulky and heavy but it works. It's supposed to be waterproof too but luckily I haven't needed that yet!

My son got the same case after I got mine and his is worn out - I think maybe he broke one of the hinges. He keeps taking the phone out of the case though - mine only comes out to change the sim card if we travel to the US.


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## illbuildit.dd

Replacement glass is crap. And tougher phones do trade off the tech advantages. Kyocera seems to be really close tech wise though. 
For 800 you can have it all. Can't remember the phone but watched one that you can run over with a car. I hate the fat cases. And with my otter, still broke. I'll make a decision this weekend.


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## Tinstaafl

illbuildit.dd said:


> Can't remember the phone but watched one that you can run over with a car.


That's been done with at least the Iphone 5, Galaxy S4, S5 and S6--all of them in protective cases though. I've been abusing my S4 in an Otterbox for a year and a half now, and it's still in great shape.

I have no problem putting up with the Otterbox. :thumbsup:


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## VinylHanger

I like my S5 in an Otterbox. It feels more like a piece of equipment than a phone.


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## SamM

I have an s5 with a 20 dollar rubber case and nothing else. Haven't hurt it yet and I drop it all the time


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## TNTRenovate

Note 4 with a Tech21 and ZAGG invisible shield lifetime warranty screen protector.


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## Warren

In almost 20 years of owning cell phones, I have never cracked a screen. I know some people who can't go two weeks with a new phone without cracking it.


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## illbuildit.dd

Warren said:


> In almost 20 years of owning cell phones, I have never cracked a screen. I know some people who can't go two weeks with a new phone without cracking it.


In all my years, this is the first crack for me. My pride was crushed! 
My wifes daughter cracks hers within the first two weeks every time. Drives me insane. Sometimes when she is upstairs I hear it hit the floor every ten minutes. Gives me anxiety


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## JPConst1005

I have the S6 with an Otterbox. I bought it after my iPhone 4s finally died after three years. I wear it even when I am pouring concrete. Been great so far...and concrete cleans off it pretty easily.


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## JPConst1005

I have the S6 with an Otterbox. I bought it after my iPhone 4s finally died after three years. I wear it even when I am pouring concrete. Been great so far...and concrete cleans off it pretty easily.


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## TNTRenovate

Warren said:


> In almost 20 years of owning cell phones, I have never cracked a screen. I know some people who can't go two weeks with a new phone without cracking it.


Jinxed, you are cracking your soon.


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## builditguy

Kyocera Brigadier review:
I bought this phone new, about 3 months ago. 
Lets start with durability. Can't be beat. It seems to withstand anything, so far. No case. I hate getting a new phone and then putting on a case. They are big, annoying, and the grip on the outside keeps it from sliding in my pocket (very easy anyway.)
The screen is sapphire. So far not a single scratch. Supposed to be second only to diamonds. I don't know about that, but it is doing amazing.

Now for the problems and the reason I am looking for a new phone now.
First thing I noticed were the speakers. The sound is funny. Annoyingly so. I can't exactly describe it. Supposedly the speakers are completely sealed on the inside and that is why they sound funny. I believe it because I see no holes for the sound to come out. I will admit, at first it was really annoying. At the point of a deal breaker. Now I don't even notice it.

Second: The software. For the first month everything was fine. Then I noticed it had the wrong time. By about 10 minutes. I've never seen that before. It stayed wrong for about 1 month.
Then when I got a text message, I couldn't view it. I couldn't figure it out for awhile, but the message was there, it was just up about 10 messages. I had to scroll through the messages to see when they were sent just to find the most recent. It would take me 5 minutes sometimes.
Then I would get text messages, but when I opened the messenger, nobody was highlighted. I would have to scroll through the people and try to guess who was most likely texting me and then scroll through those messages. I usually found it. Eventually. I switched to another text app, but it was exactly the same.

Then the phone calls started. If I missed a call. It wouldn't show who called. I figured out, it was on there, just way down the list.

It still does all this stuff. Here is the latest issue, started yesterday.
It has become very slow. I turned it off and on, did a straight to restart, checked for any updates, nothing has helped.

The battery will last a day. At first it would only make it until about 8 at night. Now it does alot better. Still have to charge it everyday, but I've always had to do that.

So here I sit, looking at my phone. It is so durable. Even now, not a single scratch. And like I said before, never a case and never a screen saver. But it is driving me crazy. I have seriously considered going back to a flip phone. Problem would be that alot of customers text. I also send emails throughout the day. I also like to check the weather.

