There was a time when Apple made excellent leather cases. They felt great, the fit was precise, and they aged beautifully. I bought one with nearly every new iPhone.
Apple left the leather accessory business a few years ago, but even before then, the quality of its cases had declined significantly. The last one I had, for my iPhone 14 Pro, wasn't good.
With no leather option available, I opted for Apple's silicone case in the delightful Ultramarine color when I bought my iPhone 16 Pro Max last fall.
While my initial experience with it was good, over time, it became more annoying to get in and out of pockets. And I just missed having a leather case.
After some research (no one drags out a decision like I do), I treated myself to Bullstrap's Minimalist leather case in the Terra color for my birthday back in September.
Now that I've had it for a couple of months, here are my thoughts:
- 100% full-grain leather feels premium
- MagSafe charging works great
- The company's limited lifetime warranty provides up to two cosmetic replacements per year (pay only for shipping), which is excellent.
- The metal buttons for the action button, volume up/down, and lock/Siri are nice and clicky.
- The camera control button is a physical glass button and not a cutout (though a model with a cutout is available as well)
- Camera controls are a little fidgety to change between settings, but that's true for me with no case on.
- Easy in and out of pockets
- Has held up very well for the two months+ that I've had it and still feels great
There are updated Minimalist designs for the iPhone 17 series, and other models available, too.
At $79, Bullstrap's pricing is premium, but the case's quality and excellent warranty make it worth it for me. I caught mine on sale for a bit less, and the current Black Friday deal brings it down to $58, which is a solid value for full-grain leather with a lifetime warranty and cosmetic replacements.
You can find more info on the Minimalist at bullstrap.co.