Review: Grovemade's portfolio/stand Maple & Leather Case for iPhone

Grovemade’s premium Maple & Leather Case brings a natural look to the sleek iPhone. Crafted from wood and leather, it’s a departure from the typical minimalist Apple approach. Additionally, it has added functionality.

Company: Grovemade Product: Maple & Leather Case Price: $129.00 Compatibility: iPhone 6/6s; iPhone 6 Plus/6s Plus (for $10 more) Colors: Tan/Brown Date: Dec. 11, 2015

The portfolio-style Maple & Leather Case is crafted from premium vegetable-tanned leather and hand-sanded, hand-stained Eastern Hardrock Maple. It sports precise cutouts for the camera, mute switch, the headphone jack, Lightning port, and speakers. The sleep/wake and volume buttons have laser-cut button covers. Everything works as expected within the case.

The mechanism of the case is unusual. It has three tiny magnets that hold the front cover in place when you’re not using the phone. My favorite feature is the three slots to hold the phone up horizontally at three different angles for video viewing.

A portfolio case is always going to add some bulk, but this one is about as light and slim as you can get. The wood used is very lightweight, which is good and bad: you do have to be careful not to break the thin back panel when putting the case on and taking it off. Once it is in place, it adds a little weight to the iPhone. The phone feels quite protected within the case.

The wood is smooth, and the corners, in particular, are just beautifully crafted. The leather is soft and pliable. It comes with some “imperfections” in the leather but it is meant to, and it is supposed to develop a patina over time. That is the nature of leather. I happen to love genuine leather in all of its imperfect glory, but it is not for everyone.

If I have any complaints about this case, it’s only because I’m not much of a portfolio person. The front cover does easily bend all the back around for two-thumbed texting, but it is a bit more awkward than two-thumbing it in a regular case. After testing, I passed this one on to my husband, who texts with one index finger, and likes the added protection of the front cover when he puts his phone in his pocket.

Additionally, I think the price is high. I’m sure Grovemade has reasons for this pricing, given the materials and the fact that much of the case is made by hand, but it’s expensive as iPhone cases go.

If you are looking for a natural material portfolio-style case that doubles as a stand, the Grovemade Maple & Leather case is a beautiful one to consider. The iPhone 6/6s model can be purchased on their website for $129.00; the iPhone 6 Plus/6s Plus version is $139.00. There is a Walnut & Leather model at the same price, and there are less expensive wood-only styles.

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