Treo Pro Case Round up. Part One: Horizontal Cases

If I had a dime for every time “what’s a good case?” has been asked on the discussion forums, I could probably afford to buy all my phones out of contract. It’s a question that comes up with regularity and often increases with the release of new devices such as the Treo Pro. The number of cases available for the Treo Pro is growing in leaps and bounds so we decided to group a few together for review. For starters, we’ll look at cases designed for a horizontal carry; the DLO Hipcase and the Incipio Bond Street case. To see if these cases might spark your interest, read on after the break.

DLO Hipcase

The DLO Hipcase ($34.95) is a horizontal case that is available in brown or black leather and black nylon. In testing the brown leather model, I found the case to be well stitched but was very surprised to find that the flap was secured by Velcro. So many cases rely on magnetic closures; it was a little odd to use the Velcro flap.

The use of Velcro wasn’t the only surprise that I experienced with the DLO case. Most cases are lined with a soft, non-abrasive fabric. This is done for the obvious reason of avoiding scratching up your device with the interior of the case. The DLO’s interior is not lined but instead is simply soft leather.

The next surprise on the list is the somewhat large cut out at the bottom of the case. The cutout is necessary to allow the Treo Pro to be placed in and taken out of the case easier. My concern with DLO’s cut out is that it is so large that it might expose too much of the phone. With the Treo Pro, the green button is exposed almost enough that I could press it.

On the plus side, the DLO case fits the Treo Pro like a glove. Seriously, placing the Treo into the case for the first time was much like shoving your hands into a pair of leather driving gloves. Until you stretch the leather of the gloves, the fit is noticeably tight. It took a good amount of effort to place the Pro into the case for the first time. After a little use, the leather relaxed making it easier to placing and removing the Pro.

The flap covers the Treo generously but seemed to be cut too short. With the Pro in the case, the flap didn’t extend far enough to secure properly with the Velcro. I don’t know if magnets would have improved things but if DLO had cut the flap about ¼ inches longer, the fit would noticeably improve.

The case rode comfortably and rode close to the hip. The clip was strong and firm but was a little on the short side. If the clip is short and doesn’t span the width of your belt, a horizontal case won’t ride securely. Any upwards bump has the potential to knock the case off your belt. The DLO’s clip was right on the cusp of being too short. If you wear a narrow belt you should be fine.

The DLO Hipcase ($34.95) would have to be a pass for me. The construction was well done and the leather top notch but I’m not a big fan of Velcro and the bottom cut-out was too large. While the Velcro would be secure enough to begin with, in my experience the more you use the Velcro, the weaker the hold it has.

Incipio Bond Street case

The Incipio Bond Street case ($24.95) is another leather horizontal case that is available in brown or black leather. The leather is a little firmer compared to the DLO or Smartphone Experts case and it’s easy to separate the outer shell from the lining. The stitching seems solid and hopefully with a good bit of use, the leather will relax.

The interior of the case is lined with suede like material. While the stitching is solid, the lining is a little frayed and gives the case a ragged appearance along the sides. If you’re looking for a clean, conservative looking case, the Incipio might not be your first choice.

The flap is held securely in place by embedded magnets. The flap is large and covers the entire face of the case, except for the Incipio Logo. Underneath the flap, the leather is textured as oppose to the smooth exterior finish. The case has a small cutout at the bottom as well as cut outs to the side making it easier to place and remove the phone from the case.

The Incipio case is well built and holds the Treo Pro securely. The jury is still out on the clip though. It’s an odd belt clip in that is sits flat. Most clips have a little curvature to them to allow the belt to seat firmly into the clip. At first I thought the clip was too short for my belt but because the clip is flat, the clip won’t seat completely. It gives the ride a little loose feeling.

I really wanted to like the Incipio Bond Street case ($24.95) but there was something about the case’s ride that bothered me. I felt comfortable in that the case protected my Treo Pro well but the flat clip didn’t latch onto my belt securely enough. I did like the larger flap and the combination of textured and smooth leather. I didn’t mind the ragged edges the lining presented but I can see where some may.

Overall Impressions

While the choices for Treo Pro cases are increasing, the choices become more difficult to make. If you like a low-profile appearance with the case riding close to the hip a horizontal case may be what you’re looking for. I still think that the Smartphone Experts Side Pouch is one of the better horizontal cases out there but the DLO and Incipio have their merits.

If you have a particular case you’d like reviewed, please email me the information at george.ponder@wmexperts.com. Next up, vertical styled cases including the legendary Nutshell Leather Case.