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Will a silicone case cook my phone.

I am curious to know how well the silicone cases conduct heat and have they caused anyone here problems.
I ask because when I use mobile hotspot function the phone can get pretty warm and since the charge has a plastic battery door unlike my previous phone the Samsung captivate which had a metal door the charge will have two barriers to heat dissipation.
Sent from my NookColor using XDA Premium App

i have the incipio sylicrylic case (silicone + plastic cover) and while i never tether, i've used data intensive apps like netflix and it does make the phone a little warm; however, it feels about the same temperature that it would normally feel if I didn't have a case on it and was watching netflix. Therefore, I don't think a silicone case would cook your phone.

I've used the basic silicone case from Verizon for a few weeks now and haven't had any issues

I've had the Otterbox and Trident on mine. No excessive heat issues with either.
One of the women at work has a pink silicon case on her Charge, and she had one instance of the phone getting extremely hot while charging. Only happened once and hasn't happened since.

A silicone case will not cook your phone. There's a reason so many cases use the material.

Falcyn said:
A silicone case will not cook your phone. There's a reason so many cases use the material.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Believe the reason so many cases use silicone is because it an excellent shock absorber and it economical. But silicone is also an excellent insulator hence silicone oven mitts. Admittedly I don't know if the chemical composition of the silicone oven mitts and the phone cases are the same.
I must also admit that the Droid Charge doesn't get quite as hot as my Samsung Captivate would get after an hour of tethering.

Best cheap case for Desire S?

Now that i have no money left for the barely there case thanks to the hp touchpad i was wondering which case is the best to protect my phone. I want something under £5 just to protect the phone but if possible to also not add a lot of bulk to the phone. I've seen quite a few and the one which interested me the most was this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brand-ACCES...K7YC7MS70Y6X&s=generic&qid=1314372997&sr=1-26
It was my choice to go against the case mate when i had the money as well. Has anyone got any better suggestions or any reviews on this case?
Thanks

I use TPU cases for my phones. They are very affordable, provide proper shock protection and the ones I've purchased has an elevated frame which protects the display when the phone is placed face down on an even surface.
I use this case for my DSS: http://www.ebay.com/itm/280693499125

Avoid those hybrid cases. They come in two parts which clip together. They use 4 very flimsy clips, which pop open when your phone hits the floor! Luckily I found this out on a carpeted floor. Had I been outside....
Sent from my HTC Desire S using xda premium

I have tried a couple of cheap rubber/silicon cases and find they add alot of bulk to the lovely slim case design. I currently have a (search Ebay for)
"BLACK MESH HARD CASE COVER SKIN For HTC Desire S" £1.85 and a very close fit. It also makes the phone a little less slippery. I think it is nicer than the £8.99 Barely there.
B

basill said:
I have tried a couple of cheap rubber/silicon cases and find they add alot of bulk to the lovely slim case design. I currently have a (search Ebay for)
"BLACK MESH HARD CASE COVER SKIN For HTC Desire S" £1.85 and a very close fit. It also makes the phone a little less slippery. I think it is nicer than the £8.99 Barely there.
B
Click to expand...
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Thanks for the tip.
Does it stay very well and is dust not a problem in the holes?

dloulou said:
Thanks for the tip.
Does it stay very well and is dust not a problem in the holes?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It clips on nicely and is not at all likely to come off accidentally. The cutouts for the camera, flash and mic are also very accurately placed.
As for dust it depends how dusty your pockets are
When I do take the case off I can just see a tiny dust spot where each hole was, but this easily wipes off and is not a problem for me. I think the benefit of better grip from the holes outweighs the dust spots.
The only negative is the same as for the Barely there, they don`t offer the same impact protection as more bulky cases.
For the price it is excellent, I keep my bouncy silicon case for days when more protection might be useful, camping trips for instance.
B

basill said:
It clips on nicely and is not at all likely to come off accidentally. The cutouts for the camera, flash and mic are also very accurately placed.
As for dust it depends how dusty your pockets are
When I do take the case off I can just see a tiny dust spot where each hole was, but this easily wipes off and is not a problem for me. I think the benefit of better grip from the holes outweighs the dust spots.
The only negative is the same as for the Barely there, they don`t offer the same impact protection as more bulky cases.
For the price it is excellent, I keep my bouncy silicon case for days when more protection might be useful, camping trips for instance.
B
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Click to collapse
Thanks, the problem with the more bulky cases is that the wifi and gps signal drops a lot (at least with my ds).

