https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3cUXxUtwyA
In today’s fast-paced world, where hustle and bustle reign supreme and technology is flashy and shiny, sometimes it takes a Nomad to depart from societal norms and help us to appreciate some of the more earthy and traditional style that is often overlooked in our tech-absorbed world. Enter stage left, Nomad. Nomad has been around for a couple of years now and I’m super enthused about the opportunity that I’ve had to review their new Rugged Case for the iPhone X. Nomad’s motto is “modern tools for the modern nomad”, and they really hammer home some of the old world refinements, infusing them into fancy new products in a way that helps blend modern tech with 19th century old English leather.

The Look: As soon as I saw the Rugged Case on Nomad’s website, I was hooked, and I wanted it. I love real leather, and I really like to have a sense of refinement when I carry my phone; not in an elitist way, but I don’t want a cheap plastic case on my $1k phone. Traditionally when I’m carrying an iPhone I want to display my A-game when it comes to cases. I previously used a mahogany wood case on my iPhone 7+, which I absolutely loved. Well, apparently super fancy leather was the natural progression from mahogany once I picked up the iPhone X. As do most people when they order things, I was checking the tracking on my package all day as I waited for the case to arrive. I didn’t waste any time ripping the box open when it arrived, and I must say, the presentation and the appreciation I have for this case started immediately as soon as I saw it. The traditional brown leather on this case is phenomenal, and the company (Horween Leather) that they purchase it from has been in business since 1905, so there is definitely a history of quality in the product. One of the coolest things I love is that the leather ages and changes with time (see picture below). Although it starts out as a pristine and shiny piece of hand-crafted leather, it slowly transforms over time into the well-worn leather look, and I think it’s fantastic! However, as much as I love the leather, I must let you know that you really have to take care of this case. Leather is great for couches, it’s great for shoes, and it’s great for phone cases, but once you damage it, it’s permanent. There are no take-backs, so you need to make sure that you take the appropriate level of caution as you use this case, especially as a daily driver. One last concern is being careful where you set your phone down. Leather is porous and absorbent, which means that if you set your phone down in liquids it can absorb/potentially stain. The leather seems to be sealed fairly well and I haven’t tested it out, but I would advise you to try your best not to set the phone down in Kool-Aid. This isn’t really a ding on the case, it’s just an inherent reality when you’re toting around a leather case. The Rugged Case is only available in one color: Rustic Brown.


The Feel: The leather is infused perfectly with the case chassis. The case ss just bulky enough to give it some heft, but not so much so that it’s burdensome or unduly heavy. The whole case wraps around the phone very solidly and doesn’t wiggle at all. There isn’t any flexing or bending, and once it’s on the phone it should stay there unless you apply an ample amount of effort to take it off. The overall feeling is great, and unmatched in anything that I’ve used before; you just can’t beat leather! I will say that the back of the phone is a little slick, especially now in winter time when you have dry hands. However, it’s not too bad. If you want something to compare it to, find a leather couch and run your hand across it. It has a sleek finish but the amount of grip is affected by the moisture level of your hands. Another thing that helps to keep the phone case in your hands is the rubberized TPE grips that cover the entire perimeter of the case. The material that they use is really good and has a solid feel to it. It’s a nice change up from the normal TPU and plastic that you find in many conventional cases. Really, the phone is quite secure in your hand and it feels classy, and expensive (which it is).


Security: As I mentioned above, the Rugged Case has 10ft of MIL-SPEC drop protection, which is fantastic. The old saying definitely holds true today “they just don’t make stuff like they used to.” The best way to emulate this expression is to make something today, like it used to be made, which is an appreciative nod to the quality and craftsmanship of this case. I don’t care how many cases you’ve used, there isn’t much likelihood that you’ve used any case that carries the level of quality and detail as the Nomad puts into the design of their case, which carries over to security. In addition to the drop test rating, the Rugged Case also has the protective lip over the front of the screen which allows you to place the phone down on flat surfaces without worrying about damaging the screen. Finally, it’s not a really a security feature, but despite the leather and sturdiness of the case, you can still use wireless charging with your iPhone!


Conclusion: I give this case a definite “buy” rating. It’s fancy, it’s sleek, it’s well-built, it protects the phone, and it’s just plain awesome. There really aren’t any cons with this case other than a) the price, and b) the delicacy of the materials. Of course it’s sturdy and protective, but you need to take care of the leather. Nomad even sells leather conditioner so you can keep your phone case looking its best! So, if you’re not willing to take the precautions to preserve the leather, I don’t recommend it; but… if you want to have a really cool leather case that ages gracefully and acquires more character over time, and looks fantastic, I highly recommend it!
Interested in picking up the Rugged Case for your iPhone X? Check out the link to Nomad’s website, and have a peek at the Rugged Case, and all of the other cool accessories that they have: https://www.hellonomad.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAksvTBRBFEiwADSBZfFQN2IHntd0iLT-J9HI2nzJ4duTAmMC5xQ2XnjizCEec2tSnyIn8MBoCFR0QAvD_BwE – Right now you can pick up the case for $44.95. There is also a built-in discount option for 10% off on Nomad’s website, which brings the case down to $40.45 (hey, every little penny counts!) Shipping is based off of location, but in the U.S., it appears that Standard shipping (USPS Ground) will run about $5* (only an estimate based off of my own address)
In today’s fast-paced world, where hustle and bustle reign supreme and technology is flashy and shiny, sometimes it takes a Nomad to depart from societal norms and help us to appreciate some of the more earthy and traditional style that is often overlooked in our tech-absorbed world. Enter stage left, Nomad. Nomad has been around for a couple of years now and I’m super enthused about the opportunity that I’ve had to review their new Rugged Case for the iPhone X. Nomad’s motto is “modern tools for the modern nomad”, and they really hammer home some of the old world refinements, infusing them into fancy new products in a way that helps blend modern tech with 19th century old English leather.

