Review: Trident Kraken Series AMS Case for HTC EVO 3D
Ever since we found out that HTC wasn't going to release an official kickstand case for the HTC EVO 3D after all, we've gotten tons of questions from readers about which is the best third-party kickstand case. We've reviewed a few, such as the Seidio SURFACE or the Otterbox Defender, but I have to say that as far as heavy-duty-protection-bang for your buck, our latest contender – the Trident Kraken Series AMS (Adaptive Modular System) Case for the EVO 3D – really gives Otterbox a run for its money. It's also got one of the longest names for a case that we've seen in a while.
Trident recommends this case for "users with intense lifestyles who need a case that can take serious abuse. Police officers, firemen, campers, military personnel and construction workers are examples of users who have given the best reviews of Kraken cases. These are also perfect for young kids."
But is this one the right case for you, or will it just make your EVO 3D too fat? Read on to find out.
The Trident Kraken Series AMS case might actually be considered two cases in one. It includes an inner shock-absorbing silicone case that can actually stand on its own quite well. Then, for that extra bit of protection, there's a hardened polycarbonate outer shell that snaps into place over the silicone. A detachable belt clip/holster is also included, providing maximum flexibility just in case this case makes your phone a bit too fat to fit in your skinny jeans.
It's worth noting that while I only count two layers of protection, Trident claims that there are actually three:
- The "Kraken" layer, which is the hard polycarbonate that covers the back of your phone.
- The "Perseus" layer, which is a fancy way of referring to the silicone case.
- The top layer, which snaps onto the Kraken layer. I consider that part of the first layer, but I have to admit that it does sound better to advertise three layers of protection, rather than two.
Also, as a nice bonus, Trident was thoughtful enough to include a both a screen protector and a back-camera protector – a nice addition, considering most other cases overlook this in spite of a back camera that protrudes just a bit too far out to be completely safe all of the time.
Now, the not-so-good aspects of this case: Did I mention that this makes your phone really fat?
The silicone case is also truly a dust magnet if I've ever seen one, so this will require a lot of cleaning. Additionally, this case is actually pretty difficult to apply correctly. If you don't snap everything into place just right, forget about using the power or volume buttons. The flap that covers the charging port can also be difficult to pry open sometimes.
However, if you can deal with these quirks, this case offers unparalleled protection that really rivals Otterbox, which is generally considered the king of fat, extremely durable cases. If you don't necessarily like the added bulk, you can always take off the outer polycarbonate shell until you're in a situation in which you may need it.
Depending on the color you want, you can also find these on Amazon for a somewhat decent price: a quick search revealed the case in pink, black, red, blue, purple, and green, for prices ranging from $28.99-$37.19.
To be honest, it's not the case for me – but I also baby my phones like they are young infants. So it very well might be just the thing you've been looking for.