Case for a contractor ?

I think I'm about to inherit my wife's Nexus 4 since I'm giving her BB Z10 to try out and I need some sort of case.
I'm a contractor so I need some kind of case/pouch with clip on to my belt that would keep my phone secure.
I have Iphone 3 and use otterbox defender and I hated the case ever since I got it, bulky and looks like I'm carrying a satellite phone
Any recommendations ?

Mybat is your best bet. Its bulky, but bulky provides good protectiin
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

I got a seidio active today and I'm happy with it. I'm a glazier and I work new commercial buildings, etc. Its tough enough.

The Seido cases seem like the only ones I can find with good phone protection and a hard shell covering the screen, which is exactly what I want. I especially like the Convert model. I can't speak for bulkiness, but that is not a priority for me. Unfortunately they are just way too expensive; $70 for a piece of plastic....come on. I am surprised that someone has not come out with a cheap knockoff, but then again the availability of accessories for the Nexus 4 is pretty pitiful. I ordered a poorly rated Amzer case in the meantime just to have hard shell screen protection until a better case comes along.

The one thing missing the cases that are being sold by brand named companies is rubber flaps could cause covering the headphone jack and the USB port to prevent dust or humidity from getting in there. There are only two cases that have this and they are both on ebay.
I have this one and it already saved by phone from a fall off my bike! They also have them in other colors, and you can't beat the price!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ALL-BLACK-R...846038?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item589d293716
This one right here appears to be the most heavy duty case I've seen for the Nexus 4, it even has a cover for the speaker! And again it's for an amazing price and a lot of color choices!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Deluxe-Rubb...6?pt=PDA_Accessories&var=&hash=item460d4a7818
Just because the case is made by a popular brand, it doesn't mean it's really that good, look at how many disappointed Otterbox user are there. For what is worth; these cases are worth a shot!
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Sparta507 said:
The one thing missing the cases that are being sold by brand named companies is rubber flaps could cause covering the headphone jack and the USB port to prevent dust or humidity from getting in there. There are only two cases that have this and they are both on ebay.
I have this one and it already saved by phone from a fall off my bike! They also have them in other colors, and you can't beat the price!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ALL-BLACK-R...846038?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item589d293716
This one right here appears to be the most heavy duty case I've seen for the Nexus 4, it even has a cover for the speaker! And again it's for an amazing price and a lot of color choices!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Deluxe-Rubb...6?pt=PDA_Accessories&var=&hash=item460d4a7818
Just because the case is made by a popular brand, it doesn't mean it's really that good, look at how many disappointed Otterbox user are there. For what is worth; these cases are worth a shot!
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like the first one you posted, the only thing is that I'm not sure if it will support wireless charging

I'm using a ballistic case. There isn't any covers over the ports, but I've dropped it several times and no issues have come of it.
I work in a kitchen and have slammed the back of the case into stainless steel tables on accident (screen is always towards my leg) with no issues.
It also works well with the charging orb. The back of the case helps the grip of the orb.
http://www.amazon.com/Ballistic-SG1...=1363462056&sr=1-1&keywords=nexus+4+ballistic

lifeisfun said:
I like the first one you posted, the only thing is that I'm not sure if it will support wireless charging
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This case does work with wireless charging on my orb. It may be a little sensitive with the height range ( the inductive ring is a little below center on the phone). It does work though and does not slide. This case really doesn't get enough credit for what it is. It's not as thick as it looks and isn't too bad with pocket lint.
That other case looks good, but I can't tell if it's a 2 piece design or just 1 piece. If it's one piece TPU I might be a little concerned with scratching up the chrome bezel with sharp corners. This case does appear to be a little too thick for wireless charging.

