REVIEW: Waterfield iPad Smart Case

When deciding on your next iPad case there are a plethora of options out there to choose from. So what sets one apart from the other? We think it's functionality, looks, and price - in that order!

WaterField Designs case and bag company from San Francisco, CA has several iPad case types you can choose from that are "a cut above your ordinary cases". We picked up the "iPad Smart Case" from them via their online store, and it arrived within a few days of the order time. Here are our thoughts on using it with our iPad.

Inside the Box

Inside the box was the case itself wrapped in plastic, and a box of Girl Scout cookies in honor of their promotion where they send you a box of cookies with every order (through 2/28/13)! First, we ate some cookies - then, we got to work :)

Look and Feel

The Smart Case feels nice in your hands, not too big and not too small. The measurements are 10" x 7.2" x 1" thin. It is a sleeve type case, so there is an opening at one end that your iPad slides into. There is no latch or door that holds the iPad once inside, but the grip of the inner suede does a good job of holding it well (and they say also helps clean your screen if exposed). These come in 2 sizes for each iPad variant currently available (iPad 3 or 4) or (iPad mini) each with the option of whether you are using an Apple smart case with yours or not.

The outside of the case is made from a fabric material that comes in a variety of colors. One side of the exterior shell has a stretchy mesh material for securing a few things. I don't think it is intended to be held upside down with too much stuff in the outside pocket, but it held onto some items we stashed away just fine. The sides of the case have a nice leather accent "binding" that will no doubt last the entire life of the case. Everything is padded to between the outer layer and inner layers of fabric as well, which will make your iPad feel nice and cozy. To give it some rigidness there also a slice of high impact plastic between the layers.

The inside is made from a material called Ultrasuede ® and is very smooth and soft to the touch, again -it's padded with pretty dense foam. I stuck my hand down the sleeve to feel what the iPad would feel and all inside corners felt nice and smooth too which speaks to the quality of the workmanship behind the build.

Testing

Our test conditions were pretty simple. Put the iPad into it and see how well it would protect it in some everyday conditions.

Our iPad was not using a smart cover or any other attachment.

The case did a good job of holding our iPad3 just fine during testing, even when held upside down by the end for an extended amount of time.  It slides out with ease as well by just grabbing the iPad with our fingers at the end opening of the case. We also tested it with an original iPad  but the fit got a little more snug and was slightly more difficult to remove due to the fatness of the 1st gen iPad. It's not designed for the thicker / older iPad but we wanted to try anyway.

We performed a few drop tests and listened for any hard bounces which would indicate the contents (your iPad) taking the brunt of a fall. We tested at 1 foot and 3 foot on both carpet and a hard surface and overall it performed excellent, no damage! At higher falls sometimes the iPad would wiggle it's way out just a little from the top - but that is expected in a case with no latch.

Summary

Overall this is a very nice case. It really has that snug feel we like to have when toting around our $700 iPad, and it has some added features like the exterior mesh pocket, and Ultrasuede ® lining that set it apart from any case you'd find at most accessory stores. The cost of the "Smart Case"  is $59 through the Waterfield website and we think the value is good though we'd like to see it be somewhere in the sub $50 range for this type of sleeve case. However, it is worth mentioning that all WaterField products are designed and manufactured in San Francisco and helps explain why the case is so well made and why the price is what it is.