As a reviewer it is fascinating to follow the growth of a company from its humble beginnings to becoming a highly touted brand. One such company is Pad & Quill whose products I’ve had the pleasure to review for the past six years.

While Pad & Quill have garnered an excellent reputation for their products they have not shed their small business, home grown character. Receiving one of their products always feels special as their products are hand crafted and not mass-produced overseas.

The Contega is one of Pad & Quill’s iPad case lines. For today’s review we were sent the Contega Thin Case for iPad Pro. As opposed to the standard Contega this model focuses on having a svelte profile that uses a unique system for keeping the iPad Pro in place. To find out what that system is, keep reading…..

Unboxing

The Pad & Quill Contega Thin Case for iPad Pro is shipped in a clear plastic bag saving the need for recycling any packaging. One of the tenets of the company is to be environmentally conscious. The Contega Thin case comes sheathed in a thin cardboard wrapper sleeve closed with a Pad & Quill embossed wax seal.

  

  

 

Pulling the wax seal up reveals a Welcome To The Family announcement along with a hashtag for adding your iPad Pro covered case photo to their Instagram feed. In addition we see the satisfaction guarantee, 25-year leather warranty, bookbindery case warranty, and email contact information.

 

 

The Contega Thin Case for iPad Pro comes in three-color choices – Linen Gray, Charcoal or Cranberry. For our review we received the Cranberry version. The Contega Thin case measures 12.5” L x 9.25” W x 0.35” D.

The outside has  

 

 

 

Opening the Contega we find a soft, high grip rubber material on the left with two bumpers. On the right are two strips of the exclusive 3M clean release system along with an inner liner.

 

 

Specifications and Features

 

 

 

Once in position the iPad Pro sits securely within the Contega Thin case. It is really amazing that this adhesive works so well and does not leave any residue on the iPad Pro when removed. In terms of bulk the Contega Thin adds some but shielding a 13” piece of glass should provide some extra mass for protection.

 

 

The Contega Thin uses smart cover technology so opening the cover the iPad Pro wakes it up while closing it does the opposite. An elastic band slides over the front of the case to securely close it. Like other cases that use elastic closures, this is the weakest link in the design. Breaking this strap will prevent the case from closing and it is often impossible to repair.

 

For those using an Apple Pencil, sliding it under the elastic closure with the case closed is a novel way of storing it when not in use. However I would only recommend storing it this way if you are in your home or office as it is easy to foresee the Pencil falling out from time to time. Apple really should have provided some sort of clip on the Apple Pencil but that is another discussion.

 

 

The front cover folds over into what Pad & Quill calls “paperback style” allowing the iPad Pro to be held easily. The rubber grip on the inside cover provides a tacky tactile surface for securely holding the iPad Pro and case.

 

When using the iPad Pro on a desk the Contega Thin has prop feature with multiple positions. Two bumpers are used to provide fixed stopping points for the case to keep up the iPad Pro. I did notice sometime these bumpers allowed the iPad Pro to slide forward especially when touching the screen.

Pad & Quill designed the Contega Thin with the ability to work seamlessly with the Apple Smart Keyboard. I did not have one for testing but the video on the product page shows Brian for Pad & Quill demonstrating that functionality.

 

 

 

On the back the opening for the camera provides plenty if space for the camera to function without issues.

Conclusion

Pad & Quill makes great products and the Contega Thin is no different. Using bookbindery methods the Contega Thin stands out from the myriad of leather and plastic iPad Pro cases on the market. It is elegant, sophisticated yet simple in its appearance. If you love the aesthetic of  

Grading	Scores Out of 10
Overall
Design / Aesthetic
Value / Price
Performance / Usage

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