Sparta507 said:
The one thing missing the cases that are being sold by brand named companies is rubber flaps could cause covering the headphone jack and the USB port to prevent dust or humidity from getting in there. There are only two cases that have this and they are both on ebay.
I have this one and it already saved by phone from a fall off my bike! They also have them in other colors, and you can't beat the price!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ALL-BLACK-R...846038?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item589d293716
This one right here appears to be the most heavy duty case I've seen for the Nexus 4, it even has a cover for the speaker! And again it's for an amazing price and a lot of color choices!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Deluxe-Rubb...6?pt=PDA_Accessories&var=&hash=item460d4a7818
Just because the case is made by a popular brand, it doesn't mean it's really that good, look at how many disappointed Otterbox user are there. For what is worth; these cases are worth a shot!
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just bought the first case, I've never heard of it but looks perfect! Thank you
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

The first ebay case came today. Its the best case I have and it works with the orb. Also didn't know that there is a soft felt inside the belt holster where the screen would touch
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

jlear3 said:
The first ebay case came today. Its the best case I have and it works with the orb. Also didn't know that there is a soft felt inside the belt holster where the screen would touch
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
I didn't notice that; Is there is a hard plastic cover that protects the entire screen as part of the holster? If so, I would definitely pick one up.
Also, is the top and bottom of the phone protected as I see other cases where that is completely exposed?
Finally, I would appreciate it if you could give me the dimensions, especially the width as installed on the phone. I want to get the proper mount that has enough range to accept the width.
Thanks.

pjc123 said:
I didn't notice that; Is there is a hard plastic cover that protects the entire screen as part of the holster? If so, I would definitely pick one up.
Also, is the top and bottom of the phone protected as I see other cases where that is completely exposed?
Finally, I would appreciate it if you could give me the dimensions, especially the width as installed on the phone. I want to get the proper mount that has enough range to accept the width.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The case it 2.9 inches wide by 5.5 in tall by 0.65 in thick or 74 x 140 x 17 mm. And if I understand correctly the hard plastic corners do wrap around to the top and bottom slightly, but there is not exactly hard plastic in the middle of the top and bottom.
Just FYI, I messaged a seller about that second ebay case with the port covers and it's a one piece TPU so it probably isn't as nice of a fit or as shock absorbing. It also looks to be a little thicker on the back surface.

Yeah, the hard plastic only wraps around d to the front in six areas, all corners and in the middle on the sides. If you want some pictures let me know. The case is much slimmer than it appears and much less bulky then the mybat but at the same time it probably offers a little less protection because the mybat has hard plastic on the front.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Thanks tomhub389 and jlear3, I am going to order one.

I used a Seidio Active with the holster for my SGH-T989, Galaxy SII, and loved it. Add to it, while I was removing the phone from the case/skeleton I managed to break a corner off. I sent in a pic of the damage to Seidio and they sent me a brand new skeleton and soft shell at no charge with no questions asked. That's a damn good warranty if you ask me. Long story short, I have a Seidio Active on my Nexus 4 now. Also, they work with wireless charging.

pjc123 said:
Thanks tomhub389 and jlear3, I am going to order one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By the way, never reported back, but the case is exactly what I was looking for.

2 Suggestions
First case I got was a Ionic Guardian. It was $5 shipped, and very nice for the money. Some don't like the weird pattern on back, but I got this so if I drop it or something, it doesn't get hurt http://www.amazon.com/Ionic-GUARDIAN-Armor-Google-Nexus/dp/B00A06Z41E
Just ordered this one because it has the dust covers built in, and a kickstand. I hope to use this as the daily driver. The Ionic was amazing in quality for $5, and I hope this new one matches that quality: http://www.amazon.com/BoxWave-Resolute-OA3-Nexus-Case/dp/B000LGBZR0
The kickstand and slightly better looks are a bonus.

