I had purchased this because I loved the Targus Truss ereader flip case I purchased for my Nook at Best Buy for almost $40 which had the same flip-style. While the Targus case was beautifully made, it was also larger, heavier and didn't fit the Kindle very well, even though it claimed to fit the Kindle 2, Kindle 3 and the Nook. It did, however, fit my Nook perfectly. Perhaps this was a good thing, because I found that I actually like this one better and it was significantly less expensive!
I love this style of flip case because the cover is designed to flip around to be used as a flat base to stand the reader on rather than using a swing out arm. I like to read in bed, and this allows me to place it on my stomach or chest while still having a relatively stable, flat base which other flip-type cases do not do. You can also fold the cover of the case back on itself so you can hold it in one hand if you prefer.
The case itself is well made, with tight, straight stitching and two VERY tight elastic bands at the bottom corners. It was a little tricky getting the elastic bands across the bottom of my Kindle because they are so snug. No buttons are covered by the elastic and, once you get the Kindle secured, it will not accidentally fall out of the case. There are two leather edge covers at the top corners. When I first got my case, the right one did not seem to fit as well as the left, so I took the Kindle out, manually maneuvered the strap to be the shape I wanted with my fingers by pushing out the edges and drawing the center forward, then reinserted the Kindle into THAT strap first, then the other and it seems to have resolved the fit issue. This doesn't appear to be a flaw, it was just initially creased the wrong way and since leather has a bit of 'memory' it merely required some manual reshaping to fit correctly. The straps are made of soft leather (think 'glove leather') so they are very pliable. Once installed, the Kindle lies tightly against the case, yet I am still able to fit my M-edge book light between the reader and the case.
The leather on the outside is soft and the suede interior will keep your reader scratch free. I also purchased a Decal Girl Matte Finish skin DecalGirl Protective Kindle Skin (Fits 6" Display, Latest Generation Kindle) Quest (Matte Finish) and it compliments the case perfectly. The wide elastic band that secures the cover to the back to close it is tight enough that there is not fear of it coming loose, yet elastic enough that you don't have to struggle to close it.
The only negative point I can think of is that the case must be open to charge the reader or access the audio port and volume and on/off rocker button at the bottom of the device. I didn't deduct any points for this because that's not a problem for me, but you may want to be aware of this if it's an issue for you.
Final Note: The free LED book light that comes with this is a joke. It's cheaply made and the light is harsh and uneven. I wouldn't let the book light be a factor in your purchase, because you'll just want to purchase another one once you see how hard it is to read by. I can recommend the M-edge Luminator2 M-Edge e-Luminator2 Booklight for Barnes & Noble nook - White only because I own and love it. It IS pricey though, but if you're a night reader, it is a good investment as it is one of the only book lights I've used that provides even lighting.
Edit 12/4/10 -
My husband liked my cover so much that he chose to buy one for his Kindle, too. We now own two and they are the same quality. Acase Vintage Acme Brown Genuine Leather Case with LED light for Amazon Kindle 3 (Latest Generation)
I waited for awhile to buy a case for my Kindle because none of the ones I saw intentionally gave you the ability to stand it up. I like to eat and read, or just not hold it at all depending on how I'm sitting... and this case is perfect for doing anything while reading. It gives you multiple options for the angle of how you want it to stand up. It looks great, it's nice and puffy. After getting used to holding the bare kindle for so long this actually feels much more comfortable.
The only thing is that the leather has a strong smell, not a leather smell but processed/chemical kind of smell.
This case is so amazing. It's really comfortable to hold and I love the soft leather and all the cushioning it has to protect my Kindle. Originally, I'd purchased one of the Amazon leather cases and, after the metal clips caused the machine to reset over and over, I really wanted something lacking in any sort of metal. This fit the bill perfectly. I was tickled as well that the case reminds me of a vintage bowling bag. I've gotten a few compliments on it already, including one person with an iPad hoping they made a case like it for his machine.
The case gives you a little bit of bulk to hold onto while reading your Kindle. Personally, I like this because the Kindle, by itself and in one of the thinner Amazon cases, wasn't very comfortable in my hand. The thinness caused my hand to tense up for some reason (first world problem indeed). Even though the Acase is bulkier, it is definitely not heavier! I really surprised at how little weight this added. And no metal bits! The Kindle is held firmly in by the leather corners and very tight elastic bands - it's very well made.
As other people have said - toss the little light they include. The case alone is completely and utterly worth every penny. The light isn't worth the labor it took to construct it. It would be easy to clip almost any book light onto this case, so if you need one, plan to get it elsewhere.
Wow...so I bought and wrote a review on a different Acase "leather" product and now I am in the middle of my next minor headache from the noxious odors of this case.
Folks, I have NOTHING against "ACase" in particular...in fact, it seems to be some kind of TREND amongst Kindle case manufacturers to out-and-out lie about the material used to make Kindle covers.
Roocase has complaints of fake leather. Acase has complaints of fake leather. CrazyOnDigital has complaints of fake leather.
All claim "leather" and it seems they are banking on very few realizing this crap is actually some iteration on vinyl.
One dead giveaway on this one was the sides of the little "leather" straps at the top: a shiny, plasticky and obviously molded edge. Oh and did I mention the "ultrasuede" backing to it? Yeah, clearly phoney.
My wife got one of the (vaunted) M-Edge Go! cases with her Kindle 2...right out of the box it smelled like a brand new pair of Italian leather shoes.
Now I hear even M-Case is not using leather, although they don't make the scurrilous claim that theirs is. They just call it a case.
I almost never have problems from products purchased on and fulfilled by Amazon. THIS class of product, however, has been PATHETIC.
I am extremely unhappy and am sending both of these ACase products back for a refund. I hope I don't get my account banned, but this is just completely unacceptable product vetting.
Maybe they are giving leather-bound versions to early purchasers and to Amazon, but if that's the case, there is a huge Bait and switch going on here.
- Matt - Kindle Covers - Leather - Acase - Kindle 3 Cover'
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