I have found that while the new defender is less protective due to the large openings, I will say this it is a lot better as a day to day case than it used to be.
It feels slightly lighter, has a better overall fit due to the felt being gone inside, and the rubber on the outside is very stiff now. You can use it without the clip now and not worry about it peeling away or coming off the plastic shell.
I use the Mophie Juice Pack plus most days, but when I am not going to need the extra juice, my phone is now in the Defender. I used to use a Candyshell over the commuter since I hate the silicone as a day to day case.
While the Defender is overkill for that type of use, your phone will be protected and it feels like a normal case with an integrated screen protector. For true protection in a harsh environment the Survivor is the way to go, but for a normal person the Defender can be used daily. To me, it is a better choice than the commuter now since you can get a new Defender on Amazon for roughly the same price as a commuter and it really isn't that much bigger.