[Discussion] A full case really necessary? Bumper good enough?

This is the first phone I've owned where I ordered a case. My old phones (6800, Touch pro, touch pro 2, epic 4g... ) never really needed it as they had enough "plastic protection" (bulk) that dropping them didn't really cause much damage.
The more I think about it, the less it seems that a full case would really be necessary or beneficial. So my question, Is a case covering the back of the phone really necessary?
My thoughts on why its NOT:
Most (I would guess 99%) of drops end up hiting corners, not the front or back. Watch as many drop test videos as you want... how many of them drop flat on there back.... and out of those that drop flat on their back... how many land on a rock or something that pushes up past the rim (find one... I couldn't).
There isn't much need to protect on the back of the phone. If I were to drop my phone from head height and it landed flat on its back... on a rock... I would probably only crack the back cover.. which only costs like 3 bucks.
Protection from dirt... not. People like to say that a full back case would protect the phone from dirt. What they forget is that dirt will work its way into the case and small movements between the case and the phone will cause the phone to scratch on that dirt.
Doesn't really protect the camera. The only thing protecting the camera in the rim... which a bumper case has.
Also, I think a lot of the cases out there (the slim tpu cases, excluding the tech21 d30 case) probably don't provide much protection against screen cracking. Screen cracking seems to happen when you have a decent point load on the phone. More solid cases like aluminum bumpers, hard chell cases help distribute the point load to a larger surface area on the phone... causing less damage. Its like getting punched in the gut vs getting punched in the gut covered but a wood board. Either way your body still feels the full force of the blow, just one way the force is distributed over a larger area of your body.
Thoughts?

I had the same thought about the bumper and posted a thread asking for bumper recommendations here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2334648
What I got in response was mostly people ignoring my post and recommending different types of full case. I get the impression that most forum posters don't actually read posts before they reply but merely react to the title.
I agree with you about the bumper providing almost as much protection as a case but I think to keep the screen from cracking you need a soft bumper like TPU at least as an inner layer. If the phone lands on a corner with a hard bumper it will still have a lot of force concentrated in a small area will have no cushioning to dampen the impact.

It's not necessary, but it's still possible of something hitting the back case or the back case dropping onto something. You just need to outweigh the pros and cons yourself, then decide what to go with. If I was only worried about my phone being dropped, then I would get the bumper since I'm usually never in a environment with debris all over the ground. But I've had couple instances where things were dropped onto my phone. So I just buy a full case myself.

The necessity of having any case at all is dictated by your aversion to any inconvenience caused by a momentary ooops moment leading to a cracked screen or dented phone. Repair? Replace? I'd rather prevent my phone getting damaged in the first place.
Tapatalked via Galaxy S4 on Smart LTE

I think bumper/tpu cases in general are more for cosmetics and minor protection. And because of the chincy bezel on the s4, for example, ppl at work who like to put their phones glass side down. As well as protecting the camera and having a more flat back when using it on a desk/table. I myself own the neo hybrid and I don't think they offer any "REALLY GREAT" protection. Something in the middle would be the uag, which I think I will be ordering soon. It has the best of both worlds, IMO. And if you think ur gonna drop ur phone a lot for whatever reasons(clumsiness,blue collar work, or "you just never know"), I would go with a heavy duty full case for maximum protection from spiegen or otterbox.

