I have a neoprene case for my iPhone, a Marware SportGrip, and do not like how it “sticks” in my pocket.
I am looking at hard cases, and am not sure what to buy. I saw/felt an iFrogz Luxe case, but the reviews say that the two parts separate when it is on your pocket.
A new case from Marware, the MicroShell looks good, but is too new for reviews.
So, can you recommend a thin, hard case (no leather, no flip-top) for an iPhone 3GS?
I don’t know what you’re price range is, but I imagine this would probably fall in it. 
I’m sorry that I don’t have anything more helpful.
I got an Otter Box for my first-gen iPhone. The thing is rock-solid: a hard plastic inner case with a protective layer for the screen, and a soft rubber layer that goes on outside. I’ve had my iPhone in it for a year and a half and it’s taken much abuse without complaint.
The only problem I had with it is that the screen cover has a tendency to stick to the screen in small splotches and cause air bubbles. I found a discussion of this issue and the suggested solution was to get a stick-on anti-glare filter like this one and put it on underneath the Otter case. This worked splendidly.
I came to mention the Otter Box as well, though it is probably excluded from the OP because it has a silicone wrapper that sticks in pockets.
Anyway, anyone wanting a totally goofproof and bombproof case should look into them. The guy at the AT&T store demonstrated it by throwing his phone across the room. His buddies said “He’s nuts. I wouldn’t do that!” but the phone still worked.
I have dropped my phone a couple of times and the Otter Box has protected it perfectly. It might even survive a drop into water, if you rescue it quickly and then rip the phone out of it pronto.
I had a rubberized case, but as you mentioned, it tended to stick in my pocket. Also I didn’t like that it added bulk to what was a nice slim phone. So instead, I bought the ZAGG invisibleSHIELD, which is a (0.2 millimeter) plastic film that sticks to the phone, protecting it from scratches (but not drops as would a hard case). At first I tried to install it myself, but it looked terrible so I went to a local mall where there was a guy with a booth who installed a new one and that looks much better.
FWIW, I never had any pocket-sticking problems with mine.
It’s fine when I’m standing up and wearing khakis. On the other hand, it’s a bear to pull out of the pocket of tight jeans while sitting down.
Have you seen the Speck CandyShell case? CandyShell | Speck Products I can’t personally vouch for it, though I do have a really nicely designed Speck hard plastic case for my MacBook that I love. The reviews for the CandyShell case seem pretty favorable.
I have the 1st Gen iPhone, and the rubberized cases would always get stuck in my hair. I never found a hard one I loved though, so my phone’s been naked for over 2 years, with few ill effects (just a few scratches). It’s held up better than any of the plastic phones I’ve had.
Are you sure you need a case at all? I’ve had a first-gen iPhone for almost two years and never put it in a case or used a screen protector. I generally kept it in my back pocket, and other than a couple of scratches on the sides (from dropping it on concrete several times), it still looks great. I mean, it’s glass and metal – just don’t keep it in the same pocket as your lucky molybdenum ore.
On a whim, I jumped for a 3GS a couple of weeks ago, and was a little worried about where it looks vulnerable – the entire back is made of plastic. So I bought a couple of plastic cases (one metallic red and one black) that just snap over the back, leaving the screen unprotected, but maintaining access to the switches & camera lens. Sort of like the two items on the right in this link --I couldn’t find the actual cases I bought in several minutes of googling.
I don’t want to make an uncomfortable association, but it just seems like the user experience wouldn’t be same if I had to use it through a layer of plastic. Part of its elegance seems rooted in sliding my soft finger over the smooth, hard glass.
Free knowledge: Since my first iPhone was an official, activated phone, when I switched to the new phone, my older one no longer finds a signal (of course), but everything else works, so it’s like an iPod Touch with bluetooth, a camera, a microphone and speaker. I’m performing experiments to see whether it uses more battery power with or without its currently-useless SIM card. When I switched, I just hooked it up to my computer, restored all of my saved data (taking almost three hours), but completely without incident.
I have the iFrogz case for my 3GS and anyone saying it is separating in their pocket must have some of the most violent pockets on the planet. I can barely separate the two halves with my hands and no way it is coming apart by being in my pocket. My experience with it is more inline with the article you linked:
“Finally, the case is also a little difficult to remove, despite the presence of the aforementioned, seemingly obvious dot-shaped rear clasp; we were always able to get it off, but not without a small struggle and some apparently unnecessary fear of marring the iPhone’s plastic back.”
I’ve had an iPhone since the first gen release and the iFrogz is the best case I’ve used to-date on any of my iPhones I’ve owned.
That aside, I did just order this case because I love the idea of being able to just take my iPhone, drivers license, and debit card into the bar with me.
Thanks… I think I am going to go with the iFrogz, since it was my first choice, and MeanJoe’s pockets can’t be all that different from the rest of the world…
For what it’s worth, I got a hard case (this particular one) that covers the front top and bottom as well as the back. My old smartphone had a case like this too and when I dropped it the case would separate instead of my phone. At least that’s what I like to think!
I haven’t dropped the 3GS yet, except for it slipping off the couch and onto the carpeted floor too many times to count already. I really like these cases, though part of why I like them is that they seem to make the iPhone look not so much like a iPhone by covering part of the front. I really like it, but kind of despise being a joiner pod-person! My old phone I seldom saw someone else with the same. The damn iPhone there are at least two other people with one everywhere I go!
At any rate, DayDeal has a huge selection, I’ve bought a few other accessories from them, shipping is free and delivery is quick.