By Scott Becker
When I bought my Kindle 3, I also bought the Kindle leather case (the standard black one with the slide-out reading lamp). Nice product, but I now regret the (rather costly) purchase.
Sure, it's nice to have the lamp on board, but I found the case a bit too heavy for carrying around just for an occasional read on the run, and even a bit too
heavy/cumbersome for longish reading sessions in bed or lying on the couch. I'd prefer to make sure I have a proper reading lamp wherever I am (like I would have to when reading a printed book, anyway) than to schlep the heavy case around just in case I might need a bit of light. And I discovered I wanted to feel just the sleek and light Kindle in my hands when reading.
Trying to find the right case was not easy, but the Belkin is definitely it! Here's what I was after:
- light weight
- close fit, but not so close that closing/opening it would be difficult
- easy-pull zippers
- no major issues with pulling zippers around corners
- non-flashy but pleasing design (didn't want it to stick out like a sore thumb on my desk at work, or in the canteen when reading at lunch)
- protective enough for carrying the kindle in my backpack, which means protective against scratches, somewhat padded and closable all the way around (against sliding out or getting dirt or dust in it if open on one side like some of the nifty but - for me - impractical - pouches)
- offering a bit of rainy weather (drizzle) protection when I carry my Kindle outside a few paces on my daily path to the canteen
- NO AWFUL SMELL
- not too terribly expensive
Well folks, this is exactly what the Belkin Grip Kindle Sleep delivers - and I am definitely not a Belkin rep or a paid reviewer! Yes, it does have a very slight neoprene smell to it (heck, it IS made of neoprene, and that's the material I wanted), but I am very picky about such smells and a big hater, for example, of those awful mousepads with gel cushions that stink to high heaven. This case does not stink at all like that. Just a whiff of neoprene, and even that gets less over time. Don't conciously notice it at all, even when the case is lying next to me on my nightstand.
At the start of my search, I had also considered those funky, curvy-shaped, neoprene Kindle pouches by BUILT Neoprene Kindle Sleeve (Fits 6" Display, Latest Generation Kindle), Scatter Dot, but the gaudy colors/designs turned me off. Also, one reviewer raised the issue of dirt possibly getting in the open end when carrying the Kindle in a bag/backpack, and I regard that as important since my backpack is know to have a few cookie crumbs or worse things in it, not to mention the occasional shoved-in item which might squeeze its way into an open pouch and harm the Kindle.
After all, opening and closing the Belkin zippers is quick and easy, so why sacrifice the all-round protection? Ajd if you're ever in a big hurry or feeling lazy, you can just slide the Kindle in and stick the cover in your bag sideways, left edge down, without even zipping it up. This works because the zippers only go part way around, so there's a bit of "closed" sleeve even with the zippers open.
I have done this from time to time, but usually prefer to zip it all up, which is zero frustration thanks to the well-designed dimensions and good zippers.
I had also looked at several other zippered neoprene cases and read virtually every review on Amazon in the U.S. and the U.K. up though October, and none of them seemed to pan out in terms of zippers, smell and protection. There were always issues, and these were confirmed by several people. Then there are those stand-up types, which might be really nice for reading on a table (e.g. while eating), but those also involve surplus weight, and I prefer to just prop my Kindle up on the unzipped case for a slight angle.
An added plus: The firmer bit in the middle (with the design on it) is indeed good for grabbing the case when carrying your Kindle around. I was glad that not about this non-neoprene accent when I once picked the case up without realizing at I had chocolate on my hand. Getting chocolate out of neoprene can be a bit messy.
In short: I'd highly recommend this case for anyone looking for a no-frills, well-designed, lightweight solution for Kindle 3!
