I take a long time to make decisions. Ask my wife. I compare. I think. I re-compare. I think more. Then I decide. Such was the case in selecting a case for my iPad.

First, I had to decide on the type of case.

Would I go with a slip-case, a notebook style, or….no case at all? I elected to go with a slip-case for the iPad for the same reason I have one for my iPhone. Both devices are beautiful. Whatever your opinion of Apple, they create beautiful products. So why would I want to cover up great design with a case that certainly had much less thought go into its design? So slip case it is…

Second, which slipcase?

I scoured the recesses of Google’s web crawler and found several viable options. My dilemma came down to two options:

Saddleback Leather

Waterfield Designs

In comparing the two, the Waterfield case just didn’t seem as durable. I ended up selecting the Saddleback case and I am very pleased with it. The craftsmanship on this thing is impeccable. You really do pay for what you get. From their website, I learned a lot about the different grains of leather. Theirs is top notch. You can just tell when you hold the case that it will last a lifetime….probably longer. It has that “leather smell” that sort of takes your mind to a dude ranch somewhere. The best thing about it? As it gets beat up, it gains character. The scratches and nicks tell stories. Can you say that about your computer case? The only negative? When my iPad is out of date, I’m not sure what I’ll do with the case….

If you are looking for a sweet iPad case, or other leather goods, I would save yourself some time and contact the folks at Saddleback Leather.

Do you have any recommendations on iPad/laptop cases?