Leather Cases - Patina Proud Photos

[Knowlege Bomb]

100% agree with all of that. My thought was if I got the 15PM there isn’t a 1 of the 3rd party leather cases that I could daily. FW was the only 1 I could consider, and I choice to keep the 14PM then. The Apple leather is worth that to me. Plus the deep purple was my favorite pro color Apple has done, so why not keep it.

Crazy the Apple leather case was that good for me.

I’m in the exact same situation. I had already planned on keeping my 14PM but the space black phone and ink leather case are the best colors in a phone/case I’ve seen from Apple.

I feel for everybody in here struggling with finding something that meets their needs. I’ve got a black Ryan London that I’ve used quite a bit but ultimately it’s always the Apple leather I use the most.

 

[bmac4]

I personally am happy they got rid of the leather cases because I probably would have just bought another black one for my 15pro. Apple getting rid of leather forced me to have to look at alternatives which is what I should have done after my saddle brown case for my 12 looked like garbage after a few months. I ended up just accepting the lower quality case and buying a dark color to avoid the black edges. The keyway case I got has better leather and actually will patina and only cost me $43. Sure I’d like it more if it was 27 grams like apples and didn’t have the X on the back but overall it’s a better case. You also have more companies getting into leather cases which will give us more options. I’m really excited to see what the bare skin case is like as they are known for minimalist cases.

Aging aside, I am beginning to thing I don’t like the feel of untreated full grain leather. Apple even in the glory days of the 5-11pros with the leather cases, they were highly treated to give that smooth finish. None of these companies can do that like them. I can save my money, and just enjoy what I have. I don’t think any 3rd parties will ever find that perfection like Apple did.

 

[bmac4]

I’m in the exact same situation. I had already planned on keeping my 14PM but the space black phone and ink leather case are the best colors in a phone/case I’ve seen from Apple.

I feel for everybody in here struggling with finding something that meets their needs. I’ve got a black Ryan London that I’ve used quite a bit but ultimately it’s always the Apple leather I use the most.

Yep, I never thought I would be happy not upgrading, but this was the best decision I made. I would be so frustrated if I had upgraded, and I am glad I tested the waters. It showed me just how good Apple had made the case feel. Plus the color combos. Just can’t get that anywhere else.

Aging, I will take the ****** looks. Ink doesn’t look back, and it feels amazing after just a couple of weeks.

 

[Knowlege Bomb]

Yep, I never thought I would be happy not upgrading, but this was the best decision I made. I would be so frustrated if I had upgraded, and I am glad I tested the waters. It showed me just how good Apple had made the case feel. Plus the color combos. Just can’t get that anywhere else.

Aging, I will take the ****** looks. Ink doesn’t look back, and it feels amazing after just a couple of weeks.

My ink has shown none of the poor aging/chipping that has happened to others, but neither did my 12 or 13 cases. Because of that, I’ve always wondered if it has something to do with peoples’ individual sweat/chemistry.

 

[bmac4]

My ink has shown none of the poor aging/chipping that has happened to others, but neither did my 12 or 13 cases. Because of that, I’ve always wondered if it has something to do with peoples’ individual sweat/chemistry.

Did you have any of the lighter color cases? Cause the darker ones don’t age like that near as much. I have had no chipping either. I have the orange leather case and it’s darken and the color has faded away of the edges, but no chipping at all.

 

[bmac4]

I personally am happy they got rid of the leather cases because I probably would have just bought another black one for my 15pro. Apple getting rid of leather forced me to have to look at alternatives which is what I should have done after my saddle brown case for my 12 looked like garbage after a few months. I ended up just accepting the lower quality case and buying a dark color to avoid the black edges. The keyway case I got has better leather and actually will patina and only cost me $43. Sure I’d like it more if it was 27 grams like apples and didn’t have the X on the back but overall it’s a better case. You also have more companies getting into leather cases which will give us more options. I’m really excited to see what the bare skin case is like as they are known for minimalist cases.

What are the bare skin cases?

