Harber London Slim iPad Pro EVO No. 7 + Stand Review: Excellent quality leather, but a disappointing stand

Harber London Slim iPad Pro No.7 + Stand in hand
(Image: © Luke Filipowicz / iMore)

iMore Verdict

Bottom line: A gorgeous sleeve for your iPad that lets you carry around your iPad and Apple Pencil in style. While the stand isn't the most functional, the sleeve itself is of excellent quality.

Pros

  • +

    Excellent leather quality

  • +

    Soft, non-scratch wool felt interior

  • +

    Apple Pencil holder

  • +

    Sleek and simple design

Cons

  • -

    A bit on the pricey end

  • -

    Not the best stand

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Getting a good iPad sleeve or case for your best iPad is a worthy investment, and there are a ton of different options out there at all different price points. If you're the type of person that doesn't mind spending a bit of money on a high-end iPad sleeve, then the Harber London Slim iPad Pro EVO No. 7 + Stand might be perfect for you. This sleeve promises a premium experience with a high-quality leather exterior, soft wool felt interior, and the ability to use this sleeve as a stand for your iPad.

I've been using the Harber London Slim iPad Pro EVO No. 7 + Stand with my iPad (2020) for weeks now, so I could tell you all the things I love about it, and one thing I don't. Here's my Harber London Slim iPad Pro EVO No. 7 + Stand review.

Harber London Slim iPad Pro EVO No. 7 + Stand: Price and availability

Harber London Slim iPad Pro No.7 + Stand with iPad and Apple Pencil (Image credit: Luke Filipowicz / iMore)

Despite the sleeve's name, Harber London makes the Slim iPad Pro EVO No. 7 + Stand for almost every iPad. Whether you have a 9.7-inch iPad from a few years ago, the newest iPad Air 4, or even the biggest 12.9-inch iPad Pro, you can get this sleeve for your model.

All of Harber London's leather goods are handcrafted in Spain, but they offer worldwide shipping and some free shipping options to many places. The pricing starts at $126 but goes up to $140 depending on what size you want. It's also available in four colors including, tan, black, navy, and deep brown.

Harber London Slim iPad Pro EVO No. 7 + Stand: Excellent quality you'll love

Harber London Slim iPad Pro No.7 + Stand interior (Image credit: Luke Filipowicz / iMore)

The leather quality is absolutely stellar. All of Harber London's leather goods are hand-crafted in Spain and use full-grain vegetable-tanned cowhide leather, and the result speaks for themselves. The leather is soft to the touch and feels amazing in your hands. What's more? Unlike cheap leather or faux leather, this leather feels sturdy. It doesn't feel like a cheap leather wallet that will get destroyed and lose its shape as you pull it in and out of your pockets on your jeans — it feels like quality. According to Harber London, the Slim iPad Pro EVO No. 7 + Stand should develop a natural and unique patina over time, something high-quality leather is meant to do. However, I've only had my sleeve for about a month, so I haven't seen it personally.

I've never felt leather so soft and supple

The quality doesn't stop at the leather; the entire sleeve is very well-crafted. The zipper has that smooth feel that quality zippers tend to have — I have never gotten snagged or caught up on anything trying to zip up my sleeve. Plus, the stitching along the bottom of the sleeve is tight and simple, which really lends itself to the elegant aesthetic of the Slim iPad Pro EVO No. 7 + Stand. It's pretty easy to see that Harber London rivals some of the best iPad Pro sleeves we've used in the past.

Lastly, the interior. It's comprised of 100% wool felt that is incredibly soft to the touch. The interior is smooth enough that you don't have to worry about scratching or scuffing your iPad as you slide it in and out of the case. Plus, it even has a nice little Apple Pencil holder allowing you to make sure your Apple Pencil comes with you no matter where you go.

Harber London Slim iPad Pro EVO No. 7 + Stand: What I didn't like

iPad standing in Harber London Slim iPad Pro No.7 + Stand (Image credit: Luke Filipowicz / iMore)

You may have noticed I didn't talk about how this sleeve can become a stand for your iPad, and that's because it doesn't work very well.

If you have your Apple Pencil in the holder, you can lean your iPad against it and let the case fold over to support it standing upright. If you look at the picture above, you'll see this isn't the most elegant solution. Not only does it look a little clunky, but I also had a lot of trouble getting my iPad (2020) into just the right position to keep upright. While I was conducting my Harber London Slim iPad Pro EVO No. 7 + Stand review, my iPad would often slide down or fall over if I didn't take the proper time to get it in position to balance properly.

Once you do get your iPad to balance properly, it's not overly sturdy. This stand is fine if you want to prop your iPad up to watch some YouTube videos or have your iPad beside you on the kitchen counter as you follow a recipe, but it's not a stand you could really get any serious work done with.

If you already have a great stand for your model of iPad, it might not bother you too much, but if you're hoping for the Harber London Slim iPad Pro EVO No. 7 + Stand to be a great stand, you're barking up the wrong tree.

Twelve South Journal for iPad: Competition

Twelve South Journal for iPad Pro

Twelve South Journal for iPad Pro (Image credit: Twelve South)

Twelve South is another prominent leather accessory maker that has some great products. In our Twelve South Journal for iPad Pro review, we also mentioned using the stand felt a bit flimsy. Still, the Twelve South Journal lineup is a tad cheaper than the Harber London Slim iPad Pro EVO No. 7 + Stand.

Both products have excellent leather, but I prefer the soft wool felt interior of the Harber London Slim iPad Pro EVO No. 7 + Stand over the Twelve South Journal. Plus, the zipper on the twelve South journal is not as smooth or sturdy feeling.

Harber London Slim iPad Pro EVO No. 7 + Stand: Should you buy it?

Harber London Slim iPad Pro No.7 + Stand with Harber London logo (Image credit: Luke Filipowicz / iMore)

You should buy this if ...

  • You love high-quality leather sleeves
  • Take your Apple Pencil with you everywhere
  • Enjoy elegant and minimalist design

You shouldn't buy this if...

  • Want heavy-duty protection for your iPad
  • Don't want to spend over $100
  • Want a good stand for your iPad

At the end of the day, this is a high-end iPad sleeve, and it has the price to match that. The build quality is superior to many other leather sleeves and cases I've tried, and although the stand functionality isn't terribly great, it is useful in a pinch.

Overall, my Harber London Slim iPad Pro EVO No. 7 + Stand review made me fall in love with this sleeve. It's just so simple, elegant, and well-crafted that it's hard not to love it.

Even though using it as a stand isn't a perfect experience, and it's only handy for viewing content, it still does provide a little extra functionality compared to other iPad sleeves. If you want to watch some YouTube videos while your iPad is chilling on your coffee table, the Harber London Slim iPad Pro EVO No. 7 + Stand will let you.

You have to be willing to shell out a bit of money, but Harber London's quality is impressive, and it has a premium look and feel that justifies its premium price.

Luke Filipowicz
Staff Writer

Luke Filipowicz has been a writer at iMore, covering Apple for nearly a decade now. He writes a lot about Apple Watch and iPad but covers the iPhone and Mac as well. He often describes himself as an "Apple user on a budget" and firmly believes that great technology can be affordable if you know where to look. Luke also heads up the iMore Show — a weekly podcast focusing on Apple news, rumors, and products but likes to have some fun along the way. 

Luke knows he spends more time on Twitter than he probably should, so feel free to follow him or give him a shout on social media @LukeFilipowicz.