So I actually purchased this back in 2019, and the review system mistakenly pushed a "please review your purchase!" email for that purchase...6 years later? You know what, sure, why not! I've definitely had time to formulate an opinion by now!
This thing is a TROOPER. When I say I've beat the hell out of it for six years running, I mean that. When I got my iPad, it was a new size that didn't exist previously, and these cases were still in pre-production and I had to wait a couple of months for them to actually ship. So I have one from the first production run, and it's held up the entire time. Carried it everywhere, set things on it, accidentally dropped it, thrown it in bags, taken it through airports, you name it, I have probably inflicted it on this case.
And it basically hasn't even noticed. It's indestructible, and so is my iPad as a result. Structurally, this thing is made of goddamn unobtanium.
The pencil channel on the side is deep enough and sturdy enough that I mainly don't use the snap-in pencil holder unless I'm jamming it into a carry-on and really can't risk it. I've never had the pencil be knocked out of the channel, though, and it snaps firmly into the holder too. If you lose your pencil out of this case, it's either a skill issue or malicious action. Zero accidents in six years.
I'm a digital artist so I am always folding it to stand at a moderate angle, and the sole point of structural failure I've found is that after six entire years, the rubberized feet that keep it from slipping back down flat have lost their grip. Appearance-wise, around the edges, the rubberized coating on the material is a little flaky from wear and tear, but that's not really much of an issue and it hasn't spread beyond the edges, either. The structural flex points are totally fine. And that's it, the only problem is that it got old. And honestly, don't we all?
So I just placed an order for a new one of the exact same, because man, you really can't improve on perfection. (Except by maybe having color options, but gray really does go with everything so I can't even be mad.) I'm gonna beat the crap out of this next one for at least six years too, and assuming my iPad even functions by then and that they're still available, I'll just go buy a third one after that.
