Hands on with the wood and leather iPad 2 case from Grove

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We’ve told you about the iPad 2 case by Grove ($129+) before, but this time we’ve had time to sit down with our very own hand-delivered (by our Portland friends at Grove) case with a custom DT logo laser-engraved on the cover so we can give you our hands-on impressions of the bamboo and leather case. The case is specially built to fit the iPad 2 and features a perfectly-fitting bamboo hard case and a leather three-panel smart cover.

Similarly to the Apple Smart Cover, the magnets in the leather cover wake the iPad when opened and put it to sleep when closed, and the case folds into a stand for either typing or viewing. The bamboo exterior is CNC-milled and fits like a glove, leaving you access to all important ports, with a special precision-cut speaker port. The inside of the wood case and the underside of the smart cover are made from soft suede so that your iPad 2 will always be protected from scratches.

As far as hands-on impressions go, we have to first say that this thing is a beauty. The bamboo goes perfectly with the sienna brown leather cover that came with our case, and the design is full of smart design details, like a bamboo power button and a bamboo logo on the underside of the smart cover.

One of the biggest problems with wood tech accessories is generally that they add a fair amount of bulk and weight, but Grove has impressively managed to make its products both slender and lightweight. As far as actual hard cases go, the bamboo hard case is a slim and snug fit. We also found it very easy to get our iPad 2 in and out of the case, which isn’t always the case (no pun intended) with these kind of accessories.

Other than design, the Grove case functioned just as we would want it to in practical use. The smart cover easily attaches to the iPad 2 itself and wakes up the device and puts it to sleep just like it’s supposed to. The case felt good and sturdy in our hands and is clearly made of high-quality materials that will stand the test of time and protect your iPad 2 in the process.

One of the pluses with this all-encompassing case is that you can also use the Grove smart cover on its own if you just want protection for the screen. Grove has plenty of cool artist designs to have laser-engraved on the leather cover, and custom designs are available as well. This way you get a full case when you need the protection, but can have a slimmer yet still useful cover when you want a little less bulk.

If you’re a fan of the natural look of bamboo and customizable products, we would recommend the Grove iPad 2 case in an instant. It is also made from eco-friendly materials if that thought warms your iPad-loving heart. The case is sturdy, good-looking, and slim enough to use all the time. The leather cover works well as a smart cover and viewing stand and offers great options in customizability. What else need we say?

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