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Over a year and a half ago Judie reviewed the Saddbleback Leather Company’s iPad sleeve. This is what she had to say:
There aren’t many materials that are more long-lasting, beautiful or more protective than thick, full grain leather; Saddleback Leather Company is one of the few companies who takes advantage of that fact.
And this was her conclusion-
The Saddleback iPad Sleeve is absolutely beautiful in its simplicity; it’s not pretentious, but it screams “quality”. The sleeve can be used to hold you iPad, but it can also be used to hold “receipts, cameras, papers, power supply and miscellaneous doo-dads.” probably the most amazing thing about th Saddleback Leather Company iPad Sleeve, beyond how nice it looks and how protective it is, is its 100 year warranty … seriously. On the Saddleback website they say, “If the this pouch falls apart sometime in the next 100 years, have your great grandchildren talk to my great grandchildren and we’ll send you a new one.”
That’s hard to beat!
What I Like: The quality and thickness of the leather; the perfect precision of the double stitched rows; the protective shell formed around your iPad when it is in this sleeve
What Needs Improvement: The logo is a bit larger than I prefer
The company was kind enough to send one of their MacBook air sleeves for review. It fits my 13″ MacBook air and I have been using it for the last week and a half. Let’s take a closer look.
Here’s what the company has to say about it:
Provides superior protection against bumps and butter fingers
Beautifully wedge-shaped, just like the Air itself
ONE piece of full grain leather, folded in half
Stitched along side and bottom with ONE strand of continuous-filament, polyester thread
Like the iPad sleeve Judie reviewed, the MacBook air sleeve is “absolutely beautiful in its simplicity”. It makes a bold statement without the oft-found bling so many designs employ when seeking to make stand out. The leather is rich, the stitching is bold and the Saddleback signature logo, while a bit larger than I might choose, adds to the appeal.
As you can see from this promotional shot, the MBA fits inside perfectly. The sleeve is made from a single piece of leather that is folded over and sewn together. The result is a pocket that is a bit thicker on one side and narrower on the other and mimics the shape of the MBA to a “T”.
The company notes that the sleeve is “as sleek and streamlined as the laptop inside” and, while this is true, the sleeve is also there for protection. And protect it does. The fold is “neoprene-enforced” for extra protection and to ensure that the notebook is protected from accidental knocks. And the inside is lined with pigskin for strength. (It is the second-strongest leather after Kangaroo leather.)
The sleeve is available in four colors that are dyed in such a manner that it won’t bleed onto clothes or other fabrics it touches.
The sleeve comes in two sizes. Extra Small fits the 11″ MacBook Air while the 13″ MacBook Air fits inside the small size. (The extra small size weighs 0.65 lbs while the small size is slightly heavier at 0.70 lbs. Details and ordering can be found here.
MSRP: $68.00 – $88.00
What I Like: Rugged, stylish simplicity; Thick leather to protect the MBA from life’s knocks; While last far longer than the device it protects
What Needs Improvement: Logo a bit larger than I would like; Adds some bulk and weight to a notebook that is designed to be light and thin
