I recently picked up the Nomad Leather Folio for my iPad Pro 11″ (M4) (not an affiliate link) and wanted to share some quick thoughts after a couple weeks of daily use.
I’m not a gear reviewer so I’ll keep this short. It’s a really well-made case that does exactly what it should and doesn’t try to be more than it needs to be. Note: it fits both the M4 11″ iPad Pro and the M5 11″ iPad Pro.
What It Is
The Leather Folio is a full grain leather cover that attaches magnetically to the back of the iPad. It folds into a few different kickstand positions, has smart wake/sleep, and includes a magnetic flap that holds your Apple Pencil in place. Runs $109 from Nomad directly.
What I Like
The leather is the real draw here. It’s aniline dyed and minimally treated, which means it looks and feels like actual leather. Not the coated stuff you get from most accessories. It’ll scuff. Nomad is upfront about that. But if you’ve ever owned a good leather wallet or watch band you know those marks eventually buff into a patina that makes it look better not worse.
The magnets are strong. Impressively strong actually. The folio snaps onto the iPad with a satisfying click and stays put. I’ve been tossing it in my bag without worrying about it separating, which was a concern I had going in. The kickstand positions are solid too. I use it propped up on my desk most of the time and it holds steady. If you are used to the 2 position kickstand from the original Apple iPad Smart Folio (Amazon affiliate link), the kickstand compares to the more leaned back version, not the more upright version. That was a bonus for me as I preferred the laidback angle.
At 2.2mm for the back plate and 2.4mm for the cover it stays slim. One of the reasons I avoided cases for a long time is that they tend to ruin the feel of the iPad. This one doesn’t. Adds protection without turning it into a brick.
Smart wake and sleep works as expected. Open it, iPad wakes up. Close it, it sleeps. Simple but it’s one of those details that makes the whole package feel considered.
What’s Worth Knowing
The Apple Pencil flap works fine when the cover is closed. The pencil stays put magnetically. But when the cover is open and folded back the pencil is more exposed. I haven’t had it fall off but I can see how it might if you’re moving around a lot with the cover open. Something to be aware of. Honestly, this fine for me and exactly would I would have expected from this case. Other than the flap for the pencil when closed, it functions exactly like the Apple iPad Smart Folio.
The leather will pick up marks in the first few weeks. Mine already has a couple light scuffs from sitting next to other stuff in my bag. This is a feature not a bug. But if you want something that stays pristine out of the box, Nomad themselves will tell you this isn’t the case for you.
Is it Worth It?
It’s a clean, well-built leather folio that looks good and gets out of the way. If you’re the kind of person who appreciates quality materials over flashy features its worth the $109. I’m happy with it.