Review: Incipio Leather Hipster Pouch 19

The Incipio Leather Hipster Pouch for Palm Pre is a tank of a leather case. I don’t mean that in just that it will protect your Pre well against daily threats, it’s actually also notably heavy in comparison to some other cases, including the identically designed Incipio Sports Holster. The stitched leather case was designed specifically with the Pre in mind, so you can count on it to provide a good fit without being too tight or too loose.

Functionality

As I said in the introduction the Leather Hipster Pouch is a tank of a case, at least insofar as a leather pouch can be tankish. The leather is thick and tough, giving is a very solid feel. A full-width tabbed flap covers the top of the case, leaving only gaps at the top and bottom of each side and the bottom push slot exposed. The flap is held down by two magnets on either end, though the thickness of the leather does weaken the bond slightly. The large flap also does not readily close itself - after replacing your Pre you’ll have to be sure to push the flap down to get a magnetic lock.

Helping back up the tank metaphor is a layer of stiffening reinforcement between the leather exterior and suede interior. The sheets of what I assume are plastic are place in the case’s back, front, and flap and provide significant bolstering in the face of every day impacts. Like other Incipio cases, the belt clip is exceedingly strong and tight.

Style

Aesthetically speaking, the Incipio Leather Hipster Pouch is the subdued brother of the already understated Sports Holster. Except for the materials, the physical design is exactly the same, right down to the tabbed flap and alternate material front face. The interior is wrapped with a single piece of soft gray suede that will help to clean some smudges and fingerprints off your Pre as you pull it in and out. Two pieces of black leather make up the exterior: a matte leather sheet that wraps from the bottom, over the back, and the across the flap, and then a second piece under the flap that forms the front and sides of the case. This inside piece is shiny piece of leather with a wavering grid pattern and the Incipio logo branded onto it. The tabbed flap allows this patterned leather to show even with the case closed.

The Hipster Pouch is quite blocky in design, with stiff corners and squared stitching. The boxy design is further weighed down by the actually weight of the case itself. After a day’s wear the case had stretched (albeit temporarily) my belt and was drooping away from my hip. No bones about it, this case is heavy, but that weight is the price you pay for protection.

While I reviewed the all-black variant of the case, the Hipster Pouch is also available in brown with a tan suede interior.

Conclusion

In spite of its boxy understated design and surprising heft, the Incipio Leather Hipster Pouch will hold and protect your Pre under most every day circumstances. The large flap, strong belt clip, extra thick leather, and quiet understated design, are enough to outweigh the relative girth and mass that the Hipster Pouch brings to the case party.

The Incipio Leather Hipster Pouch is available in the PreCentral Store for $22.95, a savings of 8% off the list price of $24.95. It is available in both black as reviewed, and brown.

Pros

Strong magnetic flap

Cons

Belt clip is too strong