Nomad Rugged Case Review : Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max :
Nomad started make accessories around 2012, the first product being a Kickstarter Crowd Funding project of an ‘ultraportable charging cable.’ Since then the company has excelled and is now considered one of the top manufactures of premium mobile phone cases.
Their leather cases are highly reviewed and since this year and Apple having ceased manufacture of leather cases for the new iPhone 15 range Nomad has become one of the most written about and reviewed leather case manufacturers.
However, this review is not about leather. This review focuses on the Nomad Rugged Case.
The official description of the case is :
Surprisingly light in hand, Rugged Case protects your iPhone from all angles with a durable polycarbonate frame and fortified corner bumpers.
- Durable TPU bumpers and camera ring
- Polycarbonate frame with PET backplate
- Anodized aluminum buttons
- 15ft drop protection
- Dual lanyard attachment points
- MagSafe & wireless charging compatible
If you follow this blog and my reviews on mobile phone accessories you will be aware that since 2018 and the iPhone X generation my without reservation case of choice has been the offerings from Mous.
This year, for reasons I will touch on elsewhere, I made the decision to try a Nomad Rugged Case.
I like a rugged case for day to day usage, my phone is constantly in and out of my pocket, on and off a desk and all around a car from under the centre console, on the seat, in the door card… wherever is easiest.
Then it is in the gym, in my pocket when out running, in a motorcycle jacket or tank bag getting jostled about for the years of its life.
Thanks to my previous use of the pairing of a decent screen protector and rugged case, when the time as come to move my phone on, it has always looked immaculate. This time that job is being entrusted to a Nomad case.
Disclosure : I purchased this case myself from Amazon. I paid full price, £59.99 and this review is in no way sponsored. The views and thoughts are my own having been using the case in my day to day life over the last couple of weeks.
Nomad Rugged Case :
The Nomad Rugged Case is offered in three colours :
- Black
- Ultra Orange
- Atlantic Blue
I opted for the Ultra Orange, in all fairness I was torn between it and the Atlantic Blue Variant which also looks exceptional, however I am very pleased with the bright colour offered by the Ultra Orange.
Features :
The official website describes the Nomad Rugged Case as being packed with the following features :
Real World Review :
Packaging & Unboxing :
Simply put the packaging is premium. The out sleeve print and colouring is crystal clear with a subtly embossed feel of the images and branding on all sides.
When opening the box there is a nice little pull open and and opening (and closing) the packaging you will be met with a nice popping noise as the strong recycled cardboard inner snaps free from the outer sleeve.
On the inside you simply have the case which is kept in place by an attached cardboard plinth.
Price :
USA : $60 from Nomad’s Official Site. Global Shipping appears to be offered.
UK : £59.95 from Amazon UK. Similarly priced from other retailers.
The Case :
The finish on the case is exceptional. The bottom cutouts are tidy and precise, the buttons are free moving and have a good metallic feel. The Lock button on the right hand side is coloured to match the case variant you have chosen and has a strong ridged / rippled texture. On the left you will find responsive volume up and down buttons as well as an action button.
Some case manufacturers have opted for a cut out for the action button, Nomad have went for an actual button and with the quality of the buttons used, their metallic feel and responsiveness it works perfectly and feels exactly as it should. This is a very positive factor, given the new addition of the action button it seems only right that you opt for a case with a button that fully utilises this feature and makes it easy and pleasant to use. Big win for Nomad on this point.
The interior of the case consists of a microfibre lining which will offer protection to the rear of the phone. It feels soft and premium and can see the outline of the MagSafe technology, which is built into the case.
The rubber bumper which surrounds the phone has a nice smooth soft touch feel to it. It does not have a sticky feel, but its smoothness does not equate to slippery. It is comfortable to hold and the rubber is tapered at each edge so it never feels sharp or harsh as you hold or use the phone.
The rubber corners are then slightly raised from the rest of the bumper, to offer an increased level of protection.
The camera bump has a complete rubber bumper surrounding it so the lenses are well protected. This raised camera bump also matches in perfectly with the raised protective corners. The result is a good one. You now have a camera bump that will never touch the desk / flat surface when set down. Given those already mentioned raised corners you now have a completely stable, flat base that will not rock or wobble if set with the case back down. A totally essential case feature!
On the screen side, the rubber bumper is again tapered to give a smoother more streamlined shape. It is also slightly higher than the screen, so you can set your phone face down safe in the knowledge that the screen will remain elevated above a flat surface.
The coloured panel is smooth, the rubber bumper however counters this smoothness the result is you have a smooth case without it being slippery. You will be able to set it down on the sofa without the worry of it just sliding off and crashing onto the floor.
Phone Installation and Fit :
Installation of the phone to the Nomad Rugged case is simple.
- Slide the volume button side (left) into the case.
- Apply gentle pressure to the top and bottom right had side corners.
- Listen for the pleasing snap of the phone slotting into the case.
- Check all corners and edges are properly seated.
- Check the bottom to make sure the cutouts are properly alligned.
- Enjoy your new case.
Once in the case you will notice that the cut outs are perfectly aligned and the case buttons are responsive and maintain the original tactile feel of the phone’s buttons.
Charging Leads :
This is the one area of the case where you may experience issues. As mentioned above the cutouts are clean and precise, however if your cable touches on the bulky side past the USB-C connector then you may struggle with the fit.
I have tried a number of cables and in short here are my findings. The below is only in relation to charging and Apple Car Play. It does not factor in data transfer and you should be aware that different cables offer different data transfer speeds. If you are buying a cable for data transfer make sure you buy one which will meet your needs / expectations.
- The Original / Genuine Apple Cable fits without issue.
- Anker PowerLine+ USB-C to USB 3.0 cable (6ft/1.8m) : This cable will fit, however it is tight and will cause a slight bulge on the screen side of the case. Just the little lip directly above the charging port. It is noticeably tight to put this lead into the port and giving that it is then stretching the case at this point, it could well cause the rubber to fatigue at this point. For this reason I do not use the Anker cables if I have this case installed. Charging works well as does CarPlay.
- Amazon Basics USB-C 2.0 to USB-A Cable (USB-IF Certified) : This fits well – no issues noted. Charges without issue. Not tested on CarPlay.
- GVTECH USB C Cable, (2m 2-Pack) Type C Fast Charger Charging Cable Braided : Fits perfectly, charges without issue. NOT CarPlay Compatible.
- Amazon Basics Double Braided Nylon USB Type-C to Type-A 3.1 Gen 1 Cable : Will not fit into the charging port when the Nomad Rugged Case is installed.
Is it Screen Shield Safe :
Yes, I have had no issues. I have a Belkin screen shield installed on the phone and it causes no issue. If in doubt make sure to but a case friendly screen shield.
Conclusion :
A premium case, that deserves the premium tag. It is well made, well designed and offers sound protection for your phone. If you have the right charging / data cable for this phone it is extremely difficult to find anything to be negative about. If you fancy splashing out on a case then the Nomad Rugged Case is easy to recommend.
