Review: Inateck’s felt sleeve for the iPad mini

iPad mini sleeves and bags are nearly a commodity today, with a huge selection of styles and options available for purchase online and offline. Even though the iPad mini is light weight and durable, a carrying case is still essential for any kind of travel for many people. I’ve been using Inateck’s felt sleeve for the iPad mini for the past few weeks and it is a functional light way to protect the 7.9-inch iPad.

The model I’ve been testing, TPBIM, uses a tiny leather flap that folds over and is secured by a magnet, which is meant to keep the iPad mini in place. Even though the flap is tiny and you might think it’s not really necessary to close it, without closing the flap the iPad mini will slide out.

My initial attempt to open the sleeve was to pull up on the snap. The snap is decorative and is securely stitched onto the sleeve. The other side is magnetic and snaps apart allowing the sleeve to be opened.

If you notice in the pictures above, the flap does not tightly close the sleeve shut and there is a noticeable gap between the iPad and the sleeve. Even though the sleeve has plenty of wiggle room, you cannot fit the iPad with the Smart Case on, as the Smart Case makes the iPad wider than the sleeve. However, the iPad does fit with the Smart Cover inside the sleeve and does take up some of that extra space.

The sleeve has thick felt padding which adds some cushioning and protection for the iPad mini while carrying it in a bag and prevents the iPad mini from getting scratched or dented. However, it offers little protection for the device being dropped.

Typically most sleeves for the iPad are only functional for carrying the iPad and do not offer the ability to prop up the iPad into a stand. The sleeve is able to folded up into a stand for the iPad. It is surprisingly strong, and displays it at a great angle for watching movies.

It would be nicer if the sleeve had a tighter fit around the iPad. Overall this sleeve is functional and has a low price. It is available in grey with white stitching for $11.99.