My Piel Frama leather case - mini review and Pics - iPhone 3G

Nismo · 08-10-2007, 10:17 PM

Just got my Piel Frama leather case in the mail today. Some of you may know this company is in Spain http://www.pielframa.com/ but their shipping is super fast and only took a couple days.

I went with the Tan/black combo.(the tan is a little darker in person than in their pics). Their pics show it more of a beige. Might me just mine or thats how they all are but I have no problem with it at all, I really like it. It was a toss up between that or all black but I figured that black is too plain and also just about every case out there in stores is black so I wanted something a little different and unique. The case came in a very nice box, very presentable, classy, and upscale looking as if you were to find it in a designer brand shop.

First apperance was excellent, no blemishes of any kind, no crooked or loose stitching is present. Everything is well made and attention to detail shows. There are cutouts for the charger, ringer volume/silencer, headphones, and camera.There is also a nice velvet lining inside so it wont scratch the phone. On the cover, there are 2 slots for cards and one pocket for bills (which need to be folded if used for bills). One of my concerns was that the phone will fall out if the cover is open and the phone upside down but once I stuck the iphone inside, I realized that the phone is nice and snug and it will take quite a shaking for it to even budge so thats now a non issue. I went and asked for a clip-less verson since I never plan on carrying it on a belt. Anyways here are some pics I took. I just got the case so I havent had time to carry it yet but feel free to ask any questions.

Btw, their customer service (Angelica) was awesome.

Nismo · 08-10-2007, 10:29 PM

finally got them to host

Matt Random · 08-11-2007, 04:30 AM

Great pictures. I had glanced at this case before, but now you've got me considering it. Can you use the snap to keep the flap bent back? Does the strap protect the entire interface port?

Zanthe · 08-11-2007, 04:38 AM

Just an opinion but I think the iPhone is too "pretty" to have a full flap over the face of the phone. It's great protection but I'm just sayin'.

Looks like a very nice case though.

Nismo · 08-11-2007, 04:42 AM

Yep, you can snap the case so that it stays back. I should have taken a pic of that. The strap does cover the port but there is a few mm gap on the sides where dust can still reach but its still protected from large objects like coins ect. You can see what I mean

loveless687x · 08-12-2007, 11:22 PM

Beautiful case! Thanks for sharing them, as well as the wonderful review. The iphone is of course, beautiful as ever, but I would want to protect that beauty as well. I would hate to carry it around in my purse while it's vulnerable to damage. I hate that.

I wish I could order this case though. I love the iphone case/wallet the most, but I would prefer the other wallet version (where you can open the flap horizontally rather than vertically). But still, it's quite beautiful.

Last I checked it was around 90 dollars, correct? That's insane.

Nismo · 08-12-2007, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loveless687x

Beautiful case! Thanks for sharing them, as well as the wonderful review. The iphone is of course, beautiful as ever, but I would want to protect that beauty as well. I would hate to carry it around in my purse while it's vulnerable to damage. I hate that.

I wish I could order this case though. I love the iphone case/wallet the most, but I would prefer the other wallet version (where you can open the flap horizontally rather than vertically). But still, it's quite beautiful.

Last I checked it was around 90 dollars, correct? That's insane.

Its 70 euros which would be around $90 something USD total including shipping expense. I dont think thats too expensive considering that they included the shipping from Spain in the total price (which got here in a couple days btw) not to mention that its handmade.

They also accept checks too if you decide on getting one.

Can these cases be paid in other ways apart from by Credit Card?

Yes. Our cases can also be paid in two diferent ways apart from by Credit Card.
- By bank transfer (The order is sent once we receive the bank transfer or the voucher of it).
- By sending us a cheque (The order will be sent once we receive this cheque). Our postal address is:

PIEL FRAMA
Avda. Fte. San Francisco, S/N (Polígono Industrial La Piel).
11600 Ubrique (Cádiz) - Spain

Matt Random · 08-13-2007, 04:34 AM

Well, I took the plunge and ordered the snap case. I got the black with a belt clip. The two-tone looks nice but I opted for more subtle since I'll be wearing it on my belt.

