The Oberon Large eReader Sleeve Case Review

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When I took the Oberon eReader Sleeve out of its packaging, Sarah exclaimed: “That’s not a case, it’s a work of art!” It is a work of art, but it’s also a very functional sleeve case that fits Kindle 2s, NOOKcolors, NOOKs, and any similarly sized eBook readers.

From Oberon Designs:

For those that like to use their E Reader without a cover, we’ve designed the Oberon E Reader Sleeve with extreme portability in mind.

Lighter and thinner than our E Reader Corner Cover, our sleeve fits easily into a purse, backpack or briefcase. Our sleeve is leather lined and our magnet closure ensures the security of your device

We designed our sleeve so that the magnetized strap is on the front of the cover and our signature Britannia pewter strap aattachment is on the back to avoid any potential scratching of the E Reader screen. All of our sleeves feature imagery on both the front and back of the cover.

Our Large E Reader sleeve measures 6.125 X 9 inches and weighs 5.4 oz.

I was given a choice of their designs to review, and I opted for the “Hokusai Wave” design. While the sleeve is simple, the artwork is incredibly intricate. There seems to be a new detail every time I look it over! My personal favorite touch is that the pewter strap attachment matches the wave design of the case. It’s subtle, but it really helps the pewter become part of the design, instead of a necessary but boring strap holder.

No matter how pretty a case is, the most important part is how it functions. The Oberon case is made from thick leather, and I have no concerns about carrying my NOOKcolor in it. While the case isn’t bulky, the leather is tough enough to withstand the usual bumps and pointy items in my everyday bag. I’ve been testing the case for two weeks, and it looks untouched. Judging from the overall feel of the material, I have no doubts that it could take quite a beating and still look flawless, though I wasn’t about to attack it to find out for sure! The inside is just plain leather, but it is smooth and free of any seams or edges that could snag or scratch a device.

Oberon is right on about the fit. The eReader sleeve fits my NOOKcolor perfectly. There’s no excess space, yet it doesn’t feel overly tight either. I tried putting my Kindle 3 in the case, and while it would work in a pinch, the K3 is too small for the large case and has around an inch or so of excess space on top. The strap would hold it down, but it would slide around quite a bit. While I don’t have any other ebook readers handy to test at the moment, I’d guess that the original Kobo Reader would probably fit fine in this case, but the newer Kobo Touch might be too small. Same with the new NOOK Touch versus the NOOK 3G and WiFi versions.

This is a slipcase, so you do need to remove your device to use it. Oberon offers a series of book-style cases if you prefer to keep your case on your device while you use it. Personally, I like slipcases, since you get the protection of a case but also are able to enjoy your device unencumbered while you use it. As I’ve commented before, the NOOKcolor is a hefty and dense tablet; this case protects it without adding weight while you are reading. At first glance, it’s a bit pricey at $60, but when you consider the intricacy of the design and that these cases are handmade to order, it’s a bargain.

You can check out all the designs and styles of the Large eReader Sleeve on their site.

MSRP: $60.00.

What I like: Quality leather; Gorgeous intricate design; Fits NOOKcolor perfectly

What Needs Improvement: Nothing, works and functions exactly as described

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About the Author

Zek
Zek has been a gadget fiend for a long time, going back to their first PDA (a Palm M100). They quickly went from researching what PDA to buy to following tech news closely and keeping up with the latest and greatest stuff. They love writing about ebooks because they combine their two favorite activities; reading anything and everything, and talking about fun new tech toys. What could be better?