Scott,
I agree with you on the Defender cases. I have one on each of our 2 iPads.
When I was at the airport, somehow they both fell out of my backpack onto the hard floor. They both survived without a scratch. They have taken a few other falls too. I don't have one on my iPhone because it would be too bulky to fit in my pocket, but with two kids, the iPads never leave their Otterbox case. The new Otterbox case does look a little better built than the previous iPad 2 case.
In fact, I'm pretty sure you're the one who sold me on the Otterbox cases.
I just like the look of the bamboo case.