Leaf&Core

Nomad Leather Cover with AirTag Support for Apple Remote Case Review

Danielle from Leaf and Core
Reading Time: 4 minutes.

Nomad's Apple remote case along with their iPhone case in the background.Nothing tears families apart quite like a lost remote control. “Where’d you put it?” “Get up, are you sitting on it?” “Well you were watching TV last!” Fights ensue, battle lines drawn, and it turns out Spot just thought it was a toy and brought it to his bed. Perhaps it’s less dramatic than that. You just lost it in your couch cushions. Apple released an all-new Apple Remote for the latest Apple TV, and it’s fantastic. They made the remote larger, thicker, with more buttons, and a touch-sensitive control pad that is far superior to the old one. But they didn’t add Find My support. It seemed strange. The new remote was so much larger, it could practically fit an AirTag inside of it, why not give it Find My support?

Fortunately, third parties came to the rescue. I tried stickers for AirTags, but that didn’t work well with the curvature of the remote. I tried silicone, but it just never felt quite right, and collected dust. Then I found Nomad’s leather cover. It adds more bulk to the Apple TV remote, but never too much. It’s surprisingly light, adds a spot for an AirTag in just the right location for weight distribution, and it’s made out of a wonderful, rich Horween leather. The end result is the Apple remote the way it should be, and you’ll actually like using it more with the case than without.

Specs

Comfort/Ease of Use – 9/10

The case, like a lot of smooth leather cases, is a little slick. However, this isn’t a large, flat phone. It’s more of a curved rectangle. While the leather may be smooth, not very grippy, I haven’t had a single problem holding my remote. It’s easy to pick up and easy to use. While it did add about two-thirds of the weight of the Apple TV remote to the setup, it still doesn’t feel too heavy. All of the buttons are on top, with the entire top of the remote unobstructed. The one exception is the Siri button. The cutout for it is a bit close to the button, and it does make it slightly harder to press. Other than that, it fits perfectly in the hand, makes every button easily accessed, and feels just right.

Appearance – 10/10

This looks gorgeous. It’s leather and exposed aluminum with black buttons. The combination exudes class. It’ll show wear with time, getting a more rugged lock as it ages. Horween leather patinas nicely, showing darker shades where the leather has absorbed oils or taken some light damage, like scratches or scuffs. I’ve had it on a few watch bands and on another leather case and it’s quite nice. Definitely prefer it in a darker shade like this though.

If you hate the look of leather, of course you’re not going to like it. But if you’re anyone else, this is an attractive case that makes your Apple remote look more high-end than Apple’s original design.

Protection – 8/10

This case doesn’t add much bulk to the sides, but it does add quite a bit on the bottom. Protection isn’t the primary concern here. And why should it be? The new Apple TV remote doesn’t have any glass elements like the previous model. There’s a rigid shell, a soft liner, a bit of cushioning, and the leather itself. This will definitely soften a blow from a drop. However, it’s less protection than you’d find in an average cellphone case, at least on the sides. The bottom has a ton of protection. But, again, do you really need that? It’s a chunk of aluminum with no moving parts and no glass.

One thing I did find is that the case doesn’t really “snap” on. It’s more friction/pressure fit. It squeezes the sides without coming over the top. Because of this, you can shake the remote out of the case. Admittedly, this isn’t easy. However, if you were to drop the remote face down with this case on, it could slide out… where it’ll be perfectly fine on the ground because this isn’t a fragile remote.

Extra Features

There are a few reasons you might want a case for your Apple Remote. Maybe you want protection, maybe you want better grip, maybe you just want it too look better. But one feature users have wanted since Apple introduced their AirTag was support for the Find My app. This case has a little space for you to put an AirTag, and it works wonderfully. The sound from the AirTag is slightly muted because it’s under a remote and inside a cushioned case, but it’s still audible. You’ll also have precise directions on your iPhone, guiding you to the remote. Ironically, I don’t lose my remote very frequently, but when I have, the Find My app is quick to remind me that I brought it to the kitchen earlier. It’s a great feature to have, and no case has made it feel as seamlessly added as well as Nomad’s.

Overall 9.5/10

I sometimes take my iPhone out of its case and use it without a case for a bit, just to use it as the designers intended. I sometimes do it as a sort of “palate cleanser” between case reviews. With Nomad’s Apple TV remote case, I haven’t had the desire to remove the case. It makes the Apple Remote just the right shape, keeps it looking great, and makes it easy to find my Apple Remote. Plus, while I don’t expect it to take actual damage when falling on the floor, my downstairs neighbors may be just a bit happier that it cushioned the blow slightly. Especially since I frequently go to bed at 3am or later.

Sorry, downstairs neighbors, truly.

This is a case that makes the Apple TV remote what it should be: comfortable to hold, easy to find, and even more attractive. There are only two real downsides I see. It could loosen up with time and the Siri button cutout could be just a little bit bigger, if not make use of a pass through button like most cellphone cases do. These are incredibly small flaws. I wasn’t sure about buying a case for my Apple TV remote. After all, it’s not a fragile thing, and it already is shaped well enough. But the Nomad case improves upon it in nearly every way, and it certainly is good for anyone who perhaps spends too much time looking for their Apple TV remote.

The Nomad Apple TV remote case is available on their website for $39.95. It’s a bit steep for a remote case, but rest assured, it’s well made, looks great, and will make your remote better than you’d think. I mean, I’m writing a review for a remote case. That’s kind of weird, but it’s good enough to warrant that. The case is currently back ordered until December, so perhaps I’m not the only one who has found this case is a must-have for the Apple TV remote.

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