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New Macbook Case Thread

So, I just received my hard graft grab folio in ocean blue leather and grey felt:

http://www.hardgraft.com/products/grab-ocean

It's really quite something, the design is really striking and from the look and feel of it you can tell immediately that it's a premium product. Definitely doesn't feel like a mass produced product at all, it has the quality look of a high end designer product. Mind you, it would want to at the price.

The only negative thing I could say about it is that it's a little large for the rMB, by a couple of centimetres on either side. They've clearly just made a model for 15" laptops and another for 13" or less. It's not that this is a problem per se - the rMB is still snug inside and it's not like it slides around in any kind of unpleasant way. Just that if it were a little smaller it would help accentuate the experience of having such a small machine to carry around. That being said, it's not like the extra space is unusable - there's actually plenty of room for a phone, even an iPad as well, along with lots of other stuff that can go in the leather pouch. The hand grab strap is awesome, makes you actually want to not bother with a bag at all when you can and just take it out as is. It's lovely to carry in this way, feels secure, comfortable and light. Also gets quite a few looks as you walk by people in trendy Parisian cafes, lol. I'll just have to remember not to get carried away and take it out without a bag if there's any possibility of rain though, because being essentially made of felt you wouldn't want it to get soaked.

Anyway, if anyone is looking at the more premium price end of the spectrum for a home for their new rMB, I'd definitely recommend checking out the Hard Graft range. I'll see if I can post some photos later... :)
 
tbirdparis said:
So, I just received my hard graft grab folio in ocean blue leather and grey felt:

http://www.hardgraft.com/products/grab-ocean

It's really quite something, the design is really striking and from the look and feel of it you can tell immediately that it's a premium product. Definitely doesn't feel like a mass produced product at all, it has the quality look of a high end designer product. Mind you, it would want to at the price.

The only negative thing I could say about it is that it's a little large for the rMB, by a couple of centimetres on either side. They've clearly just made a model for 15" laptops and another for 13" or less. It's not that this is a problem per se - the rMB is still snug inside and it's not like it slides around in any kind of unpleasant way. Just that if it were a little smaller it would help accentuate the experience of having such a small machine to carry around. That being said, it's not like the extra space is unusable - there's actually plenty of room for a phone, even an iPad as well, along with lots of other stuff that can go in the leather pouch. The hand grab strap is awesome, makes you actually want to not bother with a bag at all when you can and just take it out as is. It's lovely to carry in this way, feels secure, comfortable and light. Also gets quite a few looks as you walk by people in trendy Parisian cafes, lol. I'll just have to remember not to get carried away and take it out without a bag if there's any possibility of rain though, because being essentially made of felt you wouldn't want it to get soaked.

Anyway, if anyone is looking at the more premium price end of the spectrum for a home for their new rMB, I'd definitely recommend checking out the Hard Graft range. I'll see if I can post some photos later... :)
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Almost 180 pounds for a sleeve made for a 13"? Too big for a 12" Macbook, and that money? Crazy....
 
ZipZap said:
Very true and I think mentioned earlier in the thread. In May incase promised the icon 12 in July. Still nothing. Email them so the get asked by more than just me.
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Bad news, ZZ.

I just got an email from Incase customer service saying that one of their hard cases for the Retina is due to arrive in July but the 12" Icon Sleeves have not started production yet nor does she have an ETA.

BJ
 
PaulNL said:
Almost 180 pounds for a sleeve made for a 13"? Too big for a 12" Macbook, and that money? Crazy....
Click to expand...

Yeah it's expensive but then so was my rMB. And like I said, in my case at least, I'm OK with having a sleeve that doesn't just snuggly fit the computer and nothing else. I've had those before (loads and loads of those memory foam-ish sleeves which are designed to be just the exact size of the computer), but this time I wanted something different. I like the fact that it has a pouch for other items, and with the handle it makes it feel like a nice hybrid between being a bag itself or being a sleeve you can easily fit into a bag. And the quality is great, it feels just as justifiable to me as having bought an excellent quality item of clothing.

Anyway, I don't think it's crazy for people to want a simple, cost-effective sleeve for protection. Perfectly reasonable way to go in my view. But I think it's also great that there are now designers who are putting their minds to making really cool, hand-made products with high quality materials specifically to go with the technology we use these days. Why should this kind of design and quality model only apply to designer handbags and the fashion industry? I think it's really cool that as tech is maturing and becoming more and more a part of everyone's lives, the idea that everything to do with computers has to be purely utilitarian otherwise it's just a pointless rip off is starting to go away. It's been a while since I've felt like I needed to justify spending a lot on a great winter coat that will last a long time and is just plain good, while also being equally happy to buy basics at H&M. I don't see why the tech-accessory market should be any different!
 
boltjames said:
Bad news, ZZ.

I just got an email from Incase customer service saying that one of their hard cases for the Retina is due to arrive in July but the 12" Icon Sleeves have not started production yet nor does she have an ETA.

