Review: Nomad's new 'natural' leather is a lighter option to protect your AirPods Pro

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2021
Nomad's excellent AirPods Pro leather case has been updated with a new natural leather option that brings a lighter hue to the popular accessory cover.

Nomad Rugged Case for AirPods Pro now in natural leather
Nomad Rugged Case for AirPods Pro now in natural leather


Even though the AirPods and AirPods Pro case market has grown, Nomad has been a mainstay, adding touches it knows its user base will appreciate.

You can see this early with its case designs. Nomad's AirPods Pro cases were released in January 2020 with several quality of life improvements over its original AirPods cases.

Status LED is easily visible with the Rugged Case on
Status LED is easily visible with the Rugged Case on


That includes a polycarbonate light tube, which helps ensure the status light is easily visible through the case and from all angles. Most other cases just drill a hole in that location, which makes the light hard to see from the sides. When placed on a charger, this can be an issue unless you are looking straight down.

Nomad Rugged Case has an anchor for attaching a lanyard
Nomad Rugged Case has an anchor for attaching a lanyard


Nomad also lined the case with a microfiber lining rather than leaving it as unfinished plastic. Finally, an anchor point on the side was added for attaching a lanyard -- of course, Nomad has its own cable.

These Rugged Cases for AirPods Pro launched in brown as well as black, but it is now available in "natural" leather.

Natural leather of the Rugged Case
Natural leather of the Rugged Case


For this colorway, Nomad has a color-matched tan microfiber for the interior as well as a white plastic for the shell.

Out of the box, the natural leather is very light, but it will darken a bit over time as it develops a patina. It uses the same Horween leather as all of Nomad's other leather goods.

Should you buy the Nomad natural leather AirPods Pro case?

We are huge fans of these cases, as not only do they protect your AirPods Pro from any scuffs or scrapes while in your pocket on a daily basis, but they allow you to show off some personal style. They are durable and the patina they gather will be unique to you.

Nomad Rugged Case available in natural leather
Nomad Rugged Case available in natural leather


Nomad's lineup is growing quite a bit now, with not only the natural leather as an option but black and brown leather as well as water-resistant active leather coming soon too.

Whether you just like the look of these cases or you want to be able to connect a lanyard, you can't go wrong with Nomad's offerings.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Pros
  • Great fit to AirPods Pro case

  • Quality Horween leather

  • Color-matched microfiber interior

  • Lanyard anchor

  • Polycarbonate light tube for easier viewing of status LED

  • Develops unique patina
Cons
  • Lanyard is not included like it is for Pixel Buds cases

  • Lighter color attracts dirt easier than darker hues

  • No water resistant option

Where to buy

Nomad's AirPods Pro cases are available for $34.95 in multiple colors. They are also available for standard AirPods and the AirPods cases match well with Nomad's iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Ugh, don't undestand why anyone would want to cover electronics in horrible-feeling cowskin.
    Japhey
  • Reply 2 of 11
    Anilu_777Anilu_777 Posts: 521member
    crowley said:
    Ugh, don't undestand why anyone would want to cover electronics in horrible-feeling cowskin.
    Easy - it protects the case (I’ve seen them get a lot of scuffs) and looks unique. 
  • Reply 3 of 11
    ITGUYINSDITGUYINSD Posts: 510member
    Anilu_777 said:
    crowley said:
    Ugh, don't undestand why anyone would want to cover electronics in horrible-feeling cowskin.
    Easy - it protects the case (I’ve seen them get a lot of scuffs) and looks unique. 
    Never understood the need to cover the AirPods case.  It's white and who cares if it gets scratched?  I have a case for my laptop, but I don't get a case to cover the case!  ;)
  • Reply 4 of 11
    dinkydogsdinkydogs Posts: 21member

    ITGUYINSD said:
    Anilu_777 said:
    crowley said:
    Ugh, don't undestand why anyone would want to cover electronics in horrible-feeling cowskin.
    Easy - it protects the case (I’ve seen them get a lot of scuffs) and looks unique. 
    Never understood the need to cover the AirPods case.  It's white and who cares if it gets scratched?  I have a case for my laptop, but I don't get a case to cover the case!  ;)
    Even though it's a case to cover my AirPods pro, I still care if it gets scratched. I like my stuff to look new and clean and i do my best to keep all my stuff that way. Also I have the catalyst case which is water proof. Just because you don't care if it your case gets scratched up doesn't mean others don't. Oh and using your logic, why do you have a case for your laptop? The shell on the laptop is just a case to cover the internals and you only use the keyboard and screen. Who cares if the shell gets scratched right?

    jeffharris
  • Reply 5 of 11
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member
    dinkydogs said:

    ITGUYINSD said:
    Anilu_777 said:
    crowley said:
    Ugh, don't undestand why anyone would want to cover electronics in horrible-feeling cowskin.
    Easy - it protects the case (I’ve seen them get a lot of scuffs) and looks unique. 
    Never understood the need to cover the AirPods case.  It's white and who cares if it gets scratched?  I have a case for my laptop, but I don't get a case to cover the case!  ;)
    Even though it's a case to cover my AirPods pro, I still care if it gets scratched. I like my stuff to look new and clean and i do my best to keep all my stuff that way. Also I have the catalyst case which is water proof. Just because you don't care if it your case gets scratched up doesn't mean others don't. Oh and using your logic, why do you have a case for your laptop? The shell on the laptop is just a case to cover the internals and you only use the keyboard and screen. Who cares if the shell gets scratched right?

