RadTech has been using its Optex Super80 fabric material as the basis for cases and sleeves for iPods and Macs for years; RadSleevz for iPad mini ($20) is its most recent addition to the lineup. The construction is just about as simple as it gets, but RadSleevz offers a slim and affordable way to protect an otherwise bare iPad. It comes in gray, fuchsia, indigo, green, grape, and black.
The sleeve is nothing more than a sheet of the stretchy, form-fitting fabric folded in on itself and sewn together along the top and bottom edges.
It’s soft, and can be used as a cleaning cloth when not protecting your iPad. In its natural state, RadSleevz is a slightly smaller than the tablet, but it easily stretches to properly fit the shape as you insert the device through the open edge. Although RadTech says the sleeve is compatible with Apple’s Smart Cover, and there’s enough give to allow it to fit, we found that the lid made insertion more difficult.
The polyurethane doesn’t slide smoothly against the Optex Super80, causing the Smart Cover to bunch up. It works, but it’s kind of a pain.
If you’re looking for no-frills protection, and prefer to have an iPad mini without a case to one with, RadSleevz is for you.