I ordered it on 8/12 and it is scheduled to arrive on 8/15. Talk about service!

Matt Random · 08-15-2007, 07:46 PM

Mine arrived today. In a word: excellent!

Build Quality: The pictures on the Piel Frama website really do not do this case justice. Nismo's pictures are a very good indicator of how nice the case looks like in person. The leather feels nice and also seems like it will be durable. It doesn't seem like cracking will be a concern at all. All the leather edges are nicely finished. The stitching looks great. The snap is secure and easy to use. The belt clip nub, which seems like it is made of metal, matches the case color. The belt clip nub is very securely attached and the removal tool along with three of the plastic covers are included should you wish to remove it. The nub is a very low profile compared to the others I've seen so I don't see a reason to remove it if I ever needed to move the phone into my pocket for a short time.

Fit and Usability: It seems like this phone will provide good protection. Very little of the phone is exposed when the case is open. Also, the case wraps around the phone nicely and seems like it will provide adequate drop protection even when the flap is open. This is a concern I had when considering the Vaja Top (flip) case. The fit is excellent and the case doesn't get in the way when typing. The flap easily flips around to the back and doesn't get in the way. Using the snap to hold the flap to the back results in a configuration that is very comfortable for surfing or video watching. The belt clip holds the phone fairly close to my hip - much closer than the Case-Mate Signature leather case. I'm not at all concerned with the phone getting caught on stuff like I was with the Case-Mate. I have no problem hearing the ringer or feeling the vibrate when the phone is on my belt. The charging cable can easily be inserted with the phone in the case. You just need to undo the snap but don't need to open the flap - another thing that concerned me about the Vaja case.

Addendum: I wanted to post a follow up now that I've been using the case for a couple of days. The case is very comfortable on my belt and doesn't get in the way. I have no problem hearing the ringer or feeling the vibrate.

I was concerned that having the headphones plugged in would get in the way of the flap. The headphones do prevent the flap from being opened all the way but it really isn't a problem for me. I can still access everything I need to.

I find that the flap actually helps me get better pictures. It provides a good handhold which I find is key for keeping the phone steady when snapping a picture.

ciaran00 · 08-16-2007, 03:25 AM

Got my Piel Frama, even though I cancelled it on eBay. I'm sending it back for a refund.

Overall the case is great for protection. Slip the iPhone in and next to nothing will scratch it in your pocket. Great for travelling or even crowded clubs because the thing has some padding.

Useability though sucks. The flap opening upward makes taking photos a hassle. Forget about getting a third party to take any pictures, it's awkward. A tree fell on my IS today (haha) and I was taking pictures of the damage. Felt downright stupid trying to hold the flap out of the way for the camera. Easy to get it in the way because the bend is so close to the lens.

Also, as expected (like the god awful Vaja iPod case), having the headphone in will make opening/closing not an option, unless you like forcing or squeezing stuff on a regular basis to make it happen. Also, flipping the flap back is not as out of the way as stated here. The snap makes a nice oval between the flap and the back of the case, so it's like a big lump on the back of your iPhone. Not something you'd normally wanna drop in your pocket and pull out.

And #1 reason case is going back... it's anti-iPhone. Pulling it out to do something just loses style because now you pull it out, and oh wait, gotta unsnap it and pull the flap back. Doing something so lacking in finesse feels weird on the coolest device on the planet.

But you know... what are you going to do? There is always this protection vs. style curve all us device users have to deal with.

Oh yeah, the opening for the data port doesn't even let the plug plug in all the way (as if not being able to put it in the dock wasn't bad enough). Seems like everything syncs and all, but I wouldn't be surprised if some accessory didn't work because of this.

Also for those with low speaker volume issues, don't know if having a bunch of holes in thick leather on top of your speaker is a great idea.

Seems like vaja may have had a better idea about the case (out the bottom side)... (even though I criticized that case, too).

ciaran