I present for your review the most unusual and least expensive iPad case you probably will ever see. How does US$7.95 grab you for a case that protects your iPad from dust, dirt, and damage?
Called the GalleryPouch Gold, this case is the brain child of a company called Frame Destination, Inc. based in Dallas, TX. The company specializes in photography products, but when they were developing a new product line earlier this year, they decided that it would work perfectly with iPads and created sizes appropriate for them.
GalleryPouch Gold iPad Cases
The cases are made from a form of bubble wrap, but are smooth on the inside and out so it is almost impossible to pop any of the bubbles during normal use. Each case comes with velcro fasteners. At first use, the user determines where the bottom strip will go to best meet his or her needs and places that strip. Once placed, the strip can not be moved.
Cases are available with openings on the vertical side or the horizontal side. Cases come in a variety of sizes, but the sizes of most interest to iPad users are the 6” x 9” (which I did not evaluate) ($7.95), the 8” x 10” ($7.95), the 9” x 11”($8.95) , and the 9” x 13” ($8.95).
I thought about using these cases along with other cases, such as the original Apple iPad case which a great many people have chosen to use. While the Apple case offers several nice attributes, it is not padded.
Apple iPad Case
It was obvious that my iPad, wearing the original Apple iPad case would fit in the 9” x 11” and 9” x 13” cases with room to spare. I tried putting my iPad, wearing the original Apple iPad case into the 8 x 10 GalleryPouch Gold case. It fit perfectly. Actually, the fit was so perfect that I wondered if the seams of the case would hold up over time and I contacted Mark Rogers, President of Frame Destination, Inc. to ask him about it. Mr. Rogers explained to me that the sealer his company uses on this product is the same sealer that is used to make parachutes so it has to be strong.
Even though I have to tug a bit to get the iPad out, I prefer the 8 x 10 because my iPad does not move around at all when in the padded GalleryPouch Gold case. In point of fact though, when I tried one of the lovely Belkin Soft Grip iPad cases the fit was tight, but it was easier to remove my iPad from the 8” x 10” case when I needed it.
The Bottom Line
The GalleryPouch Gold products are clear cases, made of a bubble wrap kind of plastic and sealed on one side with velcro fasteners. They come in an assortment of sizes, several of which work nicely with the iPad. They offer an extra layer of protection and can be used instead of, or in addition to, other cases and sell for a modest $7.95 - $8.95. They should be particularly helpful to anyone who uses public transportation, frequently carries their iPad in a backpack or briefcase, or anyone who needs to carry their iPad along with additional items, such as the camera connection kit, that they want to protect.
The Basics