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theboss19

macrumors newbie
Jan 13, 2006
19
6
I'm on my 2nd brown Nomad case for the iPhone 7. The first one had a bad cut out for the ring/vibrate switch. The 2nd one is just fine for now. My Speck Presidio case from my job will be here tomorrow.
 

krick

macrumors regular
Jun 25, 2009
146
72
I'm on my 2nd brown Nomad case for the iPhone 7. The first one had a bad cut out for the ring/vibrate switch. The 2nd one is just fine for now. My Speck Presidio case from my job will be here tomorrow.

Do you have comparison pics of the bad and good Nomad cases? I have 2 on order (brown and grey) and it would be helpful to know what to look for.

Thanks.
 

iBought

macrumors regular
Dec 2, 2010
139
45
I absolutely love my official apple leather case that i have installed on my matte black iphone 7 plus but im afraid its going to be returned today because the exposed bottom is a deal breaker because if i was to drop the phone in the street on concrete by accident the entire bottom of my phone is susceptible to get dented/scratched, it happened to my with the 6S and i dont want it to happen to me with my new iPhone 7 Plus considering the 7 Plus is also heavier

im going to best buy to get that Nomad leather case and give that a go as that seems to be the best alternative to the apple case and it protects the bottom as well,

You seem super particular about cases. Interested in what you think about the Nomad V the Apple.
 

theboss19

macrumors newbie
Jan 13, 2006
19
6
Do you have comparison pics of the bad and good Nomad cases? I have 2 on order (brown and grey) and it would be helpful to know what to look for.

Thanks.

No I don't unfortunately. But the issue was the cut out for the switch was too small...it literally hung over the switch on the screen side.
 

Lionel Messi

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 2, 2013
227
254
Barcelona, Spain
I absolutely love my official apple leather case that i have installed on my matte black iphone 7 plus but im afraid its going to be returned today because the exposed bottom is a deal breaker because if i was to drop the phone in the street on concrete by accident the entire bottom of my phone is susceptible to get dented/scratched, it happened to my with the 6S and i dont want it to happen to me with my new iPhone 7 Plus considering the 7 Plus is also heavier

im going to best buy to get that Nomad leather case and give that a go as that seems to be the best alternative to the apple case and it protects the bottom as well,
Buddy, I've had 2 iPhone 6 Plus leather cases (black and brown) and phone fell numerous times with no damage at all. Not sure if it fell on concrete, but it did fall on marble, wood and stone surfaces. Best thing about the case is the inner microfiber lining which both dampens when falling and does not scratch the back when dust accumulates. Seriously the best case I've used as I've been using the black case ever since I got my iPhone at launch with only 2 changes. Ordered black again (and I received it) for the 7 Plus because of how good it is.
 
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jonkevin

macrumors member
Jan 1, 2009
48
13
No I don't unfortunately. But the issue was the cut out for the switch was too small...it literally hung over the switch on the screen side.

I have the brown Nomad leather case as well and the problem I'm having with the ring/vibrate switch is that it's small and it's hard to fit my finger in there. I have to use my nail to switch it on and off. Wondering if it's just my particular case or if that's how they all are.
 

Noah_Dentzel

macrumors newbie
Jun 9, 2015
20
3
Hey Benz63amg,

I won't argue with you on personal taste preference of whether you want the full wrap or not, but I do think our leather quality speaks for itself once you can see it, touch it and, bear with me here, smell it. It's just really good stuff. Genuine aniline-dyed vegetable-tanned leather from what's probably the most renowned tannery in America. More details here: http://www.horween.com/ (scroll down and read the "Essex" section, that's the leather family we use).

As for the wrap on the bottom, that's to protect the phone. We leave the gap there for the Lightning cable for two reasons: firstly, it's a UX design point as it allows for the case to more easily be taken on/off the iPhone (a full wrap case is quite difficult to get on and a real pain to get off; secondly, it ensures compatibility with most docks and 3rd party Lightning cables. We work hard on all the details to build what we believe to be the best product. No shortcuts here. That said, Apple's case is also a terrific case and a great option, they're just a little bit different. Note, ours also is unbranded on the outside, which I think customers like Jason Bourne would appreciate.

