[mr.squonk]

First post, long time lurker...

Initially, I bought the Seidio slim case (front and back)...Used it for a month or so, I just didn't like the fact that it somewhat "spreads" out both sides of the Mogul, and I was afraid that over time it would wear out the slide out keyboard. Looked online, and bought the standard aluminum case. I agree that it can be a bit cumbersome to open and close, but it's all about the protection of the phone. For basic use, it's great, as you can access most of the phone's functionality without using the touchscreen. At this point, the cover is a bit scratched up, luckily, 20 bucks is not a big deal if it has to be replaced. The nice thing is that it will take a lot of abuse, and not a big deal to throw it into your pocket with your ipod or keys. Trust me, I am probably the most OCD person you could know, and I am never worried about it scratching. Until something better is made available, my vote is for the metal case.

Hope this helps.