There are many options for an iPad case nowadays, but if you’re in the market for something truly unique, a hand-crafted iPad case will make all the difference. I have received this iPad case from the guys at BUKcase for this review.
Who is BUKcase?
BUKcase is a British company that specializes in Artisan iPad, Amazon Kindle and some Smartphone cases made by a team of bookbinders from locally sources materials and traditional machinery. The result is a beautiful case that looks like a leather bound sketch book or notebook that is more unique than any plastic or felt case.
Design:
As soon as you hold the BUKcase in your hand, you’ll know you’ve got something of exceptional quality, it is very well made. It is made of birch ply, which makes it quite light. The outside is covered with black vinyl, which looks a lot like leather, and the inside can be made with your choice of color (red, blue, grey or purple). The cover features a small magnet making in a smart cover, so your iPad turns on or off automatically whenever you open or close the cover.
The frame where the iPad sits is made of wood as well, featuring gaps for the charging/sync cable, power button, volume buttons and the headphone jack. I found frame to be not entirely snug to fit the iPad (iPad 2 in my case), but the clips on top and bottom of the frame work well to lock the iPad in place.
On the outside, and like a traditional leather bound notebook, an elastic band goes around the case which gives it a more authentic look and feel.
Each case is hand-crafted per order and gets its own unique ID number which helps give you personal after-sale customer service if required. And if you’d like to make it more personal, you can request to have a name or an initial embossed on it.
Functionality:
Is the BUKcase strong enough to protect your iPad? I’d say it is. Its solid construction should keep the iPad safe. I’ve been using it for around a week, I can’t say I put it under enough pressure to test how tough it really is, but it should endure normal use and abuse.
Flipping the cover back makes for a nice stand, and the little clip on the elastic band makes sure it stays in place. This should make horizontal viewing nice and pleasant.
Overall:
I’m quite happy with BUKcase as an artisan piece of work. When closed, you’ll never guess it’s actually a case, it looks exactly like a notebook. It also has a distinct smell that is associated with leather good and vintage books, this adds much warmth to a rather cold gadget, which I absolutely love. If there’s one thing I’d like changed, I wish for the frame to be more snug to hold the iPad securely without the need for clips, I do find them a bit distracting. Otherwise, it’s a truly nice case to have.
You can find out more about BUKcase by visiting: http://www.bukcase.com
The case is available for many gadgets, the Original case, which I have reviewed here, can be purchased for £40/$68.
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