Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

I think I finally found the case I have been looking for. I'm going to order this and when I get it I'll post my own review here.

EDIT: Full review is HERE on page 2

Fishbone case for epic..best case hands down w/pics - xda-developers

Here is the direct link to Amazon.com

Amazon.com: Red/Black Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Phone Cover Protector Case for Samsung Epic 4G (Galaxy S): Cell Phones & Accessories

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/4327/fishbone1.jpg
http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/899/fishbone4.jpg

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

nice find, look forward to review.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

Just ordered the black on black case. Will have a review up in a week or 2 once it gets here.....

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

I just bought one too, mine shipped today so hopefully I have it soon. I found a review on xda that prompted me to buy it, so look here if you guys want a review for the red one.

Fishbone case for epic..best case hands down w/pics - xda-developers

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

Looks really cool. I'm almost sold and I'll be waiting for reviews also.

After you get it, can you guys comment on how much bulk it adds. My Epic just barely fits in my beltbag's phone pocket.

Also on this issue, reported twice on XDA: "Im having a problem with the middle clip staying attatched. It either keeps popping off. Even once i get it to stay on it will pop off a minute later when I dont even touch the thing. Its starting to become annoying."

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

I'll write a thorough review once I get it, and then I'll update it over time to let everyone know how it holds up.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

best looking case i have seen to date. too bad i have a seidio case already. :( maybe i can sell it to get this :)

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

Just got mine yesterday. It looks just as awesome as in the pictures, and it feels great in your hand. However, as others have noted in the xda thread, the middle tabs on this thing don't latch on. Like if I get one side to latch on, the other one comes off.

Everything is working fine, and it got here in about three business days. As for what I'm going to do with this, I might just end up buying a Seidio Active-X case, and sending this back for a refund.

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (Android; Opera Mini/5.1.22460/22.387; U; en) Presto/2.5.25 Version/10.54)

Case arrived in the mail yesterday. I don't have time to write a full review right now...I'll do it in the morning but I can tell you that my initial impression is not all that great. Its a pain I'm the ass to put on and the tabs keep popping off. It has some good points and I'll cover them, but all in all I think this might be going back.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

Nothing can be worse than this!!! http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/sprint-epi...cone-case.html

Huge mistake buying it lol.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

Lol! I remember when you posted that. That thing was horrible! Actually this case looks really nice and has some great features. It just won't stay put. I'll have a complete review for you on the morning.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

Thanks, looking forward to it.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

OK, as promised here is the complete review of this case.

Design –

The combination of silicone and hard plastic is an excellent design. There is an inner silicone cover that is held in place by an outer “fishbone” cover. Each has a specific purpose and the combination makes for a unique and stylish look. Cutouts for the cameras, speaker and light sensor are perfectly aligned, and the top is open for easy access to the charging port and headphone jack. The bezel that goes around the screen allows for smooth action opening and closing the keyboard.

Construction-

The materials used to make this case appear to be of very high quality. The inner silicone cover is soft and supple yet thick enough to add a layer of protection against a drop. The hard plastic fishbone part that holds the silicone in place has a rubberized coating that makes it match the silicone part, adds a nice soft feel and gives it a little traction so when you set it on the center console of your car it won’t slide around.

Function-

The inner silicone portion has buttons that align with the power, camera and volume buttons on the phone and they operate perfectly. One of the drawbacks I have found in typical hard cases is that they leave a hole for access to the buttons. This leaves them recessed from the case and a little difficult to find and press at times. This design is exactly the opposite. With the incorporation of buttons into the inner silicone cover, the buttons are now easier to find and use than any other case. In fact, it is easier to operate the buttons on the phone with this case than it is without it.


Overall, this is a stylish, extremely functional case that actually improves the operation of the phone. This is, without a doubt, the best case I have seen yet for the Epic.

**EDIT** Try taking the stock battery cover off and then put this case on. It fits much better, and makes it thinner than with the battery cover on. I think this is how it was meant to be used. I added a few new pics that show what it looks like without the rear cover.

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/5457/fishbone8.jpghttp://img695.imageshack.us/img695/8670/fishbone9.jpg
http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/1994/fishbone3.jpg
http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/4...earcover1a.jpg
http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/7...earcover2a.jpg
http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/6...earcover3a.jpg
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/4606/fishbone7.jpg
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/6366/fishbone6.jpg
http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/9404/fishbone5.jpg

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

Same exact issues as me. I contacted the guy and told him, he was very responsive and said that they'd send me a replacement, but I told them about the others who were having the same issue as me. I hope he gets back to me soon.

I think I'm just going to have to spend the extra money and buy the Seidio.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

updated review....added pics.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

Thanks for the review. When you get your replacement, please let me know if it's any better of if it's the same thing because I like the design of this case. Btw, how much thickness does it add?

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

It doesn't add any more bulk than any other hard case, which I found surprising since the case is in 2 parts.

BTW I might have figured out how to make this work. One side kept popping off no matter how hard I trtied to clip it on. So I unhooked it from the other side, and this let me wiggle it around so I could clip on the tabs on the side that woudn't stay on. Then I clipped the side that was staying on back in place and the whole thing seems to be staying in place. I'll update this in a day or two and let you know how its going. I really really really like this case, so I hope this works because I want to keep it.

