CaseCrown Faux Suede Zip Sleeve Case In-Depth Review

Intended Use

This type of case is intended to be used primarily for protection while inside another bag – a backpack, messenger bag, etc. Typically for this type of case you want a combination of protection and compact size.

This case has a nice zipper opening and additional outside pocket, so it is also suitable for use as a hand-carry case for short trips to meetings, the coffee shop, etc.

First Impression

To be fair, I wasn’t expecting too much from this case. It wasn’t expensive, was available on day 1 of the iPad release, and was pretty much intended to be a stop-gap until the better stuff came along. So when I say that my first impression was that it met expectations, that’s a pretty luke-warm initial response.

I immediately saw that the size wasn’t a good match to the iPad, but other than that it seemed fairly well-made and was going to do the job.

Fit

The fit is the primary flaw with this case. It’s just way too big for the iPad. I’d bet that this was a case they either already had and just threw the iPad name on it.

While the height and width are way off, the thickness/depth isn’t as bad. However, for a case like this size matters – it should be no larger than it has to be. You aren’t going to be putting other things in the main area with the iPad, so it should be less thick and more form-fitting to the iPad.

Similarly, it should be about 2″ shorter and 3/4″ narrower to fit the iPad more naturally.

If you have a netbook and an iPad and want to share a case between them, this might be a good option for you. I’d guess that this fits most netbooks fairly well.

Material

The faux-suede outer material is a very nice choice for a case like this. It is comfortable in the hand and more importantly isn’t slick or slippery. It feels very secure as you hold it – no concerns about accidental droppage.

The interior material is a bright orange color and appears to be nylon or a similar synthetic material. There is a texture to the interior material that I feel is a bad choice to be right next to the iPad screen. When I brought the iPad out of the case I could see the pattern from the interior material on the iPad screen.

The bright color for the interior is a good choice in my opinion. It makes it much easier to see what is going on inside the case in lower light situations. You definitely don’t want to be putting your iPad screen against something that could scratch it while in the case.

Craftsmanship

This is a solidly made case. The stitching is consistent and edges feel smooth and even. The zipper pulls are smooth and true with no hesitation. There is enough material between the zipper and the interior of the case that there is no concern about the zipper rubbing against the iPad.

There are a few very minor inconsistencies in the trueness of the contrast stitching, but it’s something you have to be looking for to notice.

There is both a logo tag along the spine of the case and a screen printed logo on the bottom corner of the case. This is overkill and the screen-printed logo adds an aura of cheapness to the case.

Protection

The only area that the sub-optimal fit can be seen as a benefit is in protection. WIth additional material around it, I do feel like the iPad is better protected than it would be with a properly fit case. That said, that way the iPad can shift around inside the case makes it hard to predict where it is sitting at any one time (assuming gravity hasn’t had a single direction to tug on for a while).

The case certainly provides adequate protection given what you’d expect from a soft-sided case. Both sides have about an 1/8″ of padding that feels like it does the job adequately.

It doesn’t have a stiffener or hard-side to protect the screen of the iPad, and (as noted above) the interior material is a little harsher than I really liked for something I was going to put the screen next to every day.

Order Process

I ordered the case from Amazon and experienced the fantastic one-click order process I’ve come to expect from Amazon.

Delivery

Delivery was the normal Amazon shipping experience. The case was packaged in plastic inside the box and arrived in great condition. Nothing special to report about the packaging or included materials.

Value

I paid a total of $17.20 including shipping when I purchased this case, I think it was a pretty fair price for it. Yes, the fit isn’t right, but it works as a protection sleeve and is pretty well made.

However it is currently selling on Amazon for $34.20 (including shipping) – just about double what I paid! At that price, I definitely do not think it’s a good value.

Conclusion

While this is a reasonable case that will provide protection for your iPad,at the current asking price I’d look at other options.