Review: Horizontal pouch for Samsung Jack
One of the more frustrating aspects of getting a new phone is finding a case for it, especially if your phone is a new model just hitting stores.
The Samsung Jack snuck up on a lot of us and while the phone is growing in popularity, the case selection has been lacking. Fortunately, Samsung is offering a horizontal pouch for the Jack that might ease the frustration.
Ease on past the break to see what we thought of the Samsung Horizontal Pouch for the Jack along with a few photos.
Out-of-the-box impression
When you first take the Samsung Horizontal Pouch out of the box you catch that sweet small of fresh leather. The case is well-stitched with no loose seams present, and the black leather has a distinctive pebble pattern stamped into it. The interior is lined with a soft felt-like material, and there is a bottom/center cutout to the case to help you remove the Jack.
The case's large flap is secured by a magnetic closure that requires you to match up a post in the flap magnet with a hole in the case magnet. Once matched, the case holds your Jack in place nicely. If you're off just slightly, the magnets won't seat correctly and the flap isn't secure. I prefer the flat magnets sewn just under the material. They're easier to close, and you don't have to worry about matching posts and holes.
Performance
The horizontal pouch has a leather-wrapped belt hook. At first I was concerned that the belt hook was too short, but it rode comfortably and securely on my hip.
Being a leather case, the initial fit for the Jack was tight. Some cases allow for enough wiggle room to get your thumb and forefinger around the phone to pull the phone out. It took a few days of wear to accomplish this with the Samsung case and, initially, I had to take advantage of the bottom cutout to remove the Jack. The case added very little bulk to the already small form factor of the phone. This helped tremendously to the comfort of wearing the case. Compared to wearing the AT&T Fuze in a Body Glove Landmark Case I often forgot I had the Jack on my hip.
Overall Impression
I liked the Samsung Horizontal Pouch for the Jack and if you're a proud owner of this phone, the case should make your shortlist. At $17.95, it's priced competitively with similar cases and the construction is top notched.
The weak point is likely the magnetic closure in that if you don't match the magnets up just right, the flap will be loose. Keep in mind though, that the initial fit for the Jack will be a little on the tight side. But once you've used the case for a few days, the leather will relax a little.
To borrow a line from Siskel and Ebert, the Samsung Horizontal Pouch for the Jack gets "Two Thumbs Up".
