M-Edge Slip Sleeve for iPad Review

M-Edge makes wonderful cases and covers for a variety of digital book readers – from Kindles to Sony readers and now the iPad.  I’ve reviewed a couple of their leather cases and their e-Luminator2 for the Sony PRS-600 Touch reader.  I love those cases, so I was very happy when Julie told me that M-Edge was giving The Gadgeteer some iPad cases for review.  The Sony reader cases I received before were leather cases.  Because the iPad is already heavy, I decided I’d try something different for the iPad.  I asked to review the Slip Sleeve and the FlexStand.  M-Edge was kind enough to send me those, plus a Flip Jacket.  I’ll be talking about the Slip Sleeve in this review.

The Slip Sleeve case is a simple, elegant envelope-style case.  It’s made with a ScotchGuard-treated canvas fabric exterior, a beige suede-like fabric interior, and a taupe elastic band to hold the flap closed.  There is some sort of stiffener sandwiched between the fabrics for extra screen protection.  There is a strip of camel-colored leather that makes up the hinge area of the flap.  The leather has a slight sheen and a smooth, finished appearance on both sides.  There is no rough, raw side on this leather.  The edges of the leather strip are smooth and finished, so I can’t tell if two pieces of leather have been bonded raw-sides together to achieve this look.  This leather is very supple, and the flap opens up easily and completely.   (All images, including the first, are clickable for an enlarged view.)

There is a small rectangle of leather that attaches the elastic band to the back of the Slip Sleeve.  This leather is also camel-colored, and it is branded with the M-Edge name.  There is no other branding on the exterior of the Slip Sleeve.  There is a fabric label embroidered with the M-Edge name along one side in the interior.

When I first opened the package, I smelled leather and a whiff of dye carrier.  After the case has had several days to air out with use, only the wonderful leather smell remains.  The stitching is straight and perfect with no loose threads.

M-Edge makes a series of the Slip Sleeves for most of the devices they design for, and they come in a rainbow of colors for many of these.  Right now, M-Edge seems to have the Slip Sleeve for iPad only in black fabric with the taupe elastic.  (All the colors have the camel-colored leather strip.)  I know they are just gearing up to sell their iPad cases, so they may introduce more colors later.  I think they decided to start their offerings with a very sophisticated color combination.  The Slip Sleeve looks very elegant, and it would look perfect with a business suit.  I’m not the business-suit type, but the case doesn’t look out of place with my jeans, either.

Inside the case is a divider made of the suede-like lining fabric.  The naked iPad fits perfectly behind the center partition, and M-Edge says there is room for accessories in the front.  Because of the way the outer edges of the Slip Sleeve are sewn and because of the stiffener, the Slip Sleeve has a very flat profile, and I’m afraid anything too bulky placed in the case with the iPad would put pressure on the glass screen.  I wouldn’t put anything in there other than some folded papers – but maybe I’m just overly cautious with my iPad.

As I mentioned, the bare iPad is a perfect fit.  The iPad in the Belkin Grip Vue case would not fit inside the Slip Sleeve.  If you use your iPad without any type of case other than perhaps a sticker-type skin, the M-Edge Slip Sleeve would make a perfect case to carry your iPad with you.  It would make a perfect impression at work or where ever you find yourself.