reaeg said:
I had the same thought about the bumper and posted a thread asking for bumper recommendations here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2334648
What I got in response was mostly people ignoring my post and recommending different types of full case. I get the impression that most forum posters don't actually read posts before they reply but merely react to the title.
I agree with you about the bumper providing almost as much protection as a case but I think to keep the screen from cracking you need a soft bumper like TPU at least as an inner layer. If the phone lands on a corner with a hard bumper it will still have a lot of force concentrated in a small area will have no cushioning to dampen the impact.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ordered a couple (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=42676653&postcount=22) bumpers and should get them soon. I think bumpers aren't the "popular" thing so thats why you didn't get a very good bumper response.
As for tpu for inner layer, most of the aluminum bumpers provide a small tpu layer (very small)... but I don't think its really necessary. A rigid bumper like the aluminum ones will still distribute the force through the 2 sides of the phone if hit in the corner. Its just like my board on the stomach analogy in the OP. There is no soft layer between the wood board and your gut,,, but it doesn't hurt as bad because the load is spread out over a larger space.
The softer inner layer just help absorb the impact... to help not jar internals.
DKYang said:
It's not necessary, but it's still possible of something hitting the back case or the back case dropping onto something. You just need to outweigh the pros and cons yourself, then decide what to go with. If I was only worried about my phone being dropped, then I would get the bumper since I'm usually never in a environment with debris all over the ground. But I've had couple instances where things were dropped onto my phone. So I just buy a full case myself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't think about dropping something on my phone, ha. I've never done that. I guess that is a use case...
Every time I've ever dropped my phone, the corners get dinged... even my old old phones that took years of dropping, the front and backs look perfect... the corners look messed up.

The back is more prone to scratching than the front tbh, and I'd assume that having a rounded off flat back would cause less drops than a bumper with a lip on both sides
The poetic atmosphere case is pretty good, let's you see the back of the phone
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4 Beta

PoRco1x said:
The back is more prone to scratching than the front tbh,
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That could be... but does it matter... a new back cover is only a couple bucks, way cheaper than a pricey case . That said... I might bet an imitation neo hybrid... cause they make the phone look sweet.
My point of this thread is kinda questioning the untested idea that the whole case provides more protection than the open back.... from falls. You could probably argue that it doesn't based on the low probability of a back hit.

icevapor said:
A rigid bumper like the aluminum ones will still distribute the force through the 2 sides of the phone if hit in the corner.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a very good point.
Personally, I'd change the board analogy slightly. A dropped phone is more like strapping a board to yourself and running into something. In that case, having a layer of something soft between yourself and the board would be a nice bonus. I've always thought the ideal protection would be a rigid outer layer with a soft inner layer for exactly that reason; the outer layer distributes the impact over a large area and the inner layer absorbs that distributed impact.
Another concern I had with the aluminum bumpers was that you have metal directly against the screen which isn't ideal but I saw another user mention adding a layer of neoprene tape in between which could actually give that rigid outer layer, soft inner layer in a bumper that I've been after.
Please post your impressions when you get the bumpers. I'd be especially interested in hearing about the impact on signal performance. I've heard half say they decrease signal strength and half say there's no effect.
---------- Post added at 12:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:12 AM ----------
norml said:
I think bumper/tpu cases in general are more for cosmetics and minor protection. And because of the chincy bezel on the s4, for example, ppl at work who like to put their phones glass side down. As well as protecting the camera and having a more flat back when using it on a desk/table. I myself own the neo hybrid and I don't think they offer any "REALLY GREAT" protection. Something in the middle would be the uag, which I think I will be ordering soon. It has the best of both worlds, IMO. And if you think ur gonna drop ur phone a lot for whatever reasons(clumsiness,blue collar work, or "you just never know"), I would go with a heavy duty full case for maximum protection from spiegen or otterbox.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think a bumper could offer great drop protection if designed well. The heavy duty cases protect the screen with nothing more than a lip. The screen is the most breakable part of the phone so there's not much point in protecting the back more than the screen. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

