How do you protect your DS/3DS?

[Melyora]

Hi everyone!

I'm just curious on how everyone protects their consoles =) I know that when I decided to get a 3DSXL, I wanted to keep it reeaaaal safe. I know myself, I can be real clumsy, plus I got a young nice (at that time 4,5 years old) who would love to play with it, and I let her occasionally under my own supervision, but still...

I had a Bigben wallet-form case for my normal DS, and that played quite well, and I never put the thing in my pocket so the size didn't matter.
But since the 3DSXL is so much bigger in size, I wanted something with less bulk.
After long consideration and reading endless reviews I decided on a Hori TPU case (blue, since by 3DSXL is the standard blue). I am really happy with it. Their is not much bulk added and it's comfortable in my hand. Only the shoulders are not really protected, but I'm really careful when handling my 3DSXL so I think this is not a problem.

I also have the Hori screen protecters (bottom and top) and they are perfect as well. I sometimes don't bother to take my DS pencil to make a quick tap on the bottom screen and they protect it against my nails.

For traveling in my backpack I made my own little 'case', or sock, or whatever, to give it some extra protection. I made it from an old jeans of mine I integrated the pockets of my jeans as well, so if I go to travel I can still stick on or two extra cartridges with me.
Here's some pics of it:

So how do you protect you 3DS? What do you like about and what are your main reasons for it? I'm curious to see what kind of different protections everyone uses, or if you use none at all =D

 

[debinoresu]

none lmao I let it run free in the nude

so far I havent broken anything so knock on wood

 

[jolokia]

"protect"?

...OK, I'd better not make a one-word post in case the mods visit wrath upon me... so I'll qualify this by saying my old DS got a little carry-bag thing but the 3DS just gets put wherever. If I go out I stuff it in my pocket. They're second hand anyway so they weren't exactly mint when I got them, but they haven't broken yet despite my neglectful handling.

(On the subject of console hardiness, a 3DS is nothing compared to the old brick Game Boy, which was made of Nintendium, the toughest substance known to man. One of those notoriously survived being firebombed in the first Gulf War. I dropped mine six feet onto concrete once and it was fine.)

 

[milktea]

^on that nintendium thing, i can't find it but i know there was an article that featured the 3DS and explained that Nintendo makes its products very durable (i.e., nintendium) including the 3DS because they do expect that everyone's just human and humans mess up all the time--and they believe they don't need to mention it as a special feature or anything because it should be like that for everything anyways. No additional fees for a product that doesn't break easily. They have a point.

tl;dr: thank you nintendo and nintendium 3ds very strong im very happy

anyways i did buy my 3ds XL those hard case things??
(like this but red)

but it's so bulky and the 3DS XL is already so big so I don't put my 3DS in it anymore. 3DS is fine janglin around in my bag though it'll live.

 

[Noel]

I don't pfft. I just leave it bare and if it gets scratched and all then I'll just move onto my sibling's 3DS's.

 

[Sanaki]

I just don't drop it.. lol

 

[Melyora]

Hahaha, I also try not to drop it, but I know that I am clumsy by nature, and my sister is even worse (don't get my started about my older niece, she trips over smooth, flat floors).

I don't have deep pockets in my jeans, so I prefer carrying it in my bag, together with all other stuff I need to take (keys, laptop, etc, and groceries whenever I go the the supermarket on my way back home) so there's lots of stuff it can scratch against, or get pressure.

And I used like almost all of my money at that time to buy it, brand new and such so I just want it to be safe and not damage it as long as possible XD

I'm actually surprised on how many reactions already say you don't use any cases or so. I tried asking this somewhere else and there actually a lot of people used cases (50/50 something).

 

[puppy]

nothing. i dont actually move enough during the day to do it much harm.

 

[Rinny_]

I have a Pikachu related case from EBay, but I also use the bog-standard black case from game when I'm out and about!

Spoiler: Pikachu Case

Spoiler: Game case

 

[Chromie]

I use this case for my Zelda XL. I love it. Its soft so it won't leave any marks and incredibly to remove which I like to do once every several weeks to get rid of dust and the like. I also have some screen protectors.

The case is very cheap and I definitely suggest buying one.
Hell the HORI screen protectors are the best just because of how easy they are to install.

 

[Reaper_Flower]

I just wipe it down with lcd screen cleaner every few days and when I take it out, I have a soft cased 3ds holder for it ( part of a big game case ), I dropped the poor thing so many times. Only the styluses get beaten up for me lol I did buy screen protectors but I bought the wrong size and didn't realize, derp

 

[Mario3DWorld777]

I upgraded to a 3DSXL back in January, and I have a hard case that stores it and 6 games.

I don't have screen protectors for it yet though. I'll get some eventually.

 

[aetherene]

I don't use a protector on my 3ds but I should. I really want one of the clear cases because my 3ds is the Animal Crossing limited edition one and I wanna still see the design on it.

 

[Gracelia]

I have a clear case on it and screen protectors. Always!

 

[estypest]

I don't protect or look after my 3DS at all .. I've dropped it a few times/fell out of pocket and shoved it in my bag with whatever else is in there. It's funny as I kept the box and everything as I thought just in case I want to sell it on in the future (it's the gold Zelda link between worlds edition, though not sure if it'd appreciate much ahah) then I realised that was pointless as my 3DS has a scuff on it now and is a bit grubby. Heyho why'd I want to ever sell it anyway !

 

[Improv]

I use this case for my Zelda XL. I love it. Its soft so it won't leave any marks and incredibly to remove which I like to do once every several weeks to get rid of dust and the like. I also have some screen protectors.

The case is very cheap and I definitely suggest buying one.
Hell the HORI screen protectors are the best just because of how easy they are to install.

i think i have the same case on mine! i take my bottom one off and wash it every now and then as it does gather up some dust and stuff

 

[a potato]

WELL I have about 8 cases, but never use any of them.
#rebellious

 

[Libra]

I never take it with me, because as much as I love my 3DS XL, I find it's too heavy to carry it with me while commuting. The screen isn't protected and so far I've cleaned it only once. When I'm not using it, I keep it in this (not that I'm a fan of Mario, but it was the cheapest I could find when I ordered my 3DS XL). And when I'm playing, I don't use anything to protect it, since I trust myself not to drop it. Though I have dropped it once, but other than that the cartridge had popped out, there was no damage or anything.

 

[Bui]

I bought a Pokemon X and Y system case for my 3DS XL, but I somehow ended up using it for my DS lite instead. Since the case is way too big to carry in my pocket, whenever I go anywhere with my 3DS, I just put it back in the little sleeve it came in when I bought it. It works perfectly fine, although one of the ones I use is getting a bit worn out now.

 

[Liseli]

I /think/ I dropped my 3DS at least five times on the same day and no damage happened to it: Other than the back can be picked off, and the screen's wobbling. I /think/ I might need a protection plan for it owo. I typically keep it in my purse during school (Those StreetPasses doe), but sometimes I let it run in the nude.