Twig Case vs Grove Bamboo case

BlueGoldAce said:

http://www.twigcase.com/

http://www.grovemade.com/

I am debating between which case to buy. Anyone have an ideas/experience with the above case makers?

I like grove for the overall look/feel and option for a white bezel.


I like Twig Case for the price and durability/form factor. I am not entirely sure how a Richlite case with a bamboo veneer would feel, but it is suppose to be durable and weigh less than an ounce.

Overall, I am rather torn by both products. Does anyone have any ideas or recommendations? What do you prefer?

Thanks

-Blue

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I described our 'feel' like this on another site: "Paper feels nice. It absorbs the oils in your hands so it doesn't feel clammy. It doesn't take a fingerprint. There's a subtle texture to the sides, and the laser engraving is compelling to touch. Even the smooth backs of the unengraved cases have a tooth to them."

Grove has been around longer than us, and I'm certain most of our sales to date are not Macrumors forum goers, so you may not get an accurate (or any comparison here. You could certainly ask on our Facebook, as we've got many happy people there.

We offer a 30 day 'try it buy it' guarantee (more than Grove), not that you need that much time to fall in love. If you've got a 4/4S, you can have a go right now. Our iPhone 5 case should be shipping soon, and our refundable pre-order is still going on. Our return policy applies to the 5 case, and I'm pretty certain we'll be getting cases to everyone before Xmas.

Notably, we've been making cases out of Richlite since 2011. Grove is now attempting something similar. I know the material they're using, and well, you can read our FAQ for our thoughts on that

Also, I'm here to answer any questions. I don't know, I think the universe is telling you something.

EDIT: here's a review: http://www.damacreviews.com/2012/10/bamboo-iphone-cases-from-twig-cases-co.html
Here's a test I don't think Grove will be doing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR9-xMpWaOU
Here's our Facebook, there's a few comments here and there: http://www.facebook.com/TwigCaseCo

A Twig won't hamper camera shots. They use a big ol' leaf-shaped cutout, so you only have to worry about your finger getting in the way (like I do).

BlueGoldAce said:

Grove is trying something beyond the current bamboo case?

The bamboo veneer would feel like any bambo case, correct?

Your cases look great.

I am anxious to get a wood/paper case. I have a preorder at both grove and twig. My preorder at grove won't ship until november, so I am currently debating which one to keep. If twig cases became available soon, I would jump on it.

My debate primarily relies on form factor, weight, durability, and how well it compliments the phone.

Does your cases hamper signal strength or camera shots?

Thanks

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"Your cases look great." - Well, they have been working out...

Our Bamboo feels like bamboo, though maybe a bit denser - our FSC certified veneer combined with Richlite is exclusive to Twig. It's pressed and fused together at the factory, meaning that we can do crazier stuff with engraving, and the veneer IS ON THERE FOREVER. No glue.

Both tested, signal with the technician signal test - no change in cellular or wifi strength.

Our leaf camera hole is larger than any wood or bamboo case out there, because I take a lot of pics with my phone. Flash in a dark room, negligible difference. Flash in an black and empty field, there's some visible fringe, but you weren't going to get a very usable pic even without a case. Sorry, Bigfoot hunters.

BlueGoldAce said:

With the size of the cut out, I don't see how the cut out would hamper flash anymore than any other case

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Apple recommends a large oval (more like a cylindrical rectangle) around the camera and flash, called the keepout. You can see it on the Speck Candyshell for the 4S; it's pretty big.

Most wood and bamboo cases have the smallest hole possible around the camera and flash. This is because 'the bigger the hole, the weaker the case'. This also means the flash reflects into the camera.

Our case doesn't suffer from that weakness, as Richlite is layered paper and far more consistent than wood or bamboo. This allowed us to make a larger hole to more accurately follow Apple's recomendations, and thereby reduce flash reflections. Also, ours is a leaf. Which is neat.

Mysterydate:

I just preordered one of your cases (so excited by the way, they look great). When it is time to fulfill my order, will I be contacted to see what case I want? I noticed it never asked in the preorder. Sorry to bug, I just never preordered a case like this so I'm not sure how the process works.

