[shilala]

The pics don't do Lifeproof any favors.
I guess it boils down to what you do. If you have to dump dirt and rocks and sawdust and grub out of your pockets every day, and habitually drop your phone or use it in nasty environments plugged into the work radio, you need as tough as tough gets.
If you're working in an office, on the road, or just aren't in construction or drilling or something, the Lifeproof looks like it'd do the job and not make a nuisance of itself like the Defender.

I've been using Otterbox everything since my first iPhone and iPad, and they look brand spankin new when I'm done with them. Never broke one, cracked a screen, or so much as scratched or chipped one. That's hard to beat.