Noah
Co-Founder & CEO | Nomad


The nomad case's leather quality is not even close to the leather quality of the Apple case and the 10$ additional price tag is well worth it, when you feel the Nomad case you will see what im saying, it is much rougher and just doesn't feel as high quality, you really have to see it to decide for yourself but the leather on the apple case is much nicer in my opinion and even though Nomad claims their case uses the finest leather in their marketing of the product i would have to disagree, Another thing i dont like about the Nomad case is that there is a tiny opening right about the Lightning port that exposes the bezel of the iPhone 7, i have no clue why they left that spot open and unprotected but when you look at the case from the front you will see what im saying.

Hers a shot to show the open bottom:

28i6vpx.jpg


i think that just looks terrible and i prefer to have the larger opening on the bottom of the apple leather case than that weird looking opening on the bottom of the Nomad, if that opening wasn't there i would have opted to get the Nomad case over the apple case because it would have had full all around protection and wouldn't be looking strange with that weird opening near the lightning port when looking at the phone from the front angle



The only downside of the apple leather case is that big opening on the bottom ,it really opens up the opportunity to scratch the phone
 

upnorthmaine

macrumors newbie
Sep 20, 2016
10
9
I have the brown Nomad leather case as well and the problem I'm having with the ring/vibrate switch is that it's small and it's hard to fit my finger in there. I have to use my nail to switch it on and off. Wondering if it's just my particular case or if that's how they all are.
Mine is like this too. Must be how the case is designed. Maybe @Noah_Dentzel can weigh in.
 

bnickel7

macrumors newbie
Sep 20, 2016
1
0
Which screen protector fits best with the leather case? Would be nice if there was one which covered the lower part of the phone that isn't protected by the leather case. Someone needs to make a glass protector that flows into a flexible clear skin that wraps around the lower unprotected part of the phone.
 

Benz63amg

macrumors 601
Oct 17, 2010
4,376
912
Hey Benz63amg,

I won't argue with you on personal taste preference of whether you want the full wrap or not, but I do think our leather quality speaks for itself once you can see it, touch it and, bear with me here, smell it. It's just really good stuff. Genuine aniline-dyed vegetable-tanned leather from what's probably the most renowned tannery in America. More details here: http://www.horween.com/ (scroll down and read the "Essex" section, that's the leather family we use).

As for the wrap on the bottom, that's to protect the phone. We leave the gap there for the Lightning cable for two reasons: firstly, it's a UX design point as it allows for the case to more easily be taken on/off the iPhone (a full wrap case is quite difficult to get on and a real pain to get off; secondly, it ensures compatibility with most docks and 3rd party Lightning cables. We work hard on all the details to build what we believe to be the best product. No shortcuts here. That said, Apple's case is also a terrific case and a great option, they're just a little bit different. Note, ours also is unbranded on the outside, which I think customers like Jason Bourne would appreciate.

Noah
Co-Founder & CEO | Nomad


Hi there, I appreciate your reply but I have to disagree, I love the full coverage design of your case in that it protects the bottom as well unlike the Apple leather case(although I hate that little cutout you did above the lighting port even though you say it's for compatibility reasons) but the quality of leather on the nomad case is not up to par with the Apple Leather case for the IPhone 7 Plus, The leather feels much higher quality on the Apple case, I was actually going to return the Apple leather case I got for for my iPhone 7 plus because it doesn't protect the bottom and I walked in to Best Buy to buy the nomad leather case but as I tried the nomad case in person at Best Buy it feels very low quality compared to my Apple leather case,I was checking the black leather nomad case if that makes any difference, I did notice the blue color one was a bit nicer than the black one for some reason.

But I ended up walking out of Best Buy without buying the nomad case and just keeping my apple leather case for now
 

HoosBruce

macrumors 6502a
Oct 21, 2013
783
591
I'd love to do a Nomad v Apple comparison especially since I dyed the Apple one to basically the same color as the Nomad. Not sure if I wanna throw down another $40ish for a case though haha.
 

theboss19

macrumors newbie
Jan 13, 2006
19
6
Hey Benz63amg,

I won't argue with you on personal taste preference of whether you want the full wrap or not, but I do think our leather quality speaks for itself once you can see it, touch it and, bear with me here, smell it. It's just really good stuff. Genuine aniline-dyed vegetable-tanned leather from what's probably the most renowned tannery in America. More details here: http://www.horween.com/ (scroll down and read the "Essex" section, that's the leather family we use).