EDIT: I just got off the phone with their customer service and they were very helpful. They are sending me a new case and a prepaid envelope to send the other one back. I'll update this when I get the new case.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

I have the same case for my Epic but with White plastic on black rubber/gel, and the only issue i guess I have with it is that the middle clip on the side with the power button and the camera button will not stay on, but I also don't mind as the entire case stays on the device the entire time. I am still a tech for Sprint, so I'm kinda almost always using my phone and making sure it's durable enough to deal with me. ](*,) lol. But I take this case off once maybe twice each day to swap out the battery when it gets low to my spare thats charged, and the case does not get in the way or slow down the battery swap at all. :mrgreen: All in all, I would say it's paid for itself considering how rough I am on my phones on a day-to-day basis.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

Wow that is REALLY Nice... it beats the heck out that platinum case I bought from Best Buy designer wise. But I wonder if it'll fit in the same holster I bought with it.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

I just received my black/black case today. Originally I thought i was stuck with a "bad" case like everyone else, but, following some advice i read on xda i believe, i clipped the power button side clips first, then opened the phone to clip the last 3 clips on the volume button side. Everything feels solid, even with some fingering at the clips. Will update if anything changes.

I was amazed at how little bulk this added to the phone.

Considering the cost (anywhere from 8-12$ on amazon) this case is excellent. I would pay 30$ for the quality. It really looks and feels great.

EDIT: Did anyone else notice the prices of these fishbone cases varying wildly from day to day?

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

I was playing around with it today and you can bend the fishbone outer shell. I think I'll experiment with bending this one and when I get the new one I'll know how to make it fit. I think this one could be a winner if I can just get it to stay on!!!

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

I love my Seidio Active X

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

Hey! How much thickness does the Active-X add to the phone?

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

Im gonna guess its a good 4mm?

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

oh that's not bad at all. I think I'm going to pick one up. The only thing is though, I wish the other colors were out. I want that blue one...haha.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

I just got my replacement Fishbone case in the mail. Looks like a lot of the problems I was having was a manufacturer's defect in the original case. This one clipped right on with no problems and seems to be holding up just fine. I'll come back after I've carried it around in my pocket for a day and update the original review as needed. So far I'm very happy.:cheers:

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

Yep, looks like the first one I got was a lemon. The second one works like a charm. I now officially love this case. I'm going to update the review on page 2.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

OK, I went back to the xda thread posted in the OP and someone there had the brilliant idea to remove the stock rear cover and then put this case on. It fits 100% better and absolutely does not come off. I think this is actually how it was designed to work. It aldo makes it a little thinner and fits flush to the camera. Try it out and post what you think. I'm going to leave it like this for awhile and see if there are any issues.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

On removing the stock back: Johnny Bravo, let us know if you accumulate pocket dust in undesirable areas. I would hate to get a whole bunch of that junk in the internal workings of the phone, inside the sd slot, or through those mysterious external antennae ports. As it is, this case (as well as others) seem to have that knack of collecting loads of dust in the cracks and crevices. Or maybe I just have dusty pockets.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

I will check it every day and in a few days I'll come back here and post what I find. So far to day it has been in and out of the pocket of my jeans all day and I just opened it up and its clean as a whistle.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

Posted new pics of the case without the stock rear cover underneath. See full review on Page 2.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

OK this is the last time I am going to post anything about this case. I have been using it for over a week now as a replacement for the stock rear cover and I am pleased to report that it works flawlessly. The fit and finish when used in place of the rear cover instead of over it are perfect. And I have checked every day for lint/dust under the case around the battery and the sd card and there is no build up at all. Two thumbs up! :thumbleft::thumbright:

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

You guys still using this case?

It's just a little over $10 on Amazon now. It's better than the $24 I spent at Best Buy for their case.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

Hell yeah! I love this thing. I use the back cover in place of the stock battery cover rather than over top of it and it fits like a glove.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

Great.
Just ordered the black case off Amazon for $10.08 with shipping. I'll just return my BB case then.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

I bought Something similar for my TP2 and I found that over time the clips that hug the phone break because they are only plastic and very small. It breaks faster the more you remove them. because you have to basically pry it open

maybe lasted only 45 days or so!

Is the same true with yours.

I just seen youve been using it for about a week. I would have sworn by it too. Wait a few more weeks.

I also removed the back cover on my TP2 and it also worked like a charm.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

I have had this case for more than 5 months now and I still love it. No complaints at all. You do have to remove the stock rear cover to get it to fit properly, but it has not broken and still works as well as the day I bought it. I know what you mean about the tabs breaking off - the stock Sprint case did that to me twice - but this one is so flexible and the clips are so easy to take off that it doesn't need near as much force to remove it. Mine still works great and I have no plans on getting rid of it.

Also, someone asked me awhile back about lint buildup inside the phone since I removed the stock rear cover. No lint buildup at all.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

what seller on amazon did you buy it from.

Ill trust your review and pick it up. But I want your seller because at one point you said they sold you a lemon then replaced it free of charge.

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

Here is the link to the seller on Amazon. And yes, the first one I got was a little damaged and they sent me a new one free of charge.

Amazon.com: Black/Black Fishbone Hybrid Phone Cover Protector Case for Samsung Epic 4G (Galaxy S): Cell Phones & Accessories

Re: Fishbone Hybrid Hard/Gel Case
 

I remember back in the day when I got a PPC6700 on ebay and it was a little damaged and they sent me a new one free of charge..and let me keep the slightly damaged one...those are awesome :)