Nomad iPhone case review

GeekDad Review: A Collection of Nomad iPhone 7 Plus Cases

Gadgets Reviews
Nomad iPhone case review
Nomad Leather Cases for iPhone 7 Plus in Rustic Brown and Midnight Blue flank the new Nomad Rugged Case (Photo by Brad Moon)

I’ve had a lot of luck with Nomad accessories for Apple gear. The company makes high quality products that complement Apple’s offerings, with thoughtful engineering and premium materials like Horween leather. The company sent me a trio of cases to try out with my iPhone 7 Plus, and each lives up to expectations. In other words, they’re a good-looking option for protecting an iPhone.

Nomad Leather Case

I previously had a very early version of the Nomad Leather Case and it was really tight—to the point that removing it actually snapped one of the delicate cutouts around the iPhone’s speaker. Whether that was an early run production issue that was addressed or simply an anomaly, the two Nomad Leather Cases that I received did not have the same problem. They fit snugly—as they should—but it’s no big deal to remove them.

Nomad uses vegetable-tanned Horween leather wrapped over a polycarbonate frame for these cases. Edges are raised slightly to protect the iPhone’s display. There is enough thickness on the back to protect the camera lens as well, but there is very little added weight or bulk. The review units I received were Midnight Blue and Rustic Brown. My personal preference is for the brown, especially as it ages…

This is a minimalist case that offers basic protection, while wrapping your iPhone in attractive leather—it basically competes against Apple’s own Leather Case, but at $39.95 the Nomad version is $5 cheaper. I own an Apple Leather Case and I think the Nomad version’s Horween leather is nicer looking (and feeling), especially as it ages and develops a patina. It also offers the advantage of protection that wraps fully around the bottom of the iPhone, but I find the Ring/Silent switch is tougher to operate on the Nomad version.

Nomad Rugged Case

This is the latest case released by Nomad, and it’s meant to offer serious drop protection while staying slim. It’s certified to survive multiple drops from 2 metres (about 6.5 feet) with a polycarbonate frame, raised rubber edges, and integrated air pockets for impact compression. The hexagonal back pattern adds some high tech visual interest and is intended to resist scratching (although it does pick up fingerprints). That panel is a smoky semi-translucent material, so the look will change depending on the color of your iPhone.

Nomad iPhone case review
Nomad Rugged Case for iPhone 7 Plus offers slim drop protection and a high tech look (Photo by Brad Moon)

It feels solid and is definitely noticeably thinner than any of other protective cases in my collection. Cutouts are accurate and the button covers have good action. At $39.95, the price is reasonable for a rugged case.

The Nomad Leather Case is available for iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, while the Rugged Case is currently only offered for the 7 Plus. If you’re in the market for a new iPhone case, check them out. And have a look at Nomad’s other accessories while you’re there. I’ve reviewed the Horween Leather Charging Wallet, Nomad Ultra Rugged Battery Cable for iPhone, and Nomad Strap for Apple Watch on GeekDad—each of these are still going strong and the products that use Horween leather are aging beautifully.

Disclosure: Nomad provided review units but had no editorial input.

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