I was looking for a case/sleeve for my new 13" MacbookAir that would provide at least a little bit of waterproofing, as well as providing protection against scuffs/dings/scratches while inside my messenger bag. I looked around a bit, and was initially considering ordering the Booq Viper, but that isn't shipping until the middle of February. So, I settled on the Civilian AirManila sleeve.
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I initially was also looking for a case that had very little branding (such as the 'Magic Folder' sleeve on ebay). I was worried that the 'civilian' logo on the sleeve would be intrusive, but in person it really isn't that noticeable.
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The same thing goes for the 'heat vent', what I initially thought would look a bit garish actually looks pretty nice in person, although i'm not sure how necessary it really is:
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I was concerned after ordering it that the padding wouldn't be sufficient, but I was pleasantly surprised upon opening the package. For a non 'hard-case' style sleeve I think the padding is more than adequate and is much softer than I expected.
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Here is a shot of the case with the Macbook in it so you can get an idea of the thickness with the padding:
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One aspect of the case that I don't like is the red string tie that is supposed to keep the case closed. It really isn't necessary, as the velcro keeps everything closed quite well. I assume it is supposed to be a cute allusion to a manila envelope, but with the velcro it is entirely superfluous. It also is a bit annoying when removing the laptop, as it gets in the way. I'll probably end up just cutting it off.
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Overall i'm pretty happy, this provides more protection than a neoprene sleeve would and looks nice and professional to boot. The red string is a bit annoying, and the branding isn't ideal, but that is pretty hard to avoid. The case is constructed very well, and the leather is very nice and waterproof as well!
Overall i'd give this a 7 out of 10, its probably the only laptop sleeve i've ever owned that I wont stop using in the first week.
In the future I may look at the Booq Viper to use as a hard case, but i'll definitely be sticking with this as a 'minimal' case. Those on a budget may also want to check out the 'Magic Folder' on eBay as a lest costly alternative.
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![IMG_6750.JPG]()
I initially was also looking for a case that had very little branding (such as the 'Magic Folder' sleeve on ebay). I was worried that the 'civilian' logo on the sleeve would be intrusive, but in person it really isn't that noticeable.
The same thing goes for the 'heat vent', what I initially thought would look a bit garish actually looks pretty nice in person, although i'm not sure how necessary it really is:
I was concerned after ordering it that the padding wouldn't be sufficient, but I was pleasantly surprised upon opening the package. For a non 'hard-case' style sleeve I think the padding is more than adequate and is much softer than I expected.
Here is a shot of the case with the Macbook in it so you can get an idea of the thickness with the padding:
One aspect of the case that I don't like is the red string tie that is supposed to keep the case closed. It really isn't necessary, as the velcro keeps everything closed quite well. I assume it is supposed to be a cute allusion to a manila envelope, but with the velcro it is entirely superfluous. It also is a bit annoying when removing the laptop, as it gets in the way. I'll probably end up just cutting it off.
Overall i'm pretty happy, this provides more protection than a neoprene sleeve would and looks nice and professional to boot. The red string is a bit annoying, and the branding isn't ideal, but that is pretty hard to avoid. The case is constructed very well, and the leather is very nice and waterproof as well!
Overall i'd give this a 7 out of 10, its probably the only laptop sleeve i've ever owned that I wont stop using in the first week.
In the future I may look at the Booq Viper to use as a hard case, but i'll definitely be sticking with this as a 'minimal' case. Those on a budget may also want to check out the 'Magic Folder' on eBay as a lest costly alternative.
