Andar “The Aspen” Leather iPhone Case Review

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I’ve tried Apple’s leather case, Nomad’s leather case, and now, Andar’s leather case. Leather is a premium material. Cases made with it can have a softer feel, with good shock protection and looks that evolve over time. But it’s very easy to do a leather case poorly. Use a thin and cheap leather, and the case will look terrible in a few months. Apple has run into some user dissatisfaction regarding their newer leather cases, but I found the darker shades still look good, especially when you keep them well conditioned. My Nomad case had some nice leather, but it was far too slippery. I couldn’t use it, it’s already in a junk drawer somewhere. Andar’s case feels like a callback to older Apple iPhone cases, and that’s a great thing. But it also means it has brought back a few flaws with the old cases that Apple has since solved.

Specs

• Width: 68.25mm
• Height: 135/15mm
• Depth: 11.03mm
• Weight: 26g

This is an incredibly slim and lightweight case. I especially like how thin it is and how the camera bump isn’t worsened by an extra large camera protector.

Protection 2/10

I knew this wouldn’t be a very protective case. It’s thin plastic coated with leather, and the leather isn’t too thick either. There are nice metal accents on the buttons and around the camera bump, but it’s a thin case. That’s not too bad though. The new iPhones have “Ceramic Shield” glass, so they’re less likely to break from a fall. Add in the fact that the iPhone 13 mini is lighter than other iPhones, with less glass, and it’s Apple’s most durable iPhone. But it’s still a bunch of glass, and you still have to protect it. That’s where the real problem with this case comes in: the bottom.

The bottom of this case is open, like old Apple cases. This makes the swipe up gesture nice and smooth, but also opens your phone up to damage. A drop at the right angle could mean it’s like there’s not even a case on it at all. But that’s just the beginning of this case’s problems. It’s well-fitted to the iPhone. Slim, not a huge camera bump or a huge lip over the screen. Over time, the fit becomes looser. The case can slide off your phone easier. I even found that, if I hold it and give it a firm shake, I can pop the phone right out of the case. This will happen on a fall too. Drop your phone screen down, and the case will get out of the way so your phone can hit the ground directly.

If you’re looking for a protective case, this isn’t it.

Looks 9.5/10

However, if you’re looking for a pretty case, this is it. This is a fantastic looking case. I especially love the “camel color,” which is a lighter shade of leather paired with nice contrasting black buttons and camera bump protection.

Leather ages, and this has aged quite well. It’s gotten scratches from drops and scuffs, but they buff out with time and lend itself a nice patina. The color has darkened considerably, but still looks great with the contrasting accents. It really is one of my best looking cases.

I will note that you should also be sure to buy some leather conditioner when you get it. Andar sells a leather cream on their website, so if you don’t already have a leather conditioner, I recommend getting it. The leather is a bit dry and rough when it first arrived, something I noticed of another leather product I got from Andar. It feels much better with a bit of conditioner. You can also use it to “repair” scuffs and bumps in the leather over time, so they patina to a nice shade, rather than showing up as light colored scratches forever.

This is definitely a case you buy for the looks.

Ergonomics 7/10

Ergonomically, there’s a lot right here, and a bit wrong. The leather isn’t too slick, like the Nomad leather case, but it is a bit slick. It’s borderline. I did notice it felt grippier with a bit of leather conditioner on it though. Still, most of the scratches on it came from my own fingernails, as I desperately tried to save my iPhone from a drop after it begun to slip out of my hand.

The metallic buttons are clicky, better than Apple’s own leather case buttons. The mute switch is a bit hard to get to, it’s a little too deep to flip if you don’t have longer nails. It’s not bad, but is the sole detractor from otherwise easy to use controls.

Overall, its real problem here is just that it’s a bit slick. It’s lightweight and the buttons are clicky. It’s pretty comfortable to hold and use, just make sure to condition your case… and maybe be extra careful with dry hands.

Durability 3/10

You’d think it’s the leather hurting the durability score here, but it’s not. It could be a little thicker, to avoid lasting damage, but it’s not too bad. The real problem comes from how much it loosens up over just a few months of use. You’ll soon find your case doesn’t even want to stay on your phone very well at all. Some of the inner plastic shell also cracked by the mute switch. While the case still works, this is likely the beginning of it becoming useless, as it loosens up more as the leather holding it together stretches.

The leather is nice, but I think Andar might have forgotten that it’s supposed to be a case, not just a bit of leather.

Sustainability 1.5/10

I feel bad doing these case reviews constantly on cases that are just not great for the environment. Leather comes from cows, and they’re definitely not farmed in environmentally-friendly ways. Plastic comes from oil… and, I mean, it’s almost 2023, but it’s weird how many people don’t realize just how bad that stuff is. The packaging was almost perfect. All cardboard… until the foam liner inside of the case created some non-recyclable waste. The biggest problem is that the case loosens up with time, making everything from the leather to the plastic very single-use. This is a disposable case made out of materials that shouldn’t be considered disposable.

Value 5/10

You know, despite the issues, it is a high-quality case. Metal and decent leather make for a nice case. It’s a shame that the case itself has nothing but cheap and brittle plastic under it. The stretching and eventual breaking over time means it’s not worth the $54 price tag. Is it a nice case? Sure, for a little while. They really have to focus on the durability in future versions. Perhaps not leave the bottom open so it doesn’t become little more than a leather cover after a few months.

MagSafe Compatibility 4/6

This is one of the few cases I have that has a nice flat design. No huge camera bump. The case is already thicker than the camera bump, why add another, case manufacturers?! I state this because it’s one of the few cases I have that can lay flat on my MagSafe charging stand. If the magnets were stronger than average, it would be the perfect shape to act as a refrigerator magnet while in the kitchen. Unfortunately, the magnetic strength is just average.

It has MagSafe (+1), its of average strength (+1), and it has the vertical bar (+2). So, 4/6.

Overall 6.5/10

I really loved this case. It was the case I used for the longest for a review before going to the next one. This one just loosened up so much. I’m sure my fiddling with it or swapping it out for other cases made it last a shorter amount of time than it could have, but I really can’t see this case lasting under normal use for more than a year. The durability is such a shame, because, otherwise, it’s a fantastic case. Looks great, it’s lightweight, and the buttons are nice and clicky. Not super protective, but I’m never looking for a tank for my iPhone. I got the iPhone mini because I wanted something that fits in my hand. Why would I ruin that with a huge case?!

The Andar Aspen leather case is a great looking case that feels good on your phone. Just a shame it has the tendency to jump off your phone at the first sign of trouble.