 

[Synomenon]

I think it's funny how people are fretting over the weight of cases. I mean, come on! It's a few ounces give or take depending on the case. 😂

 

[DR3MCLAREN]

I personally am happy they got rid of the leather cases because I probably would have just bought another black one for my 15pro. Apple getting rid of leather forced me to have to look at alternatives which is what I should have done after my saddle brown case for my 12 looked like garbage after a few months. I ended up just accepting the lower quality case and buying a dark color to avoid the black edges. The keyway case I got has better leather and actually will patina and only cost me $43. Sure I’d like it more if it was 27 grams like apples and didn’t have the X on the back but overall it’s a better case. You also have more companies getting into leather cases which will give us more options. I’m really excited to see what the bare skin case is like as they are known for minimalist cases.

I couldn't agree with this more. I swore off Apple leather after the 12 series and have never looked back. So many great alternatives out there to choose from. None of them are like the Apple cases and for me that's a good thing because aside from fit and feel those Apple cases were utter garbage for their price point. The Keyway, BS, RL, Andar, Wilken are all far better leathers than Apple was making the past 3 years. For those who really want that Apple feel of leather I'd recommend Mujjo as they use that same garbage painted "leather".

 

[bmac4]

I think it's funny how people are fretting over the weight of cases. I mean, come on! It's a few ounces give or take depending on the case.

Because if you hold your phone one handed with your pinky underneath the phone, the heavier cases matter a great deal. All the alternatives are really noticeable in weight gain.

 

[bmac4]

I couldn't agree with this more. I swore off Apple leather after the 12 series and have never looked back. So many great alternatives out there to choose from. None of them are like the Apple cases and for me that's a good thing because aside from fit and feel those Apple cases were utter garbage for their price point. The Keyway, BS, RL, Andar, Wilken are all far better leathers than Apple ever made. For those who really want that Apple feel of leather I'd recommend Mujjo as they use that same garbage painted "leather".

Absolutely zero of those cases come close to the fit of the Apple leather case. If that doesn’t bother you, that’s fine, but those cases aren’t the same. They are 3 party, and it shows. Thicker, buttons not as perfect, all of them have little things that aren’t as clean as Apples. The leather may be subpar with Apple, but you pay for fit and finish of the buttons and cutouts. As for price, that’s actually on the cheaper side of cases. Look at the market. Casetify is charging over $100 for plastic cases. Dbrand is nearly $60 for their grip case. Hell most of the TPU or silicone cases are over $60 these days. So $60 for an Apple leather case isn’t bad at all.

 

[mjpearce023]

Aging aside, I am beginning to thing I don’t like the feel of untreated full grain leather. Apple even in the glory days of the 5-11pros with the leather cases, they were highly treated to give that smooth finish. None of these companies can do that like them. I can save my money, and just enjoy what I have. I don’t think any 3rd parties will ever find that perfection like Apple did.

Yeah apples did have the best feel out of the box. The full grain leather needs some leather conditioner or a few weeks of use to feel as good but they get there. I didn’t like the feel of the alto or the lonli classic but the Keyway after some leather conditioner feels just as good as my 13pro apple case.

The bare skin was announced on bare cases instagram. Here are the pics. Supposed drop this week I thought

 

[bmac4]

Yeah apples did have the best feel out of the box. The full grain leather needs some leather conditioner or a few weeks of use to feel as good but they get there. I didn’t like the feel of the alto or the lonli classic but the Keyway after some leather conditioner feels just as good as my 13pro apple case.

The bare skin was announced on bare cases instagram. Here are the pics. Supposed drop this week I thought

Oh man, that Bare Skin looks cool. Maybe it will be worth the wait.

 

[DR3MCLAREN]

Absolutely zero of those cases come close to the fit of the Apple leather case. If that doesn’t bother you, that’s fine, but those cases aren’t the same. They are 3 party, and it shows. Thicker, buttons not as perfect, all of them have little things that aren’t as clean as Apples. The leather may be subpar with Apple, but you pay for fit and finish of the buttons and cutouts. As for price, that’s actually on the cheaper side of cases. Look at the market. Casetify is charging over $100 for plastic cases. Dbrand is nearly $60 for their grip case. Hell most of the TPU or silicone cases are over $60 these days. So $60 for an Apple leather case isn’t bad at all.

