Starts at $70
As you've probably noticed (and as I've said before), I LOVE Vaja cases. I added to my iPhone case collection by ordering one of their i-Volution Top Holsters in Caterina Black with a Rivet Clip. It arrived sooner than expected (I placed the order on August 20, and the first delivery attempt by FedEx was made on September 4) since the expected production time was 25 days at the time of my order. But I'm never one to complain about getting something good early!
The last Vaja case I reviewed wasn't 100% perfect (you can read that review here). And I have become accustomed to perfection from Vaja, frankly. And this Top Holster has not let me down. It is absolutely fabulous.
Materials
The Caterina leather is matte, soft to the touch, moderately textured (and it smells lovely!). It is flawlessly molded around the plastic that gives the case its shape (there's some padding in there as well). There are no visible seems or stitching. The only adornments are the Vaja logo in silver metal on the front, the word "Vaja" in lower case letters printed on the back of the case at the bottom, and the word "Vaja" stamped in a repeated pattern on the interior. I ordered it with the Rivet Clip option since I am wont to clip it to my pants or bag periodically.
The closure system is interesting, and one that I was a little worried about since it looks like it can scuff the phone itself. The front flap curved enough to just "snap" over the top of the iPhone. Snap is too strong a word - there is nothing violent or abrupt about this action. Since the interior and exterior of the whole case are leather, nothing abrasive rubs against the phone when the case is opened or closed. And it leaves no residue or marks. I’ve taken a series of pictures to show how it works:
Access
When open, this case allows access to all buttons and ports, though it's not dock-able while it's still in the case. When closed, the camera lens is still exposed, and you can access the sleep/wake button, volume buttons, silent/ring toggle, and the headphone port. My last case (the Vaja pouch case I reviewed here) did not have any cutouts to allow access to the headphone port, and I really appreciate that option with this case since I do listen to music or podcasts during my commute and it's nice to be able to tuck my iPhone into a pocket or into my bag without fussing with the case.
When closed, the case still allows access to all buttons except the home button. The screen is completely covered by the front flap. The speaker and microphone are partially exposed, so you can still hear the ringer, and talk via speakerphone if you'd like (after exposing the screen to switch the audio output) with the case closed.
The leather is molded around a plastic frame, so that the case is rigid throughout, except for the strap to which the front flap is attached. The stiffness of the front flap gives me confidence that the screen will be protected from minor bumps, and perhaps a minor fall. But since parts of the top corners of the phone are still exposed when the case is closed, these areas could still sustain damage in a fall.
Rivet Clip
I chose the Rivet Clip over the Ultra Clip option (you can read more about why I like the Rivet Clip more in my other Vaja case review), and it works well just as expected. I use this case mostly during the work week - while I work in a safe office environment, I still do not like to leave my iPhone unattended on my desk while I'm up and about, and the Rivet Clip system allows me to keep it with me when my pants rarely have pockets (why do the makers of women's clothes often fail to include pockets in dress slacks?). Everyone at work knows I have an iPhone (I'm the resident geek in my group, and I have done more than a few iPhone demonstrations for co-workers), and I just don't want to leave it around to tempt anyone.
Using the Case
I use my iPhone a lot during my commute to work on the train to listen to music, podcasts, watch videos, check/send email, and surf the web. And, of course, for phone calls. The front flap must be opened to access the screen, of course, and it's generally not in the way or a nuisance for most activities. Since I travel between different buildings for meetings at work and sometimes check my iPhone while I'm in transit in between, it can be a challenge to open the flap one-handed, and I generally don't try this unless I'm standing still. When I'm on the train or between buildings, my iPhone is in my purse or in my coat pocket. I really do like the protection of the front flap - I really never worry about damage from other things in my purse or from a minor bump. I've read too many stories online about screens cracking from falls or bumps and am probably a bit more paranoid about this than I should be.
From some forums I visit, I've seen people wonder whether or not the front flap will be bothersome when the case is opened to expose the screen for a phone call. I will say that it doesn't bother *me* but YMMV depending on what you like. It is a bit different to have a flap hanging next to your face as you talk, but it doesn't get truly get in the way of anything or touch my face. Also, if you tend to use a bluetooth headset with your iPhone most of the time, this will not be an issue for you at all since you can simply keep the case closed while you're on the phone.
In the past couple of weeks, I've been switching between using this Vaja case and the Incase Protective Cover (you can read my review of that case here). There have been times when the Incase Protective Cover has been my case of choice - since it does not cover the screen of the iPhone, it's quicker and much easier to access the screen. However, when I'm at work and not using my iPhone so much and only checking mail and such periodically, or out and about and my iPhone spends most of its time in my purse with my car keys and other items, I like the belt clip and screen protection of the Vaja case. I guess this just highlights the fact that no case is truly perfect for all occasions.
Summary
I've now had this Vaja case for 2 months, and the leather is showing a little bit of wear from being in my purse with sharp objects (the pictures taken for this review were taken the day before I posted this), but it's still fabulous. I find it to be a classy yet understated and highly functional case for the iPhone. I have to admit I want another one of these - in black with an orange stripe on the front (this version is called the i-Volution SP Top Holster) without the Rivet Clip. That might just be on my Christmas list! If I want two of them for my collection, I'd definitely recommend that you get at least one - this is a great case!
Related reviews:
Vaja Retro Pouch for iPhone
Proporta Maya Pouch for iPhone, iPod touch, and more