This Handmade iPhone 5 Sleeve Is Stronger Than It Looks, And Super Cheap [Review]

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handmade-iPhone-5-sleeve

From the guys at MyBanana, this iPhone 5 sleeve is handmade in Israel from soft wool felt that’s designed to protect your handset while “keeping it fashionable and stylish.” Not only does it house your iPhone, but there’s also a handy pocket that’ll hold onto your credit cards and cash.

It’s priced at just £15 (about $24) and comes in grey and black, grey and magenta, and grey and turquoise. It’s cheap, then, but is it any good?

The Good

I have to admit, when I first picked up this case, I thought it would last about five minutes. I was adamant the soft wool felt wouldn’t withstand daily wear, and that I’d soon be throwing it in the trash. But I was wrong.

I’ve been using it regularly for just under a month now, and it’s held up incredibly well. In fact, apart from changing shape a little from holding onto my iPhone for so long, it still looks pretty new. The materials and the stitching have proven to be super strong.

It doesn’t add too much bulk to your iPhone, either — especially if you don’t add any credit cards. While I probably wouldn’t want to be slipping this sleeve in and out of my pocket all day, it’s great for protecting your iPhone inside of a purse or backpack. You can throw it inside and you don’t have to worry about it coming out all scuffed and scratched.

The advantage this case has over leather sleeves is that’s it’s really flexible. Once your iPhone’s inside it, it won’t take you 15 minutes to get it back out again. What’s more, you can push the phone up from the bottom of the case, and you don’t have to worry about creating creases or damaging any leather.

The other great thing about this case is its price tag. At just £15, it’s ideal for iPhone 5 owners who want a simple sleeve that won’t cost the earth.

The Bad

As I mentioned above, this sleeve isn’t one you’ll want to be slipping in and out of your pockets all day. While it will fit in your pocket, its material makes it difficult to get out again, and you end up wrestling with your jeans in the middle of the street.

The other concern I had with this case is that it isn’t quite as long as the iPhone 5 itself, which means it leaves a small section at the top of your iPhone exposed. It’s not much, but if you drop your handset and it lands on its head, it’ll be damaged.

MyBanana assures me this is a feature — designed to make it easier to remove the iPhone. But I’d prefer to have my whole handset protected.

This is as far as the iPhone goes.

The Verdict

If you’re after a sleeve that you can carry your iPhone around in, it might be better to avoid this one. If it slips out of your hand, the top of you iPhone is likely to be damaged — we’ve all heard how easily those aluminum frames can chip and scratch.

However, if you’re after a sleeve that will simply protect your screen inside your bag, this one’s ideal. Its build quality is great — much better than it looks — it’ll carry a few credit cards for you, and at just £15, it’s a bargain.

[xrr rating = 60%]

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