I disagree. My Keyway Whiskey fits better than any phone case I've had. I've owned third party and Apple brand ( although no apple one's since 12) and honestly this case fits better than all of them have. Its tight without being a pain to get on and off. The sides are all perfectly uniform. when I lay it screen down the lip is even all the way around. The cutouts are all precise and exactly where they should be. The camera ring sits above the lenses to properly protect them. The buttons are all metal, with microfiber pads to protect the phones buttons. They all have a precise and rewarding click when used. The mute switch cut out is precise and allows easy access... not that it matters as I'm always on vibe anyways. The leather is light years ahead of anything Apple has used on the past 3 years.

Yes, there are a lot of subpar third party case makers out there... but there are a lot of them that are doing things right, and sometimes better. I paid less than Apples price for a case that is better than Apples... so that's a win win for me.

 

[bmac4]

I disagree. My Keyway Whiskey fits better than any phone case I've had. I've owned third party and Apple brand ( although no apple one's since 12) and honestly this case fits better than all of them have. Its tight without being a pain to get on and off. The sides are all perfectly uniform. when I lay it screen down the lip is even all the way around. The cutouts are all precise and exactly where they should be. The camera ring sits above the lenses to properly protect them. The buttons are all metal, with microfiber pads to protect the phones buttons. They all have a precise and rewarding click when used. The mute switch cut out is precise and allows easy access... not that it matters as I'm always on vibe anyways. The leather is light years ahead of anything Apple has used on the past 3 years.

Yes, there are a lot of subpar third party case makers out there... but there are a lot of them that are doing things right, and sometimes better. I paid less than Apples price for a case that is better than Apples... so that's a win win for me.

Better for you. Better leather we can agree, but not a better case. That’s very much up to the person. I don’t like black camera cutouts, so that knows the Keyway out, and I can’t stand the metal X on the back. I will agree the leather may be great, but there are things that I just don’t like.

For me that’s the issue, Apple took away a choice that worked for a lot of us. More choices is always better for everyone.

 

[thekidat]

I just can't imagine anyone actaully LIKING the way the iPhone 12-14 leather cases ended up looking after like a month. Thing looked like it had the mange unless you got it in boring black.

I totally agree with some others, the weight difference between the really good third party cases and the official apple leather one is negligible, and its something you wouldn't even notice unless you changed cases super frequently. I do wish Apple kept making them for sake of competition, but totally not bothered that they stopped. Especially when we have great alternatives.

 

[wolfboy]

Yeah, Im gonna have to disagree with the Apple cases from the 12 Pro up to their discontinuation being some kind of holy grail. They were good cases, but were bad leather cases with horrible patina, the main reason people buy them.

EDIT: Not my photo, but for comparisons sake...

I'm also seeing a lottt of leather cases coming out that all kind of look the same but with different branding. I wonder if they're all the same supplier.

 

[AndrewR23]

Ive lost a lot of $$ too looking for good leather cases. Was able to return all of them but Decoded. Some places charged 10% + pay for shipping. Decoded shipped it via Amazon but will only accept it back to the Netherlands which is over $50. I cant even sell it for $40 here or ebay lol no bites.

 

[gagee]

Ive lost a lot of $$ too looking for good leather cases. Was able to return all of them but Decoded. Some places charged 10% + pay for shipping. Decoded shipped it via Amazon but will only accept it back to the Netherlands which is over $50. I cant even sell it for $40 here or ebay lol no bites.

So what leather case did you end up choosing over all of them?

 

[AndrewR23]

So what leather case did you end up choosing over all of them?

Clay silicone apple lmao. My wife kept getting mad at me too with all the packages/return so I just said forget it. I love the Apple silicone and have a black one so I knew id like the silicone. The clay color is pretty cool too.

If I had kept a leather it woulda been maybe the Lonli but idk. It had crooked buttons. You?

 

[gagee]

Clay silicone apple lmao. My wife kept getting mad at me too with all the packages/return so I just said forget it. I love the Apple silicone and have a black one so I knew id like the silicone. The clay color is pretty cool too.

If I had kept a leather it woulda been maybe the Lonli but idk. It had crooked buttons. You?

Yeah i have the apple silicone on my phone right now. I pre ordered a Andar aspen case but still not sure about it. It doesn’t delivery till Mid November anyways.

