For those of you who don’t like to cover up your smartphone’s design with a case might be interested in a pouch or “sleeve.” They come in a wide variety of designs and materials. For example, Acase’s Weave (Amazon; $16) is made of genuine leather, and is as simple as it gets.
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To say that the quality of this case is sub-par is the complete opposite of reality, as you’ll find that everything from the stitching to the pull-strap are of excellent craftsmanship. Right out of the box, you’ll notice the smell of that fine, genuine leather.
The pouch itself is to be used with your iPhone 5 without a case, but you can feel free to use a screen protector. If you happen to be using a skin of some sort, you might have an even tighter fit than there already is. Much pressure needs to be used to insert your iPhone all the way into the pouch. I recommend inserting your phone top-first into the case so that, should you receive a phone call, the microphone is facing out of the opening of the pouch, so you can still hear the ringer go off easily.
To remove your phone, simply tug on the elastic strap, which is held down into place with a small magnet. Don’t be afraid to use a fair amount of force, because I can’t imagine the strap breaking anytime soon.
I imagine that, the more you use the pouch, the easier it should get to insert and remove your iPhone 5 from it.
All told, this is a well-made and well-designed genuine leather pouch that is reasonably priced and offers, perhaps, what is one of the best sleeves currently available.
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