There isn't really any point to make this thread. Its all personal opinions and choice if you want a bumper or full case.
Sent from my GT-I9505G using Tapatalk 2

reaeg said:
That's a very good point.
Personally, I'd change the board analogy slightly. A dropped phone is more like strapping a board to yourself and running into something. In that case, having a layer of something soft between yourself and the board would be a nice bonus. I've always thought the ideal protection would be a rigid outer layer with a soft inner layer for exactly that reason; the outer layer distributes the impact over a large area and the inner layer absorbs that distributed impact.
Another concern I had with the aluminum bumpers was that you have metal directly against the screen which isn't ideal but I saw another user mention adding a layer of neoprene tape in between which could actually give that rigid outer layer, soft inner layer in a bumper that I've been after.
Please post your impressions when you get the bumpers. I'd be especially interested in hearing about the impact on signal performance. I've heard half say they decrease signal strength and half say there's no effect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 2 bumpers I ordered look like they have a rubber/plastic barrier in between the aluminum and the phone. Some online show it, some don't.
I'll post infor when I get them.
Sent from my SPH-L720 using xda app-developers app

icevapor said:
So my question, Is a case covering the back of the phone really necessary?
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i had the same thought process as you. the back cover getting scratched is no big deal, because i can always get a replacement back cover for relatively cheap. the front isn't a concern due to a screen protector. what my biggest worry was the sides getting dinged or scratched. so after using slim cases, i figured i'd get a bumper case and see if liked it better. i bought the roocase from amazon and i liked it a lot (i got the white for my white S4). it looked SO much better in person, too. however, i wound up returning it because it made swiping annoying, because the lip was a little higher and it covered the screen just a little bit more than my slim cases. if that doesn't bother you, i would definitely check out the roocase (it's really cheap and it's free 2-day shipping with amazon prime). as for me, i'm going to maybe check out an aluminum bumper and see if that feels better.

icevapor said:
The 2 bumpers I ordered look like they have a rubber/plastic barrier in between the aluminum and the phone. Some online show it, some don't.
I'll post infor when I get them.
Sent from my SPH-L720 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alternative option of aluminum bumper for GS4 fabricated by DevilCase.
There is a video on their FB fan page. It seems like they just released bumpers for GS4 in few days ago, but can't find it at Amazon's marketplace yet.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Devilcase-Aluminum-Alloy-Bumper-Series/448520031891616
Some people discussed their bumpers for HTC One and had some reviews on its product. What do you guys think?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2316315&highlight=devilcase

Full back covers

Why would the case manufacturers leave the pins on the back exposed when the thickness of the case would prevent anything from attaching? Having a hard time finding ones with a fully covered back. You have to take the cover off anyways so might as well protect them from dirt and corrosion if your gonna use a case.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

gunkle said:
Why would the case manufacturers leave the pins on the back exposed when the thickness of the case would prevent anything from attaching? Having a hard time finding ones with a fully covered back. You have to take the cover off anyways so might as well protect them from dirt and corrosion if your gonna use a case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OtterBox is fully covered

Incipio level 4 is what I use and it covers the whole back. It's so tight I thought it was gonna break the phone when I was trying too put it in. I'm not sure that it would be a good one if you plan on using Mods a lot due to difficulty getting it on and off.
Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

I ordered a Cimo brand (Cimo grip premium slim protective case). In the picture it showed the pins exposed and I wasn't really thinking about it. (late night internet shopping)
When it came the back is one solid piece. I have a suspicion a bunch of the gel cases show the pins exposed in the photos. The pins are covered. It has a lot of grip and is very rubbery. It still makes the phone feel slim and if I want to use my battery mod it slips right off. It was only 7.98 with prime shipping.
I'm still deciding if I want to spend the money for an Otterbox Defender. I need a belt clip for work. I am hoping more and more manufacturers start putting out more cases.
Sent from my XT1650 using XDA Free mobile app

Does anyone know what material the Moto Z pins are made out of? I mean, as long as they use something that doesn't rust, like gold, I don't really see a problem with regular dirt and all.

Fairly certain they're gold. Or at least gold plated.

Full cover + possible to remove back and use mods
https://www.incipio.com/cases/smart...roid-cases/moto-z-droid-co-molded-bumper.html