 

[AndrewR23]

Yeah i have the apple silicone on my phone right now. I pre ordered a Andar aspen case but still not sure about it. It doesn’t delivery till Mid November anyways.

Yeah that was the LAST one I was going to get but I keep reading on here it 1. Discolors magsafe accessories and 2. It is pretty thick. + having to wait until mid to late Nov.

I know very well next year these case makers will have great cases. Everything feels rushed with the action button and all of the manufactures guessing with the cutouts.

But then watch next year the rumor is true and the iphone line is 6.3/6.9 inches then they all gonna start over. Lol. I can say the FineWoven one was extremely poor IMO. Mine made noises and had loose buttons.

 

[gagee]

Yeah that was the LAST one I was going to get but I keep reading on here it 1. Discolors magsafe accessories and 2. It is pretty thick. + having to wait until mid to late Nov.

I know very well next year these case makers will have great cases. Everything feels rushed with the action button and all of the manufactures guessing with the cutouts.

But then watch next year the rumor is true and the iphone line is 6.3/6.9 inches then they all gonna start over. Lol. I can say the FineWoven one was extremely poor IMO. Mine made noises and had loose buttons.

Yeah I am thinking of just sticking with my Apple silicone and cancelling the Andar Aspen case since atleast i know the Apple case is precise

 

[bmac4]

Yeah that was the LAST one I was going to get but I keep reading on here it 1. Discolors magsafe accessories and 2. It is pretty thick. + having to wait until mid to late Nov.

I know very well next year these case makers will have great cases. Everything feels rushed with the action button and all of the manufactures guessing with the cutouts.

But then watch next year the rumor is true and the iphone line is 6.3/6.9 inches then they all gonna start over. Lol. I can say the FineWoven one was extremely poor IMO. Mine made noises and had loose buttons.

I don’t think next year will be any different. They go based on rumors and what the dummy units come out as. So it will be the same. They can’t be fine tuned. BS and Andar both now do preorders and they still are the same cases they always have been. I don’t believe there will be any revolution in great leather case making next year.

 

[Lotuskid]

tbh i'm kind of in the same camp as others being frustrated with third party options. i did like the decoded initially, but i don't think it will patina well. I tried lonli and the edition is very smooth and feels like plastic, the classic has a better in hand feel but the buttons don't seem polished and the magsafe ring feels like its higher up, my wallet goes right up to the camera ring on the max sized phone when usually theres a small gap

basically i agree that the leather might be better quality on some of these products but the fit and finish seem sloppier

i have hovered over the buy link on a few ali express ones also but the returns i think are trickier and sometimes i also think that a lot of these third party brands are just rebranding aliexpress ones

i'm also considering the keyway as some members are recommending but i'm concerned it might arrive with similar fit and finish concerns.

i'm kind of leaning now towards just sticking with finewoven of all things, which has its own problems, but its slim, light, buttons are clicky and don't stick out too much.

or i dno maybe i'll give keyway a shot LOL first world problems am i right?

 

[DR3MCLAREN]

tbh i'm kind of in the same camp as others being frustrated with third party options. i did like the decoded initially, but i don't think it will patina well. I tried lonli and the edition is very smooth and feels like plastic, the classic has a better in hand feel but the buttons don't seem polished and the magsafe ring feels like its higher up, my wallet goes right up to the camera ring on the max sized phone when usually theres a small gap

basically i agree that the leather might be better quality on some of these products but the fit and finish seem sloppier

i have hovered over the buy link on a few ali express ones also but the returns i think are trickier and sometimes i also think that a lot of these third party brands are just rebranding aliexpress ones

i'm also considering the keyway as some members are recommending but i'm concerned it might arrive with similar fit and finish concerns.

i'm kind of leaning now towards just sticking with finewoven of all things, which has its own problems, but its slim, light, buttons are clicky and don't stick out too much.

or i dno maybe i'll give keyway a shot LOL first world problems am i right?

Keyway has checked all the boxes for me and I've very pleased with it. For me its fit and finish was perfect. As far as finewoven... I'd have to be pretty desperate to consider that option. But to each their own. you'll eventually find what you like... just in time to start the process all over again next year right?