Review: Incase Leather Folio for iPhone

Holster cases are often the choice of those who need to be able to get at their phone at a moment’s notice. Incase’s $40 Leather Folio for iPhone is a horizontally-oriented holster case for your iPhone, and while it may not be the quickest draw on the block, it’s still a pretty nice case.

Available in both brown and black, the Leather Folio is—unsurprisingly—made primarily of leather; Nappa leather, to be precise. The top flap of the case is covered with washed canvas (on the brown model) or ballistic nylon (on the black model), and the interior is lined with suede to prevent the case from scratching your iPhone’s exterior. Two small, Velcro fasteners keep the case securely closed. The case has very few openings: the sides are held together with small, stitched straps of leather, but they’re arranged to leave the speaker, microphone, and headphone jack accessible no matter which way you put the phone in the case. You can get to the Sleep/Wake button as well, though it’s sometimes partially obscured by one of the straps. (This design also makes it a bit too easy to hit the Sleep/Wake button by accident, especially when you’re removing the phone from the case—for example, when you’re answering the phone.) There’s also a notch at the bottom to let you push the phone out of the case easily, and the back features a solidly-attached belt clip. On the other hand, you won’t be able to get to the phone’s volume controls or ringer switch when it’s in the case.

There are similar cases out there, and while the Incase version is a bit on the more-expensive side, I appreciate the attention given to accessibility. The case is also well-made: the leather is pleasant to the touch, the Velcro works well, and the belt clip is sturdy. The leather is also thick enough, and padded enough, to keep the iPhone from coming to harm if you accidentally drop it while in the case, although the opening on the bottom does mean there’s the possibility, though small, for the exposed part of the iPhone to be scratched.

Overall, the Leather Folio is an excellent case for those looking for a simple, elegant, leather holster. Of course, if you prefer a vertical orientation, you’ll want to look elsewhere. And, like all holsters, the Folio keeps the iPhone safe only when the phone is in the case, so if you’re looking for a more permanent form of protection, holster cases probably aren’t what you want.

Category: Reviews

Posted by Dan Moren on Dec 20 2007, 3:00 PM ET

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