    So do you have a case to cover the case you got to keep the iPods case from getting scratched? After all, the case case you got will get scratched, so you need to protect it, right?
    anantksundaram
  • Reply 6 of 11
    Articles like this or the ones that are “How to switch off your iPhone in three easy steps “ .... ya know, either excitable psychophant or simply simplistic make me hope there is a secret code to these articles I am missing.
  • Reply 7 of 11
    dinkydogsdinkydogs Posts: 21member
    MplsP said:
    dinkydogs said:

    ITGUYINSD said:
    Anilu_777 said:
    crowley said:
    Ugh, don't undestand why anyone would want to cover electronics in horrible-feeling cowskin.
    Easy - it protects the case (I’ve seen them get a lot of scuffs) and looks unique. 
    Never understood the need to cover the AirPods case.  It's white and who cares if it gets scratched?  I have a case for my laptop, but I don't get a case to cover the case!  ;)
    Even though it's a case to cover my AirPods pro, I still care if it gets scratched. I like my stuff to look new and clean and i do my best to keep all my stuff that way. Also I have the catalyst case which is water proof. Just because you don't care if it your case gets scratched up doesn't mean others don't. Oh and using your logic, why do you have a case for your laptop? The shell on the laptop is just a case to cover the internals and you only use the keyboard and screen. Who cares if the shell gets scratched right?

    So do you have a case to cover the case you got to keep the iPods case from getting scratched? After all, the case case you got will get scratched, so you need to protect it, right?

    Nope because they don't make a case for the case that protects the case :P
  • Reply 8 of 11
    titantigertitantiger Posts: 300member
    ITGUYINSD said:
    Anilu_777 said:
    crowley said:
    Ugh, don't undestand why anyone would want to cover electronics in horrible-feeling cowskin.
    Easy - it protects the case (I’ve seen them get a lot of scuffs) and looks unique. 
    Never understood the need to cover the AirPods case.  It's white and who cares if it gets scratched?  I have a case for my laptop, but I don't get a case to cover the case!  ;)
    Everyone is different.  Some don't mind scratched up stuff, it bothers others.  Plus, in a family where multiple people have AirPods, a case of some kind makes it easier to tell whose is whose.  And if they decided to sell them and buy a newer model at some point, items that aren't scuffed tend to fetch more money.
    jeffharris
  • Reply 9 of 11
    titantigertitantiger Posts: 300member
    MplsP said:
    dinkydogs said:

    ITGUYINSD said:
    Anilu_777 said:
    crowley said:
    Ugh, don't undestand why anyone would want to cover electronics in horrible-feeling cowskin.
    Easy - it protects the case (I’ve seen them get a lot of scuffs) and looks unique. 
    Never understood the need to cover the AirPods case.  It's white and who cares if it gets scratched?  I have a case for my laptop, but I don't get a case to cover the case!  ;)
    Even though it's a case to cover my AirPods pro, I still care if it gets scratched. I like my stuff to look new and clean and i do my best to keep all my stuff that way. Also I have the catalyst case which is water proof. Just because you don't care if it your case gets scratched up doesn't mean others don't. Oh and using your logic, why do you have a case for your laptop? The shell on the laptop is just a case to cover the internals and you only use the keyboard and screen. Who cares if the shell gets scratched right?

    So do you have a case to cover the case you got to keep the iPods case from getting scratched? After all, the case case you got will get scratched, so you need to protect it, right?
    Some things look better "weathered" than others.  Scratched plastic?  Not so much.  Scuffed, worn leather - much better.  The natural transfer of oils from your skin also gives it a nice patina.

    It's just personal preference.  I would probably get an inexpensive silicone case to protect and distinguish my AirPods from the rest of the family's myself.  Not dropping $35 on a leather one.  But I can understand why some might.
  • Reply 10 of 11
    there is the huge price difference between a simple accessory like the airpods and an ipad, iphone or macbook...

    also resale value/reason seems to zero as the battery isn’t replaceable and innovation in earpods is likely to be nonexistent, now that they’ve been successfully untethered and assistanized. Compare that with the iphone, where i know i’ll get the next (or biannual) iteration, because of it’s tangible hardware upgrades...
    edited May 2020
  • Reply 11 of 11
    jeffharrisjeffharris Posts: 777member
    dinkydogs said:

    I have the catalyst case which is water proof. 
    Just because you don't care if it your case gets scratched up doesn't mean others don't.
    I picked up two Catalyst AirPods Pro Premium cases (waterproof and with carabiners) for my wife’s and mine. 
    Color coded, so we know who’s is who’s. 
    Much nicer and more functional that’s the cow pies in the article.

    I definitely try to protect and keep all my gear clean. Mac, iPad, iPhone, cameras, whatever.
    Clean and looking like new is better for resale!
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