REVIEW: Speck Products Techstyle Classic Leather

The Speck Products Techstyle Classic Leather form-fitting case and holster ($24.95) for your iPhone, available now at the Phone different store, is an elegant, "classic" look (as the product suggests) that provides good protection for your iPhone with traditional leather styling. Keep reading for the full review!

I've always been a leather guy. I ride a Victory motorcycle (weather permitting) and there's nothing like pulling on the leather jacket, Google Mapping a scenic route on my iPhone, and roll some thunder down the open road.

As much as I like the tough-guy image (ha ha), I'm still an uber-geek at heart, so I love trying out new things for my iPhone. When my Speck Products Techstyle Classic Leather case and holster arrived in the mail from the Phone different store, I eagerly opened the plastic packaging and studied the design of this case-and-holster combo.

This Speck case is form-fitting and available in black or brown. I selected brown because all other cases I own are black and I wanted something different. The case fits snugly over your iPhone and has a velcro/leather tab at the bottom to secure it in place. I'm usually not a fan of velcro flaps, but in this case, it's a good design and stays secure. This Speck case is accentuated with white stitching, adding a nice contrast to the brown leather. The leather protects the iPhone fairly well, with slightly raised surfaces for the "home" button and volume buttons on the side of the iPhone. There is a cut-out for the ear speaker. The corners of the iPhone are all exposed and accessible, which is both a plus and a minus to me. Although the speaker/microphone on the bottom of the iPhone and the power button/headphone jack and volume on/off switch are exposed and easily accessible, this is a two-edged sword -- these same areas are vulnerable in the event you drop your phone or bump it against something.

Also, to gain access to the connector at the bottom of the iPhone for syncing or charging, you have to undo that leather velcro flap, which can become a small nuisance. Nevertheless, I like the form-fitting snugness of this case on my iPhone and it is a quality leather case. The lining of the case is relatively soft and shouldn't scratch your iPhone. Also, during the time of my use over a couple of weeks, I did not experience any stretching of the leather. It maintains a snug fit and your iPhone should remain nice and secure in this case.

The holster for this Speck case is the second half of the combo. It's made of leather with similar white stitching and has a swivel metal belt clip encased in leather. I like the swiveling feature because it gives the user the option to wear an iPhone in profile or landscape mode. The belt clip is quite robust and should provide a long life for wear. The pattern on the holster bears the identical plaid fabric as the interior of the matching leather case.

The method in which this holster secures your iPhone in place is interesting. Wide leather-encased clamps on either side of the holster and another similar, smaller clamp on the bottom of the holster hold your iPhone securely in place. I found that it was beneficial to forcefully (but gently) flex the side clamps outward a bit to allow an easier time in sliding my iPhone into the holster. Once your iPhone is holstered, it is NOT coming out accidentally. The entire holster will come free before the iPhone leaves the holster! During my use of this combo, I never once had an accidental separation of iPhone and holster. In fact, this is my only gripe about this particular combination of case and holster -- the holster does such a good job of securing your iPhone that it is a two-handed operation to place your iPhone in the holster. I much prefer being able to slap my iPhone in a side holster or case with one hand. Conversely, when I need to answer a call or use my iPhone for any other reason, I prefer one-handed access. This Speck holster makes this just about impossible. You really need two hands -- one to grasp the holster and keep it secured to your belt, the other to remove the iPhone. It may come down to your personal taste, but for me, this was the main Achille's Heel for this case/holster combo.

For protection and design of case and holster, and if you really dig form-fitting leather like I do, the Speck Products Techstyle Classic Leather form-fitting case and holster ($24.95) for your iPhone is a great choice. It's a good value for the money because of the quality leather and a holster that should stand up to plenty of wear-and-tear. It's an elegant look for your iPhone that should stand apart from the rest of the silicone/metal/plastic cases you see out there.

Pros

• Nice form-fitting leather design.
• Protects your iPhone while providing full access to all buttons, speakers and microphone.
• Swivel holster.
• Holster secures iPhone very well.

Cons

• Leather form-fitting case leaves corners of iPhone vulnerable.
• Velcro flap on bottom of iPhone must be opened each time for charging/syncing.
• Using holster requires two-handed operation.