The Pipetto HunterWanderer Case For iPad 2 Is Elegant, Sophisticated & Expensive [Review]

By

Pipetto-HunterWanderer-1

The HunterWanderer is a premium iPad 2 case handcrafted by Pipetto in London. It promises to offer you the ultimate protection for your beloved tablet, while maintaining a lavish look that oozes quality. It’s made from waxed cotton and genuine Italian leather, and not only does it look good, it’s also very practical.

The case uses magnets to offer the same sleep/wake functionality as Apple’s Smart Cover, and six different functions that allow you to carry your device like a bag, mount it to a headrest in your car, watch movies, type emails, and read comfortably without impeding your view.

But is the HunterWanderer worth its £100 (approx. $160) price tag?

The Good

As I said in my introduction, the HunterWanderer looks great. The moment you take it out of its box and you get a whiff of that Italian leather, you know this is a premium case. The waxed cotton exterior is combined with a soft fabric spine that ensures the case is comfortable to hold and to carry.

Inside, the the case is complimented by a traditional tartan lining that’s soft enough to protect your iPad from scuffs and scratches. There’s also a tan Italian leather housing for your iPad that holds the device securely in place with a small velcro tab. Once your device is inside the HunterWanderer, there’s no need to worry about it falling out; it’s nice and secure in here. And probably very comfortable.

As you’d expect, the leather housing leaves room for your iPad’s home button, front-facing camera, volume rocker and mute switch, sleep/wake button, dock connector, and headphone jack.

The HunterWanderer also features magnets within its front cover that automatically put your device to sleep when you close the case, and wake it up again when you open it — just like Apple’s Smart Cover. This is a handy feature if you’ve gotten used to it with other cases.

The HunterWanderer isn’t just a good looker, either. It’s also incredibly functional, which is a novelty for a luxury case that is so focused on beauty. You can slip it into a bag, extend its handle to use as a carry case, fix it to a car headrest (which is terrific if you have small children who enjoy watching movies on long journeys), elevate your iPad for typing, or stand it up for watching movies. There’s also a handy pocket on the back of the case that will look after credit cards and other small items.

Finally, the build quality is second to none. The materials are strong and rugged and so is the stitching holding them all together. I’ve been using the case — on and off — for about four months now, and even with all that use, it still looks just like I did the day I unpacked it.

The Bad:

The HunterWanderer adds a whole lot of girth to your device — a lot more than you’d get from a slim leather folio — and with your iPad inside it is rather weighty. But this is something that should be expected from a case like this. Having said that, it’s not unbearable, and you soon become used to it.

The adjustable handle on the HunterWanderer is held together in the middle by just one snap fastener, and while it is relatively strong, I did find throughout my time with the case that it popped open too easily on the odd occasion. It’s not a major issue… until it happens while you’re walking down the street and your iPad ends up in a puddle.

Another gripe I had with this case, which you may think is a little petty, is that the typing angle is a little too steep. It’s around double that you get from the Smart Cover, and it makes for some pretty achy wrists after excessive typing.

The biggest downside to the HunterWanderer, however, is that there is no cutout in its rear for your iPad’s camera. There is in the front, so you can make video calls and take pictures of your own face, but if you want to use the device’s rear-facing camera, you’ll need to remove it from the case each time.

My final negative for the HunterWanderer is its price. While it is a beautiful case, you can’t deny that its £100 (approx. $160) price tag is a little steep for an iPad case.

The Verdict:

The HunterWanderer may be expensive, but if you have that kind of money to spend on a premium iPad case, this is definitely one you should check out. I keep mentioning how great this case looks, and that’s because I’ve been very impressed with its design. It’s a true fashion statement. It’s also incredibly practical, offering a number of different functions, and it’s robust and hard wearing.

I’m a huge fan of the HunterWanderer, I just think its price tag and the fact it doesn’t accommodate the iPad’s rear-facing camera lets it down.

[xrr rating = 70%]

Newsletters

Daily round-ups or a weekly refresher, straight from Cult of Mac to your inbox.

  • The Weekender

    The week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.