Kealohilani said:

Mysterydate:

I just preordered one of your cases (so excited by the way, they look great). When it is time to fulfill my order, will I be contacted to see what case I want? I noticed it never asked in the preorder. Sorry to bug, I just never preordered a case like this so I'm not sure how the process works.

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Thanks a bunch for your order! When our cases go live, you'll be able to pick any color and any design - then the code will give you your pre-order discount.

...and then you'll have a very nice case

mysterydate said:

Thanks a bunch for your order! When our cases go live, you'll be able to pick any color and any design - then the code will give you your pre-order discount.

...and then you'll have a very nice case

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How much do you charge for international shipping? I think grove gives free shipping. (still deciding on a case -.-)

aCuria said:

How much do you charge for international shipping? I think grove gives free shipping. (still deciding on a case -.-)

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Last I checked, Grove does not offer free shipping.

Here's ours.

USPS Priority (US)
$9.00

USPS First Class International
$15.00 USD

USPS Priority International
$36.00 USD

How thick is the case on the iPhone 5? I saw the stats on your webpage but I assume those are for the 4 and I couldn't find them for the 5 anywhere.

Thanks!

thorn73 said:

How thick is the case on the iPhone 5? I saw the stats on your webpage but I assume those are for the 4 and I couldn't find them for the 5 anywhere.

Thanks!

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We should have our final measurements soon. Hopefully by the end of the week!

I went with the Twig case, for a number of reasons. What I really like is I live in Minnesota, so to buy a case from a company that makes them in the state that I live, makes me feel good! The price is very reasonable for something made in the USA, not much more than $35-$50 cases you see at best buy which aren't all that great. It also seems like it will be very durable, the designs are amazing, and hopefully it will be shipping soon.

I'm not going to knock on Grove cases at all, I've always wanted one for my iPhone 4 but never got one, and strongly considered one now that I got my iPhone 5. In fact had I not seen the Twig case, I probably would have went with the Grove. They seem to be very nice, also made in the USA, but I just had a couple of complaints. First is that if you order now, it looks like it's not shipping until probably December. That means they have a lot of pre-orders, which is good for them, but I want my case more quickly than that. I think the Grove case might be a little thicker, and of course the price is quite a bit more than the Twig case.

Only thing that concerns me with the Twig case is that because they're a new company, you never know if the company's going to go out of business and their good warranty (if it breaks after the warranty you can buy a new one for half the cost) will do no good. That and there is only one review on the internet as of now, I like to do a lot of research on stuff like this. But when all is said and done, the Twig case seems like a really good value, and I'm thrilled to be buying a locally made case. Good luck Twig, hope you do very well!

It's a phone case, not a car.

Not just a car, it's a Woody!

From what I read on this forum and reviews, though Grove makes some nice cases, they're prone to breaking and feel very bulky. Hopefully they'll improve that, their cases look good.

I remember a youtube video of the Twigcase being abused extensively and it still came out fine.

My vote goes for Twig. Plus they have all that certification stuff and what not

Edit: Maybe this will change your opinion towards Twig

It'll be nice to compare both of companies' cases once people get their hands on them.

I agree with above post. I wanted a Grove until I found out about the Twig.

BlueGoldAce said:

Its a forum post, your not obligated to participate.

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Correct! I chose to.

Koebot said:

It's a phone case, not a car.

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This might confuse you then.

Just preordered Twig case. Can't wait.

BlueGoldAce said:

That being said, I am anxious for the Twig cases to become available.

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Might sound silly but what really sells me on this case is the leaf cutout for the camera. ********** awesome.

mysterydate said:

We should have our final measurements soon. Hopefully by the end of the week!

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Please do! I'm in the market for a case and this could make or break my decision.

Here are the specs of the Grove case for comparison:

Length: 5.177"

Width: 2.587"

Overall thickness: .441"

Back thickness: .080"

Side thickness: .130"

Weight: 1.2 oz

Headphone jack diameter: .285"

Power port dimensions: .362" x .216"

**All dimensions are approximate due to innevitable irregularities of a handmade product**

**EDIT**
Will the cut-outs be similar to the iPhone 4/4S cases? I plan on buying an 30-pin to lightening adapter and a recent review shows it won't fit through most cases with a smaller cut-out. I appreciate the fact that the older Twig cases were open while maintaining durability.