BJ
Click to expand...

Wow so she lied to me in May. They lost my purchase.
 
tbirdparis said:
Yeah it's expensive but then so was my rMB. And like I said, in my case at least, I'm OK with having a sleeve that doesn't just snuggly fit the computer and nothing else. I've had those before (loads and loads of those memory foam-ish sleeves which are designed to be just the exact size of the computer), but this time I wanted something different. I like the fact that it has a pouch for other items, and with the handle it makes it feel like a nice hybrid between being a bag itself or being a sleeve you can easily fit into a bag. And the quality is great, it feels just as justifiable to me as having bought an excellent quality item of clothing.

Anyway, I don't think it's crazy for people to want a simple, cost-effective sleeve for protection. Perfectly reasonable way to go in my view. But I think it's also great that there are now designers who are putting their minds to making really cool, hand-made products with high quality materials specifically to go with the technology we use these days. Why should this kind of design and quality model only apply to designer handbags and the fashion industry? I think it's really cool that as tech is maturing and becoming more and more a part of everyone's lives, the idea that everything to do with computers has to be purely utilitarian otherwise it's just a pointless rip off is starting to go away. It's been a while since I've felt like I needed to justify spending a lot on a great winter coat that will last a long time and is just plain good, while also being equally happy to buy basics at H&M. I don't see why the tech-accessory market should be any different!
Click to expand...

This is not good logic and there nothing exceptional about the case. You are not going to put anything else in that case with the rMB so it should fit snug. Check on Etsy, eBay or Amazon for something else
 
ZipZap said:
This is not good logic and there nothing exceptional about the case. You are not going to put anything else in that case with the rMB so it should fit snug. Check on Etsy, eBay or Amazon for something else
Click to expand...

Yep, it's bad logic to decide what you're looking for, do your research, take your time to get ideas from discussion groups and other sources, reflect on what suits your needs and then make a choice. Same logic I used to decide if the rMB was a good fit for me too. Both turned out to be better than I expected... so disastrous results, clearly. Catastrophic!
 
tbirdparis said:
Yep, it's bad logic to decide what you're looking for, do your research, take your time to get ideas from discussion groups and other sources, reflect on what suits your needs and then make a choice. Same logic I used to decide if the rMB was a good fit for me too. Both turned out to be better than I expected... so disastrous results, clearly. Catastrophic!
Click to expand...

Good job skirting the point. It's bad logic to buy now knowing you will upgrade with the next release. If your choice is so well thought out then you should not need to upgrade, right?
 
You didn't make that point! Hard to skirt it when I had no idea what you were talking about. Anyway, who said I was going to upgrade to a next release? I didn't.

Once I'd narrowed it down to a few choices, I researched them further. For this one, I got the dimensions from the website, waited till my rMB had arrived and then literally measured it out with a measuring tape to get an idea of the real size. Then I thought about how it would work for me. I took into account the extra carrying space in the outside pouch as opposed to going with the tight-fitting carry cases I'm used to which have only the one purpose of being a sleeve to protect the computer when it's in a bag. I contacted the manufacturer and asked them about the fit with respect to the rMB, and got pretty honest and balanced answers along with the reassurance that if it didn't meet my expectations I could obviously send it right back for a refund. Asked people online what their experience was like. Also looked at other options that look popular and nicely made, like the Joli sleeves. But I kept coming back to this idea that it could be nice to have a case that, on some days when I don't need much on me, I could take out on its own and it would serve as my bag for the day. Decided to follow that thought and order the folio.

When it arrived, I tried it out and found that the felt pouch part for the laptop is very thick and cushioned, so the rMB is snug inside like it's surrounded by cushions. No it's not locked in place like in the cases I've had in the past but I wasn't expecting that. Still, it doesn't slide around in any appreciable way anyway. Like I said, I was looking for something different this time and this felt like more of a hybrid between a laptop sleeve and a bag, which I'm finding I like. Went to work the other day with just the folio, plenty of room for my phone, headphones, various other things I'd normally have in a bag and it was really comfortable and light to carry around with the grab handle. I like the idea of a folio that you can carry around on its own, or easily slip into your usual bag like you would with a sleeve. Again, I was after something a bit different this time and this fits the bill nicely. It's a bit wider than the rMB sure, but the leather exterior pouch has plenty of room for extra stuff so it works out for me.

I dunno, I think I was pretty careful and diligent making my choice and it wouldn't have been the first time I sent something back if it sucked. But I like it so I kept it. And yep, it is made of very high quality materials by a small company that works with artisanal suppliers, I'm on board to pay a little extra for that when the product they make is good.
 
IMG_6559 copy.JPG
I bought a PicasoLab Nappa leather sleeve in triple black a few weeks ago. It is a beautifully hand-crafted work. When it arrived, the leather was a bit stiff. Alex, the owner recommended that I gently roll it in different directions to loosen it up. That did the trick and now it feels just right and the MacBook now slides in and out comfortably.
 
