Review: Harber London Magnetic Envelope Sleeve for iPad Pro

Review: Harber London Magnetic Envelope Sleeve for iPad Pro

I reviewed Harber London’s Carry-All iPad Folio in the large size back in July and came away impressed with the quality of both the design and materials. The only issue I had with it was that the large version dwarfed my 12.9″ iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard. In fact, it was so big that my 15.6″ Lenovo Yoga C940 fit in it just fine.

I went ahead and reviewed it as an iPad Pro case, despite the massive size. However, I talked to a rep at Harber London about getting the medium version, which would be a much closer fit for my iPad Pro. They were sold out at the time, but asked if I would be interested in taking a look at a new product that is also compatible with the Magic Keyboard. In the end, I’m very pleased that I agreed.

That new product from Harber London is the Magnetic Envelope Sleeve. Like the Carry-All, the Magnetic Envelope uses a combination of high-quality leather and Harber’s unique thick wool. However, it’s a very different product with a simple but distinctive design and a great look.

While Harber London is known for their leather work, the Magnetic Envelope Sleeve is an interesting hybrid case. The front of the case and the cover flap have the same soft, supple leather that I complemented when I reviewed the Carry-All. The leather part of the exterior also has an interesting design, with crossed stitching across the front and straight stitching around the edges and the closure flap.

I also like the look of the embossed Harber London logo at the bottom of the front of the case. It’s tasteful and doesn’t mar the look in service of marketing and branding.

The most interesting aspect of this case is the contrast of the black wool back and interior of the case with the leather front and closure. The contrast applies to both the look and the feel of the exterior. The wool has color variations throughout, as you would expect from that material, which is interesting next to the very consistent coloring and look of the tan leather.

I love the color contrast between the tan leather and black wool, but if you prefer a more uniform look, Harber also sells a black leather version of the Magnetic Envelope Sleeve.

You still have the different materials, but the look is much more consistent. To each their own.

The feel of the wool is an even greater contrast to the soft and smooth leather, with a more coarse texture to the touch. However, the wool on the interior of the case isn’t too rough and is not threat to scratch your iPad or Magic Keyboard. It also offers enough padding to protect the pair from short drops small knocks, as well.

The Magnetic Envelope Sleeve also has a couple of subtle, but useful design wrinkles. First off, there is a small leather loop inside the case made to hold an Apple Pencil.

While this isn’t absolutely necessary for an current iPad Pro or the newest Air, there are versions of the Magnetic Envelope available for all iPad models except for the Mini. It’s good to have if you need it.

This case also has a cutout for the charging port on the right side of the case when looking at it from the back.

I tend to take my Pro out of the case to charge it, but the Magnetic Envelope Sleeve has you covered if you don’t.

The magnetic closure flap is another unique element of this case.  I have to hand it to Harber here, because I think they really nailed this.

First off, the case has two large magnets in the front and the closure flap and they hold securely. Very securely. For example, I held the case upside down and shook it hard to see if my iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard would dislodge the magnets and fall out. The magnets never budged. Short of anything extreme, you don’t have to worry about your iPad ever falling out of this case when it’s closed.

Despite this, the flap is still easy to open or close quickly. It may hold the iPad’s weight securely, but the closure flap is still easy to free from the magnets and open. To close, you can just flip it and let the magnets do their thing.

Looks, design and construction are all well and good, but the bottom line for any case is how well it holds and protects its cargo. No worries there, as Harber London’s Magnetic Envelope Sleeve does its primary job with no issues. It’s easy to hold and it protects my iPad Pro, Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil quite well without adding a lot of extra bulk. That last part is important, because a 12.9″ iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard is a hefty combo on their own.

Another key for me is that I like having a case that can hold my iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard together. I have grown to really like Apple’s high end keyboard and touchpad case, but it doesn’t offer as much protection as I would like when carrying the pair from place to place. The Magic Keyboard is fine once you are stationary, but it just doesn’t offer any padding or real drop protection.

The Magnetic Envelope is the perfect addition to help with this. It’s slim and light, but offers that little bit of extra padding while walking around with your iPad. The fact that it looks and feels great while doing it is a really nice bonus.

While I really liked Harber London’s Carry-All Case for the iPad Pro, I much prefer their Magnetic Envelope Sleeve after spending a few weeks using it. This case is a perfect fit for the way I currently use my iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard. It’s also quite versatile, as it can be used my iPad Pro alone or any smaller iPad, such as my new iPad Air, as well.

If you own an iPad Air or iPad Pro and use it with a Magic Keyboard and would like a case to hold the both of them, then I definitely recommend taking a good look at Harber London’s Magnetic Envelope Sleeve. This is especially true if you appreciate the beauty and feel of high quality leather and interesting design.

The Magnetic Envelope Sleeve for the iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard is available from Harber London in Tan or Black leather for $118. Versions are also available for all other current iPad models except for the Mini and versions for the Magic Keyboard with the Pro and Air for the same price of $118.