I am going to switch to either an iphone or galaxy. Probably the iphone. The galaxy is a little bigger and I want to slide it in my pocket. I really like the durability, it's just time for me to get a phone that works.

Over the years I've been through several different tough phones
Casio Commando. A few of these. Even a couple flip phones, one casio boulder, one samsung convoy. Durability wise they were all great. Couldn't ask for anything better. Never had a case on any of them. I personally know of one that got dropped in the river. 2 weeks later the water dropped and he was able to get it out. Still worked. I know it was still going a year later.


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## illbuildit.dd

I've been waiting to hear a personal review on kyocera. I still haven't gotten a new phone yet. I'm just bitter with it all right now. I hate cases because I want my phone in my pocket and they're all getting so big. S4 size is about max for me. I don't want a huge iPhone with a huge life case . I want a phone as tough as kyocera and as useful as a galaxy. Its just all stupid. They're laughing at us


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## TWhite

I use a iPhone 6 with an Otter Box Commuter case it fits in my pocket just fine and does a good job of protecting the phone.


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## dulltoothbeaver

Droid turbo with a lifeproof case replaced my Casio commando 4g ( and 3g version before it) and I love it. Wasn't crazy about casing up..... Had been case less for the last 6-7 years. But the wireless charging sold it for me.


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## SamM

TNTSERVICES said:


> Jinxed, you are cracking your soon.


Your jinx missed.

Damn tile floors.


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## VinylHanger

I loved the durability of the Commandos. I used to toss the first model on the ground to show people how tough it was. It just sucked on specs, the second one was already two years behind before it came out.

I just don't understand why I can't get a top of the line spec model that is tough as well. I would gladly pay for it.


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## illbuildit.dd

No matter which phone I pick, a week later they'll add the teleportation and laser beams to the new model.


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## hrdwrkr

i have the galaxy s4(verizon) w/ otter box...so far so good..im not about to 'test it' on purpose but it did fall 12 ft, buried in sawdust,and have a 16 oz hammer fall on it...still good and fast. I found out that each carrier (verizon, at&t et al) has certain limitations, or their own 'mark' for the same phone. example there are certain codes u can dial in to see hidden features....its easy on a Gs4 att..but cant on a Gs4 verizon


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## aaron_a

Ive had an iphone 4s with an otterbox, then switched to lifeproof. And now an iphone 5c with a lifeproof. I go through one lifeproof case a year, I send em back just before the warranty is up.

I beat the piss out of my phones somehow. drop em, toss em in my tool bags, get em covered in all kinds of mdf dust, drop them in rivers, you name it. Lifeproof has been the best case ive found.


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## hrdwrkr

Aaron...go PITT!!!!!!


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## builditguy

Now that I gave a negative (honest) review of my phone, it seems to be working pretty good right now. Still slow, but the other problems corrected themselves. 
I still don't have any confidence in it. 
And, still can't beat the durability. I can have it covered in mud, hose it off and it is as good as new.


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## Defenestrate

Otterbox armor. Keeps dust out, drops on concrete are no problem. My phone's been going for years and I'm a klutz sometimes.


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## builditguy

Otterbox are great. What I used to see is people getting the defender and them ripping out the screen saver and putting on their own. They said dust would get between the otterbox screen saver and the screen.

Now I usually see people getting the commuter series. It doesn't come with a screen saver.

When my son got a new phone and otterbox, the guy at Verizon offered to tear out the screen saver for him. He just bought the commuter one.

For myself the otterbox is just too bulky. It definitely saves the phone though.


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## aaron_a

builditguy said:


> Otterbox are great. What I used to see is people getting the defender and them ripping out the screen saver and putting on their own. They said dust would get between the otterbox screen saver and the screen.
> 
> Now I usually see people getting the commuter series. It doesn't come with a screen saver.
> 
> When my son got a new phone and otterbox, the guy at Verizon offered to tear out the screen saver for him. He just bought the commuter one.
> 
> For myself the otterbox is just too bulky. It definitely saves the phone though.



That's why i like the lifeproof ones. Less bulky and a lot less dust gets under the screen protector.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Anderson

I have the kyocera Brigadier also. Really like it the screen has no protection is like new. I always end up with it in a pocket with sheetrock screws and still no scratches.
Software is a little limited, I get the strange time changes that were already posted about. I just go into settings and change it back. It also has that wireless charging which is cool no need to plug anything in


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