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Has anyone from the US purchased from this Etsy shop? I bought after reading a few posts here about how nice the products were for the new 12 inch.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/PochetteGavotte

The seller has been great and the reviews definitely show that, so no complaints there... but it seems as if my package is stuck in NYC and has been for a week. Seller shipped it from Japan on July 22nd. Just wanted to see if anyone experienced the same thing - I'm going bonkers waiting because I travel with my MacBook frequently and I'm paranoid of not protecting it.
 
Well I ordered from Picaso Lab about a week and a half ago, received a shipping notification (with no tracking number) two days after that and haven't received my sleeve nor has Alex bothered to respond to any of my requests for a tracking number, or even acknowledge i've sent him a bloody e-mail. There is no way on earth, even if you strapped my package to a horse and delivered it that way, that it should take this long, he's in Palo Alto, and i'm in SF... At this point I'm considering a chargeback.
 
mnm12 said:
Has anyone from the US purchased from this Etsy shop? I bought after reading a few posts here about how nice the products were for the new 12 inch.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/PochetteGavotte

The seller has been great and the reviews definitely show that, so no complaints there... but it seems as if my package is stuck in NYC and has been for a week. Seller shipped it from Japan on July 22nd. Just wanted to see if anyone experienced the same thing - I'm going bonkers waiting because I travel with my MacBook frequently and I'm paranoid of not protecting it.
Click to expand...


I did not order direct but bought it new from a member here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/150865949/12-inch-new-macbook-sleeve-macbook-air?ref=shop_home_active_8

I like it. Nice quality. Not sure how long the button will last.
 
boomography said:
Well I ordered from Picaso Lab about a week and a half ago, received a shipping notification (with no tracking number) two days after that and haven't received my sleeve nor has Alex bothered to respond to any of my requests for a tracking number, or even acknowledge i've sent him a bloody e-mail. There is no way on earth, even if you strapped my package to a horse and delivered it that way, that it should take this long, he's in Palo Alto, and i'm in SF... At this point I'm considering a chargeback.
Click to expand...

Alex is known for this...he generates the shipping manifest long before he ships. If he even ships. He is not a good vendor, and the cases are thick and not that great.
 
ZipZap said:
Alex is known for this...he generates the shipping manifest long before he ships. If he even ships. He is not a good vendor, and the cases are thick and not that great.
Click to expand...
I had a good experience with Alex. I placed my order and received in 6 days — and I’m in Michigan. The sleeve is gorgeous and is not at all too thick. It was a bit stiff when I received it, but Alex instructed me how to loosen it up — it feels great now.
 
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I received my Picaso Lab black/red leather case, and it's pretty gorgeous. I ordered it on 7/27, and it arrived in the mail today. It's a bit thicker than I expected, but is perfectly-sized for the rMB, and definitely very protective. The red stitching on the black leather looks great, and looks like it was done with care.

It does suck that some people have had issues with Alex. My experience with him was excellent...he was generally good with communication. I do hope he gains consistency for all of his customers based on what I've read here.
 
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mnm12 said:
Has anyone from the US purchased from this Etsy shop? I bought after reading a few posts here about how nice the products were for the new 12 inch.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/PochetteGavotte

The seller has been great and the reviews definitely show that, so no complaints there... but it seems as if my package is stuck in NYC and has been for a week. Seller shipped it from Japan on July 22nd. Just wanted to see if anyone experienced the same thing - I'm going bonkers waiting because I travel with my MacBook frequently and I'm paranoid of not protecting it.
Click to expand...

I bought one and it arrived without any delay or issues. Once its sent, its out of the sellers control and customs can take their time to get to your packet. The sleeve is decent and does its job. I don't take it out of the house often but when I do it is pretty handy.
 
rajivhifi said:
I bought one and it arrived without any delay or issues. Once its sent, its out of the sellers control and customs can take their time to get to your packet. The sleeve is decent and does its job. I don't take it out of the house often but when I do it is pretty handy.
Click to expand...

Yeah and USPS isn't exactly known for being quick and efficient. How long did yours take? I'm on day 15. Mine left ISC today and is now in the Flushing, NYC facility. Hoping it gets here by Friday.
 
Wallabe said:
Thanks. Order placed. I still like my leather case I got from Amazon but I played a bit with some of the incase cases at the Apple Store. I really like the neat hidden design of these cases. I have been waiting for this to become available for ordering.
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Agreed.

For me, I don't need a sleeve like this except for one purpose- when I'm traveling and need to put my notebook in a hotel room safe. Many have small openings and can scratch, I need a sleeve to prevent that when I'm on the road.

BJ
 
mnm12 said:
Yeah and USPS isn't exactly known for being quick and efficient. How long did yours take? I'm on day 15. Mine left ISC today and is now in the Flushing, NYC facility. Hoping it gets here by Friday.
Click to expand...

One week tops.
 
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