The Look: As soon as I saw the Rugged Case on Nomad’s website, I was hooked, and I wanted it. I love real leather, and I really like to have a sense of refinement when I carry my phone; not in an elitist way, but I don’t want a cheap plastic case on my $1k phone. Traditionally when I’m carrying an iPhone I want to display my A-game when it comes to cases. I previously used a mahogany wood case on my iPhone 7+, which I absolutely loved. Well, apparently super fancy leather was the natural progression from mahogany once I picked up the iPhone X. As do most people when they order things, I was checking the tracking on my package all day as I waited for the case to arrive. I didn’t waste any time ripping the box open when it arrived, and I must say, the presentation and the appreciation I have for this case started immediately as soon as I saw it. The traditional brown leather on this case is phenomenal, and the company (Horween Leather) that they purchase it from has been in business since 1905, so there is definitely a history of quality in the product. One of the coolest things I love is that the leather ages and changes with time (see picture below). Although it starts out as a pristine and shiny piece of hand-crafted leather, it slowly transforms over time into the well-worn leather look, and I think it’s fantastic! However, as much as I love the leather, I must let you know that you really have to take care of this case. Leather is great for couches, it’s great for shoes, and it’s great for phone cases, but once you damage it, it’s permanent. There are no take-backs, so you need to make sure that you take the appropriate level of caution as you use this case, especially as a daily driver. One last concern is being careful where you set your phone down. Leather is porous and absorbent, which means that if you set your phone down in liquids it can absorb/potentially stain. The leather seems to be sealed fairly well and I haven’t tested it out, but I would advise you to try your best not to set the phone down in Kool-Aid. This isn’t really a ding on the case, it’s just an inherent reality when you’re toting around a leather case. The Rugged Case is only available in one color: Rustic Brown.


The Feel: The leather is infused perfectly with the case chassis. The case ss just bulky enough to give it some heft, but not so much so that it’s burdensome or unduly heavy. The whole case wraps around the phone very solidly and doesn’t wiggle at all. There isn’t any flexing or bending, and once it’s on the phone it should stay there unless you apply an ample amount of effort to take it off. The overall feeling is great, and unmatched in anything that I’ve used before; you just can’t beat leather! I will say that the back of the phone is a little slick, especially now in winter time when you have dry hands. However, it’s not too bad. If you want something to compare it to, find a leather couch and run your hand across it. It has a sleek finish but the amount of grip is affected by the moisture level of your hands. Another thing that helps to keep the phone case in your hands is the rubberized TPE grips that cover the entire perimeter of the case. The material that they use is really good and has a solid feel to it. It’s a nice change up from the normal TPU and plastic that you find in many conventional cases. Really, the phone is quite secure in your hand and it feels classy, and expensive (which it is).


Security: As I mentioned above, the Rugged Case has 10ft of MIL-SPEC drop protection, which is fantastic. The old saying definitely holds true today “they just don’t make stuff like they used to.” The best way to emulate this expression is to make something today, like it used to be made, which is an appreciative nod to the quality and craftsmanship of this case. I don’t care how many cases you’ve used, there isn’t much likelihood that you’ve used any case that carries the level of quality and detail as the Nomad puts into the design of their case, which carries over to security. In addition to the drop test rating, the Rugged Case also has the protective lip over the front of the screen which allows you to place the phone down on flat surfaces without worrying about damaging the screen. Finally, it’s not a really a security feature, but despite the leather and sturdiness of the case, you can still use wireless charging with your iPhone!



Conclusion: I give this case a definite “buy” rating. It’s fancy, it’s sleek, it’s well-built, it protects the phone, and it’s just plain awesome. There really aren’t any cons with this case other than a) the price, and b) the delicacy of the materials. Of course it’s sturdy and protective, but you need to take care of the leather. Nomad even sells leather conditioner so you can keep your phone case looking its best! So, if you’re not willing to take the precautions to preserve the leather, I don’t recommend it; but… if you want to have a really cool leather case that ages gracefully and acquires more character over time, and looks fantastic, I highly recommend it!
Interested in picking up the Rugged Case for your iPhone X? Check out the link to Nomad’s website, and have a peek at the Rugged Case, and all of the other cool accessories that they have: https://www.hellonomad.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAksvTBRBFEiwADSBZfFQN2IHntd0iLT-J9HI2nzJ4duTAmMC5xQ2XnjizCEec2tSnyIn8MBoCFR0QAvD_BwE – Right now you can pick up the case for $44.95. There is also a built-in discount option for 10% off on Nomad’s website, which brings the case down to $40.45 (hey, every little penny counts!) Shipping is based off of location, but in the U.S., it appears that Standard shipping (USPS Ground) will run about $5* (only an estimate based off of my own address)
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