As for the wrap on the bottom, that's to protect the phone. We leave the gap there for the Lightning cable for two reasons: firstly, it's a UX design point as it allows for the case to more easily be taken on/off the iPhone (a full wrap case is quite difficult to get on and a real pain to get off; secondly, it ensures compatibility with most docks and 3rd party Lightning cables. We work hard on all the details to build what we believe to be the best product. No shortcuts here. That said, Apple's case is also a terrific case and a great option, they're just a little bit different. Note, ours also is unbranded on the outside, which I think customers like Jason Bourne would appreciate.

Noah
Co-Founder & CEO | Nomad

Noah-
Can you speak to the point of the issues a few of us are having with the cut out for the ring/vibrate switch?
 

Benz63amg

macrumors 601
Oct 17, 2010
4,376
912
Noah-
Can you speak to the point of the issues a few of us are having with the cut out for the ring/vibrate switch?

That was another thing i disliked about the Nomad case when i examined it in store at best buy, the Cutouts for the mute button and the cutout on the bottom for the lightning port are both very imprecise with little to no attention to detail
 

jonkevin

macrumors member
Jan 1, 2009
48
13
Noah-
Can you speak to the point of the issues a few of us are having with the cut out for the ring/vibrate switch?

I went to Best Buy today to see if the other Nomad leather cases had similar size cut outs and it's pretty consistent with some being slighter deeper. What I also noticed was that the texture of the leather of each case can differ. There were 2 brown leather cases, one the leather was rough with a harder feel and the other was smooth and a slightly softer leather. I checked the black and navy cases and all those had smooth leather. I don't know if this is intentional or not but it's something to look out for. Personally, I liked both textures but decided to exchange mine (rough feel) for the smooth, softer leather.
 

Theirb123

macrumors newbie
Sep 23, 2014
20
4
Hi there, I appreciate your reply but I have to disagree, I love the full coverage design of your case in that it protects the bottom as well unlike the Apple leather case(although I hate that little cutout you did above the lighting port even though you say it's for compatibility reasons) but the quality of leather on the nomad case is not up to par with the Apple Leather case for the IPhone 7 Plus, The leather feels much higher quality on the Apple case, I was actually going to return the Apple leather case I got for for my iPhone 7 plus because it doesn't protect the bottom and I walked in to Best Buy to buy the nomad leather case but as I tried the nomad case in person at Best Buy it feels very low quality compared to my Apple leather case,I was checking the black leather nomad case if that makes any difference, I did notice the blue color one was a bit nicer than the black one for some reason.

But I ended up walking out of Best Buy without buying the nomad case and just keeping my apple leather case for now

Gotta disagree man, I've got the Nomad on mine right now and it feels quite lovely. I think we just have a different opinion on what quality leather is, which is fine. Lots of leathers feel very differently. I think apple chooses a more universally accepted leather, almost a pleathery feel to me. All in all, I have absolutely no issue with the lightning port, the mute switch is a little tough but nothing can be perfect, it protects the bottom, and the leather is quality. Fantastic case, so for people on the fence, check it out for yourselves and decide.
 
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Benz63amg

macrumors 601
Oct 17, 2010
4,376
912
Gotta disagree man, I've got the Nomad on mine right now and it feels quite lovely. I think we just have a different opinion on what quality leather is, which is fine. Lots of leathers feel very differently. I think apple chooses a more universally accepted leather, almost a pleathery feel to me. All in all, I have absolutely no issue with the lightning port, the mute switch is a little tough but nothing can be perfect, it protects the bottom, and the leather is quality. Fantastic case, so for people on the fence, check it out for yourselves and decide.

Which color did you get? the black one? i checked all 3 colors they had at best buy and the blue one was the most decent one out of the 3 colors, the brown one was kind of rough and the black one was the worst, it had a very pale and absolutely cheap feel
 

Knowimagination

macrumors 68020
Apr 6, 2010
2,228
1,288
Man I was going to run by best buy tomorrow, but not one store within a 25 mile radius has the 7 Plus nomad in stock. I had a brown leather apple case for the 6s Plus and I loved it, but I dropped it and it got some really deep gouges on it so I stopped using it.

The saddle brown apple case looks nice too, and I think it would compliment my jet black 7 Plus really well. Just wish i could see the nomad in person before buying, I know what the Apple case feels/looks like so I may just wait until my best buy stores get some in stock.
 

jonkevin

macrumors member
Jan 1, 2009
48
13
Man I was going to run by best buy tomorrow, but not one store within a 25 mile radius has the 7 Plus nomad in stock. I had a brown leather apple case for the 6s Plus and I loved it, but I dropped it and it got some really deep gouges on it so I stopped using it.

