I purchased this item having tried a silicone cover for my DX. The silicone cover was frankly rubbish and I am happy to say this one is much better, though it does have its drawbacks.
THE GOOD
The finish:
Good stitching, well made generally and surprisingly good leather. The product has a premium feel to it and it nice in your hands which I like as obviously reading with it is a tactile experience. There is a very sturdy feel to the cover and it provides a good amount of grip even after reading for extended periods when sweaty or oily palms can cause the 'naked' DX to become quite slippy. The hinge is made of leather as is of good quality, reassuringly strong enough to survive a lot of use but flexible enough to allow the cover to be bent fully behind the case so it can be tucked out of the way when reading. Likewise, the magnetic clip is pleasingly strong and I have never found it to come loose or be knocked open despite my occasional rough treatment.
Protection:
The front and back covers both have reasonably thick and robust protective cores that are hard enough to ensure that the DX is protected at all times. I have thrown the DX into my bag with all kinds of pointy, hard and otherwise potentially damaging items that could have caused damage had this case not been in place. It does a great job in this regard. So much so in fact that you can really stop worrying about travelling with the DX as you know it will remain protected at all times.
Sensible design:
One thing I found slightly odd was the magnetic clip appeared to be 'reversed' compared to the normal way such things are attached on similar protective cases. A quick look at the picture of the cases will show you what I mean - the clip is attached to the front cover of the case and the magnetic fastening actually takes place at the rear. The magnetic fastener on the back cover is also flush to the cover itself. This all makes sense when you undo the clip and open the case as a flat surface in maintained right across the back cover which is extremely useful when placing the case down on a hard surface as it lies completely flat. It also means that there is no annoying clasp in the way when actually holding the cover, which is arguably of greater benefit. Of course, the sacrifice is that when the clip is attached and the cover closed the case doesn't lie flat on a hard surface, but this is a small price to pay.
THE BAD
Fit:
I think it is a result of having to cater for the buttons down the extreme edges of the Kindle products but the covers I have tried all exhibit a similar problem - the strips running down the case between the buttons and the screen all have a tendency to ruffle up, don't sit properly or are overly loose (or a combination of all three!). This case suffers from a slight 'ruffle' to the strip of leather running down the side. Admittedly this products suffers from this affliction the least of those I have tried but it is still an issue. Fortunately it doesn't impede the operation of the Kindle and it does ease as time passes but it can be a little unsightly to start with.
I should clarify that aside from this 'ruffle' the case fits perfectly. It holds the Kindle very tightly without any fear of it slipping out (you insert the Kindle through an opening at the top of the case), all openings and slots are in exactly the right place and the cover only very slightly increases the width/height of the Kindle (by about the thickness of the leather in fact).
Weight/Thickness:
I havent weight it but the case is at least as heavy as the Kindle DX (perhaps more) so when you use it you are effectively doubling the weight you were previously holding. Thankfully the DX is pretty light anyway and I certainly haven't felt any strain from using the case (I'm a 25 year old male) but those with weaker wrists or strength issues should take this into consideration - particularly if the reason you switched to an eReader was to move away from heavy books. Obviously any case will increase the weight overall but this one is particularly sturdily built which results in a slightly greater weight than you might imagine. For me, the setup is fine but your milage may vary.
Aside from weight, the thickness of the kindle is dramatically increased when in the case, it's probably 2.5 times as thick as normal. Again, as the Kindle is so thin to start with the full closed setup is still only about an inch thick. For most, this won't be much of a consideration but I did notice it was a slightly more snug fit in my bag with the case on. Every case you purchase will increase the thickness - just make sure you are happy with this before you buy.
CONCLUSION
I recommend this product highly. It is a very well designed case that offers a very high level of protection. It is thoughtfully designed, fits tightly and it relatively lightweight given the level of protection it offers. It also uses good quality materials and the workmanship/stitching is a good standard. I have enjoyed the peace of mind this case has offered in my travels with my Kindle (taking it with me virtually everywhere since I got the case) and I actually like the feel of the leather compared to the metallic surface of the Kindle so the reading experience has been enhanced. It is quite a thick case thanks in part to the level of protection it offers (and it's still only 1 inch thick) but please bare this in mind when purchasing.
I have no doubt it will last the life of the Kindle and is therefore a sound investment.
| Brand | Cover-Up |
|---|---|
| Package Dimensions | 27.2 x 20.4 x 2.4 cm; 260 g |
| Item model number | DB-LI2X-VQEE |
| Manufacturer | Cover-Up |
| Colour | Black |
| Form Factor | Case |
| Standing screen display size | 9.7 Inches |
| Item Weight | 260 g |
| Guaranteed software updates until | unknown |
