Along with a pair of iPhone cases, Vaja’s Premium Leather Sleeve ($110-$130) recently made its way to our offices. Made to fit both the iPad 2 and the third-generation iPad, it’s an extremely simple sleeve made of the company’s typically high quality, supple leather. Made from front and back pieces of leather that come together to form an open-topped pocket, the Sleeve’s front is slightly reinforced to maintain its shape, with microfiber and embossed leather on the inside to protect the tablet.
Unlike most of Vaja’s cases, this one currently only comes in a handful of color combinations for the $110 price, while customizable versions go for $130 — both prices high enough to limit its appeal.
Leather aside, there’s very little to distinguish this sleeve from many others that are available at lower prices; the design depends on the leather to really make an impact, which it can with the right colors. Unlike rivals, Vaja advertises the sleeve as supporting iPads protected by Smart Covers as well as bare devices, although we found that inserting a covered iPad takes a little bit more work: the Smart Cover tends to bunch up and pull away from the tablet unless it’s held just so as it’s being inserted.
If the Sleeve was something more than two leather halves sewn together, but rather was designed with fully reinforced edges, this would likely not be an issue, and it would also eliminate the bulging effect that we saw. For the sky-high price, a case like this needs more than just intriguing materials, and as such, we can’t readily recommend Premium Leather Sleeve over the multitude of alternatives. Only consider it if you’re absolutely in love with colored leathers and willing to pay a lot of cash to wrap your iPad in them part of the time.
Our Rating
Company and Price
Company: Vaja
Website: www.Vajacases.com
Model: Premium Leather Sleeve
Price: $110-$130
Compatible: iPad 2/iPad (3rd-Gen)
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