The saddle brown apple case looks nice too, and I think it would compliment my jet black 7 Plus really well. Just wish i could see the nomad in person before buying, I know what the Apple case feels/looks like so I may just wait until my best buy stores get some in stock.

If you live close to a Best Buy, I would suggest you go to see if they have it. I've been to 3 stores that had several in stock even thought the website said they didn't have it.
 
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Knowimagination

macrumors 68020
Apr 6, 2010
2,228
1,288
If you live close to a Best Buy, I would suggest you go to see if they have it. I've been to 3 stores that had several in stock even thought the website said they didn't have it.
Thanks for the tip, I have one right by my work so I will have to stop in tomorrow and see if they have it.
 

Eric5273

macrumors 6502a
Apr 12, 2009
771
503
New Jersey
I ended up picking up the Apple Black Leather case for my iPhone 7 today. Prior to going to the Apple Store, I went by Best Buy to check out the Nomad case. Here are my thoughts about both of them:

The Apple case has a more smooth leather and looks a bit more elegant with the aluminum buttons and more even cutouts. The leather has a bit more shine to it than the Nomad.

The Nomad case has a thicker and more rough looking leather (think Indiana Jones or the leather used on a baseball glove). If I had been getting the brown leather, I probably would have gone with the Nomad as it has a more natural looking leather. The Nomad looks like it would do a better job protecting the phone from a drop.

I decided to go with the Apple case since the iPhone in black has a more elegant and fancy sort of look to it, so I felt like the Apple case matched more with that. But if you prefer a more rugged look, the Nomad case looks like a very well made case.

As for the quality of the Apple leather case, the leather on mine is very even with no lines or marks. The corners also look very good, and do not have the issues that an earlier post showed (post #14 in this thread). The one thing that is not perfect, is the aluminum button for the power switch is not perfectly straight. It works fine, but is at a slight angle and not perfectly parallel with the case. It's something that you would only notice if you look closely, and so I have decided that I will keep it. With my luck, if I try to exchange it, the next one will have far worse issues. Overall I really like this case and it looks really good with my matte black iPhone 7,
 
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krick

macrumors regular
Jun 25, 2009
146
72
Just received the Nomad in both brown and grey. My initial observations:

-The quality of the leather is exactly what I expected of Horween - excellent and I think it will age beautifully. I don't have an Apple leather case to compare, but from recollection, the Apple leather is a tad thinner than the Nomad and more uniform in color and gradations.

-The fit and finish (sans phone) is good (but not perfect) on the brown, and poor on the grey. The brown has some sort of scratch or other imperfection toward the bottom left and a darker arcing line going across the upper third which were both immediately noticeable BUT neither of which I imagine will be noticeable at all after even just a day's use and will certainly just blend in with the patina the case develops. I will probably check out a local BB store to see if they have a better one just because I'm that OCD, but I would be happy to keep this one. The grey case, however, has terrific fit and finish over 99% of the case, but it has 3 small bumps on the back that I guessing are caused by particles of something having been trapped between the leather and the inner liner. These I do not think will go away or diminish in visibility over time regardless of patina or wear and tear, and would drive me crazy. These bumps, IMO, are unacceptable, but again, I'm a bit OCD on this stuff.

-Both are quite a bit smoother and more uniform than the stock images on the Nomad site and neither is even remotely "rough" or noticeably less smooth than the Apple leather. I may, however, be in the minority in that I actually wish the leather had more texture and was expecting it to look like the stock images, and will probably also check out BB for ones with more texture.

-The grey is a very dark charcoal color, and I mean actual charcoal. It has subtle grey/black color gradations (not really visible in the picture below) that are very similar to what you see in a piece of charcoal, which I strongly prefer to a perfectly uniform color when it comes to leather cases. It also definitely has more of a satiny sheen to it than the brown which is fairly matte. It's also a lot darker than I was hoping for (again, personal preference only) and looks nearly black depending on the light.

-The brown has more color/shade gradations than the grey. In the picture below, these make the finish look rough, but it is not - it is perfectly smooth. I happen to love this and strongly prefer it to the uniformity of color of the Apple leather case, but YMMV.

Unfortunately I can't comment on phone fitment yet because I won't receive mine for another couple days, but will report further as soon as I have.

A couple pictures below in which you should be able to see some of the issues I mention above. The pics make them less obvious than they are in person though.
FullSizeRender 9.jpg
FullSizeRender 10.jpg
 
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