incase Designs PDA Case Review

I must say I’m converted. I received my incase® Designs PDA case about 3 weeks ago and found that the changeover from my MKV WrapII (i2iuk) was very smooth. Almost all of my goodies (cards, etc.) transferred into the new case. The only items that I couldn’t keep were my case stickers. *sniff* That’s the price you pay for using a sticker-unfriendly neoprene.

Initial Observations:

First off, the case itself is not really shaped as it looks on the website. While
the site displays the case as a clamshell looking object, it is closer to a rounded
rectangle slightly larger than the PalmPilot (in this case a Pro). Although the
website mentions that PalmPilot(s) will fit into this case, I didn’t get a chance to put a
PalmV or VII into it. From the looks of things, there shouldn’t be any problems at
all with the newer & slimmer designs. Secondly, there are two case models
available. This review covers the newest design with the rubber logo & molded
zipper. The older model is supposed to be exactly the same except it has an
embroidered logo and metallic zipper.

Something that bothered me quite a bit when I first got the case (but I have
subsequently gotten used to), is the placement of the zipper – it unzips from right to
left. I can almost unzip the case now without thinking about
it…..almost. *chuckle*

Inside the PDA case is a small (fits the standard styli) pen holder, 3 card slots [top
half], and a patch (hook side) of Velcro [bottom half]. If you close the case with
the Velcro exposed, the padded interior from the top will stick & become slightly
marred from the effects of removing the Velcro. Due to the fact that the case is made
to protect your Pilot, and thus is a little stiff, removing the stylus from the silo can
become a chore. If you are using a styli that fits into the silo, I recommend using
the pen holder. One drawback of using the pen holder is that it warps the case’s
streamlined look (slight bulge to the right).

The outside of the case is colored neoprene – red, black, or blue. I really like
the blue color. But I was pleased with the black. Surprisingly, the black color didn’t
pick up a lot of lint. My constant battering has done very little cosmetic damage – a few
neoprene balls (where the neoprene has stretched out) on the backside. Although there
is no current way to wear this case anywhere but inside a pocket, the zipper seems to be
sturdy enough to attach a small carabiner without ripping any stitching. I wear cargo
pants, and this case fits well into my side pockets. It also slides easily into my
coat / jean pockets without creating to much of an unsightly bulge.

Overall the case is a good buy that will give you plenty of protection. Since I’ve only
had this case for a few weeks, it still has a bit of breaking-in to do, which will make
the use of this PDA case even more comfortable. This is one case I intend to keep using.
Now if I could talk myself into buying one of the blue ones.

Price: Approximately $25

Pros:
Inexpensive
Sturdy
Sleek looking

Cons:
Uses Velcro
No belt loop