Finding good phone cases is a struggle. I was a big fan of Apple’s own leather phone cases, which lasted longer than their silicone counterparts and developed a nice worn patina over time. By the time I was looking for a case for my iPhone 16 Pro in fall 2025, Apple had long since replaced the leather cases with a material they call FineWoven (“durable micro-twill” with a “soft, suede-like feel”, according to marketing). Given the less than glowing reviews they had received, I decided to give them a pass. Instead, I turned to Reddit, which pointed me to the Nomad Modern Leather Case.
Functionally, the Nomad Modern Leather Case is perfectly fine. It’s thin enough for it not to add that much bulk to the already pretty sizeable iPhone 16 Pro, the raised edges help protect the screen and the camera lenses, all of the buttons on the sides of the phone are easy to use with the case on, and it’s worked well with both MagSafe and regular Qi chargers. The case is comfortable to hold and feels premium with the soft leather on the back, but I’m not a huge fan of how that leather has worn in the six months I’ve owned the case. There are long scratches in it, clearly visible as bright lines against the darker leather. The brightness of the scratches almost makes it look like the case is made out of synthetical leather, rather than the full-grain leather the case is actually using.
I like to think of myself as someone who is pretty careful with my stuff, and I would never keep my phone in the same pocket as coins or keys, so I’m guessing the scratches are caused by the zipper teeth on my jackets. Ironically, the scratches are pretty similar to the ones that the Apple FineWoven cases were criticized for being susceptible to. It’s a shame too, because apart from the scratches, the leather has aged pretty nicely. I’m hoping they will become less noticeable over time.
