When I first received my Google Pixel 3 XL, I went through phases of not using a case, and using overly bulky cases that promised protection; then the Nomad Rugged Leather Case arrived at my doorstep.
The thing with Nomad’s products is, it never matters what you actually order, everything is made to perfection, and it will look incredible. The same is the case with the Nomad Rugged Leather case, made with Horween leather straight from Chicago. It’s designed with just enough leather on the back to make your phone feel incredible to hold in the hand, combined with a nice rubber frame that will protect from an average drop off of a table or from waist height.
Compared to other leather cases though, like the Mujjo case I reviewed previously for the iPhone XS Max, the Nomad Rugged Leather case protects the ENTIRE phone, including the bottom of the device. I’m not sure why most phone accessory companies decide leaving the bottom exposed on their leather cases is a luxury, but it’s not. Yes, we know docking is a thing, but in a world full of wireless charging devices, it’s not necessary.
The leather on the case will obviously age over the course of time, as with all leather products, but the patina that you’ll get with Nomad’s products just lookd a bit better. With such a rugged case, the leather seems to hold up particularly well, as scratches don’t make the case an eyesore; as you can tell, with my use of the Pixel 3, it gives it a bit of a better look.
The rubber edges for the buttons are great to press, and they don’t stick like most leather cases we’ve seen. At the front of the device, there’s a bit of a raised lip that make potentially dropping a bit more protected, however sitting face down for Google’s “silence” feature isn’t affected by it at all.
Overall, the Nomad Rugged Leather Case is possibly the last phone case I’ll get for my Pixel 3 XL, and I’ve had no reasons to even bother with another case. Now, if they were to happen to come out with a black leather model … I wouldn’t be opposed to switching. Nevertheless, at $45, it’s not only affordable, but it will look incredible on your device. If you’d like to check it out, you can head over to Nomad’s site today.
Note: The Rugged Cases are on backorder until March 11th.
Source: Manufacturer review unit
What I Like: Incredible build with the right amount of leather and rubber
What Needs Improvement: I wish there was a Black version available