In my mind, great accessories makes a great gadget even better. I love my 2nd-gen iPad Pro 12.9, and I want accessories to protect it and keep it looking great. I want a protective iPad Pro sleeve that will protect it in my gear bag and when I’m carrying only it with me. I’m even happier when the protective sleeve is attractive. The Lucrin Zippered Sleeve for iPad Pro 12.9″ is both protective and beautiful. It seems to be the perfect accessory for me! When Lucrin offered a review sample to The Gadgeteer, I hastily asked to be chosen.
Design and Features
Founded in 1994, Lucrin is a Swiss luxury leather company that offers a collection of “beautifully designed everyday leather essentials that are colorful, timeless and easy to personalize.” Lucrin says that customization is what they do best, and their ordering process is proof of that.
With every bag, you have a selection of leathers and colors. You can customize this sleeve by adding your monogram or removing the Lucrin logo. (Other bags and accessories offer more leathers, including exotic skins.) I chose the granulated leather. The beautiful red seen here was very tempting, but I opted for the Royal Blue because I wanted to coordinate this sleeve with the Oberon Design Sonoma Tote that I use as my gear bag.
You see that there are many colors, from the more masculine darks to the more feminine pinks, to choose from. I think men and women are equally able to design a sleeve that suits their style.
Lucrin has a philosophy that I like. They say:
“The beauty of a leather article relies on several ingredients: a good leather craftsman, of course, as well as an expert tanner, along with a top quality hide and, if we go right back to the source, farms that make animal welfare their priority and good grazing.
Lucrin buys directly from the best tanners in Italy, Spain and South Africa (for ostrich leather). Each tannery we work with has been carefully selected for the quality of its hides and its expertise. These tanneries buy raw hides, prepare them and carry out dyeing as per the colors of the Lucrin catalogue and high-end texturing procedures.“
As you can see from the photos in this review, the Royal Blue sleeve in granulated leather that I received shows the quality that went into every step of the processing.
I opted to leave the Lucrin logo on my bag, as you see. The logo is very discreet, and not a major component of the design. I brightened up the photo here to highlight the graining of the leather. The top photo better represents the actual color.
The back of the sleeve is plain, with no pockets. This sleeve is designed to hold only the iPad Pro 12.9 and nothing else.
Notice that the zipper pulls are little straps made of the same leather as the rest of the bag.
The interior of the bag is microfiber fabric to protect the iPad Pro from scratches. The bag opens up completely, as seen here. The zipper’s teeth are plastic, to further prevent scratching. What you can’t see is the padding between the leather and lining that will cushion the iPad.
The microfiber fabric looks like suede. In this photo, you can see the actual color of the lining fabric. Notice also how even and straight the stitching is. This Lucrin sleeve is beautifully constructed.
This is my 2nd-gen iPad Pro 12.9 laying inside the Lucrin Zippered Sleeve. Although the iPad Pro isn’t cased in this photo, I did find that the Pro will also fit inside while wearing a thin TPU back cover. The cover zips easily around the Pro with or without the TPU back cover.
Here’s the Lucrin sleeve beside my Oberon Sonoma bag. The leather colors don’t match, but I wouldn’t expect bags from two companies to have an exact color match. I still think the two bags complement each other beautifully.
Here’s the Lucrin sleeve, with my iPad Pro inside, fitting in the front of the Oberon bag. The sleeve fits inside the compartment of that Oberon bag as if it were custom-made for it. I don’t have to remove the sleeve from the tote to get my iPad Pro out. I just unzip the sleeve a little past the top corners, and I can slip the iPad right out – cased or uncased.
What I like
- Can be customized with the color and the leather texture you like
- Well made
- Beautiful leather exterior and protective interior
- Works well to protect your iPad Pro in your gear bag or as you carry it to meetings
What needs to be improved
- Nothing
Final thoughts
The Lucrin Zippered Sleeve for 12.9″ iPad Pro can be customized with color and leather type, so you can have your perfect zippered sleeve for your iPad Pro. It’s well-constructed of quality materials, and it’s beautifully constructed. I love this Lucrin zippered sleeve, and it makes a beautiful addition to my gear bag.
Price: $265.00, as configured for this review
Where to buy: Customize and purchase at Lucrin
Source: The sample of this product was provided by company Lucrin
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That’s pretty steep, even more than the Killspencer iPad case. I suppose you pay for customization, and the plastic zippers are more practical than the premium RiRi zippers on the Killspencer.