Pictorial Case Comparison - Vaja Limited vs. SGP Vintage

Nice photos, thanks! How stable is the SGP in easel mode? thanks

How flat does the Vintage top fold back under the iPad? I use my iPad a lot for reading iBooks, and that's one thing I really like about the Apple case. From your pics, it looks like the top stands out quite a lot on the hinged side.

Halon X said:

Extremely unstable. On the hard surface of my coffee table it would not stand without assistance. Any attempt to type would knock it over. It really wasn't designed to be used this way.

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I've been meaning to post pic of my Vintage but ran out of time before going on holiday last week. Completely agree that it's very well made, the full grain leather is fantastic and will age brilliantly. I had doubts initially over the ability of the case to keep the ipad in securely but I need not have worried.

I haven't had any issues with mine staying up in easel mode though - guess it all comes down to the surface it goes on. All of my tables are wooden (apart from the dining table which is wood & marble, but haven't tried it on there) so the probably has been "grip" provided for the Vintage to stay upright.

mrgossett said:

How flat does the Vintage top fold back under the iPad? I use my iPad a lot for reading iBooks, and that's one thing I really like about the Apple case. From your pics, it looks like the top stands out quite a lot on the hinged side.

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I've read two books on the iPad so far, both with the case on, which to me makes the experience all the more comfortable than the naked iPad. For me the top fold back fairly flat, and where you can see the main top cover join on the back, that section makes it a joy to hold when reading - the extra little thickness actually helps.

All in all, this case is fantastic. Quality of Vaja but not the price, full grain leather, and decent customer service. The Steinheil crystal film I picked up is also fantastic and installed so easily with no issues at all - although I'll take the credit for that . I'll also be getting their Slider case whenever it actually becomes available.

Only downside. Import duty of £25 for delivery of the case to the UK

Personally, I had a few problems with this case. I do agree that the cover looks really nice and holds the iPad in place quite well.

However, I found that when the cover bends back behind the iPad, it becomes quite uncomfortable and awkward to hold.

I also really didn't care for the "writing" on the inside of the case. First, it gets old after you've seen it for about a minute. I can't imagine staring at it every day. Second, I thought it was a poor choice for the manufacturer to include something "poetic," and then add their company name and manufacturing information under it, as though having their name on the back wasn't enough. Kind of tacky, to me.

I really wanted to like this case, but in the end, for me, the negatives outweighed the positives.

The SGP is designed to look weathered as it ages but since the initial color is very light, any smudges early on in the aging really stand out. I got tired of it looking messy and used a leather product I use on my saddles on it and it darkened up nicely. The feel became less suede-like (I think it is nubuck leather) and more like smooth leather. The smudges now just blend in rather than standing out like a sore thumb.

malbright said:

However, I found that when the cover bends back behind the iPad, it becomes quite uncomfortable and awkward to hold.

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I guess that depends on which hand you favour - holding it with your right hand I could well imagine it being awkward, but I go for my left, and it's all good. And that's despite me being a righty!

malbright said:

also really didn't care for the "writing" on the inside of the case. First, it gets old after you've seen it for about a minute. I can't imagine staring at it every day. Second, I thought it was a poor choice for the manufacturer to include something "poetic," and then add their company name and manufacturing information under it, as though having their name on the back wasn't enough. Kind of tacky, to me.

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The original pics of the case didn't have the writing on the inside (The Emerald Tablet of Hermes if any non-owners are interested!) so it was a surprise to me to see that it had some. Hard to read clearly too. It's fairly pointless to be honest, patterning would have been good on it's own, but the text adds nothing.

And I completely agree on the manufacturing info. Totally uncalled for on the inside, but I don't mind it on the back at all as it's tastefully done unlike the vast majority of case manufacturers out there.

tikidoc said:

The SGP is designed to look weathered as it ages but since the initial color is very light, any smudges early on in the aging really stand out. I got tired of it looking messy and used a leather product I use on my saddles on it and it darkened up nicely. The feel became less suede-like (I think it is nubuck leather) and more like smooth leather. The smudges now just blend in rather than standing out like a sore thumb.

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Mine is actually a fair bit darker than the OP's, although I'm ultimately wanting it to get a could of stop darker with age.