## Peak Design’s Everyday Clarino case is my new favourite leather case – MobileSyrup
For years, I have bounced around different cases for my iPhone. Some I enjoyed for a few weeks, some only a few days, and some I kept for months. No matter what I’ve tried, though, there’s always been something about the case I wanted to improve. So, when I was finally offered a chance to test out Peak Design’s Everyday Clarino case, I jumped at the chance.
The case is minimalist, almost identical to its sibling, the Everyday Case, with one main difference: the material. While the Everyday Case uses a hard polycarbonate, the Clarino model is wrapped in Peak Design’s signature, high-quality Clarino vegan leather.
At first glance, the case feels sturdy, as the base material feels surprisingly hard, like a combination of polycarbonate and TPU, which I’ve grown used to with silicone-based cases in the past. In this instance, the hard base adds rigidity and protection while remaining reasonably slim.
But the real selling point of this case is the Clarino material. The leather is so incredibly soft and comfortable to hold that I almost don’t want to put it down. And with Peak Design’s signature minimal design, this is a case that truly emphasizes what I believe makes the iPhone great.
What makes this case unique, though, is that it also feels protective. The raised lips on the back and around the camera lens are great for protecting the phone’s camera module and display. But it’s the lip along the top edge of the case, which goes well past the phone’s screen, that has me more confident than I ever have with any case.
It isn’t just the fact that it makes a clear impact if the phone drops and falls on the front that sets this case apart. It’s also the fact that it creates an element of grip to my phone that I feel is sorely missed in all other cases.
The way it’s positioned makes it easy for me to have a comfortable grip on my phone while not adding excess bulk. When you have the phone face-up, you have plenty of room to hold it between your fingers, similar to the original iPhone SE’s iconic design, with a small edge you can grip for additional control.
In practice, the leather offers an incredibly comfortable tactile experience. Even though it isn’t a premium leather, the feeling of softness that Clarino creates is unparalleled by almost every other material I’ve used in a case. This makes holding my phone during day-to-day tasks far more enjoyable.
I was always happy to just have my phone out of the case so I could feel the aluminium body underneath, but this leather material finally got me over the hump, adding to my love for the phone rather than deterring it, like so many other cases do.
It does offer some protection from smudges, too. The material feels grippy and smooth enough to resist fingerprint marks and is extremely resistant to dust and dirt, which helps a lot in my everyday activities.
Although it isn’t as protective against everyday grime as TPU or polycarbonate, it’s certainly the most comfortable case I’ve ever used, making up for any of those small setbacks. For the price, though, some people might want a more heavy-duty case or one that can more easily stand up to scratches, which, it seems, are easy to form in Clarino material.
The case comes with two variations. First, there’s the plain version with just the Clarino covering the entire body. Secondly, you can get the case in what Peak Design calls “The Strap System.” This allows for a variety of additional accessories that can be attached to the case. While this makes the case a lot more useful and appealing to users, it unfortunately adds another dimension to the design of the phone that I was looking to avoid when searching for my perfect case.
The Strap System includes a dedicated slot for Peak Design’s anchor and is sold with a small loop strap, similar to what is sold in the Everyday Case. Users can, of course, utilize a number of straps, carabiners and even a small crossbody bag through the anchoring point. If you’re a user that enjoys utilizing a strap, this is probably a fantastic way to take advantage of that utility, even if the design is slightly bulky.
However, for me, the inclusion of these strap-related add-ons simply adds a degree of visual and tactile clutter to the design that I am happy to leave behind.
Instead of all those accessories, I just prefer the minimal, streamlined design the Clarino case offers. This means having a fantastic feeling of premium build quality that emphasizes what is already great about my iPhone.
While I am enjoying the case so much right now, I have only used it for a few weeks, and the only long-term concern is its ability to last. Since it is just leather, I’m wondering about its wear and tear and how its surface might deteriorate over time. I will need a longer term assessment to gauge whether the premium materials are really worth the price, but at the moment, this case is shaping up to be a real winner.
