The Facts
Specifications according to the manufacturer:

- Semi-rigid leather case
- Full grain Argentine leather
- Headphone access
- Screen protector
- Padded
- Easy access to all touch functions
- Syncs & charge through travel cable
- Dimensions: 2 2/8" x 3 6/8" x 7/8" inches
- Price: Starting at US $50, US $60 for custom colors
- Web site: VajaCases.com

Construction and Materials
The Vaja iVod is made of an excellent quality, soft leather. The front of the case has a layer of thin padding and the back panel is not padded. Their is a hole for Click Wheel access and the iPod's display is covered by a piece of clear plastic. The top of the case is open and there is a large cut out on the bottom for dock connector access. The lining is the standard black imprinted Vaja cloth that is used on many of their cases. There is a small metal Vaja logo attached to the lower front corner and a small "vaja" printed on the back in gold lettering.

The lining used by Vaja is a smooth and silky black fabric that lets the iPod slide against it quite easily. It is not particularly soft, and I've read, and experienced myself, issues with this fabric contributing to scratches with regular iPods. The iPod mini is less prone to scratching and I had no problem whatsoever with scratches after weeks of usage and repeated insertions.

All of the cut lines, seams, and assembly are not machine precise, instead, you get the feeling from this case that a person, albeit a highly skilled and caring craftsman, made this case. It has that feeling of old world character and charm. Some people may be upset when their iPod case gets scratched or marred, but with a Vaja case, it adds character to it. Just as an old leather jacket is more comfortable, and better looking, than a new one, a Vaja case gets better with age.

When the iPod is inside the case, the plastic that covers the display does not touch it, and therefore will not scratch the iPod's display. The opening on the bottom for the dock connector is generous, but the outside edges and corners of the iPod are well covered and protected.

Type of Leather and Colors
Vaja sent two cases, one Caterina Black and the other Caterina Rosa. Caterina leather is a soft and flexible type of leather that works well in this application. The black case has a semi-gloss finish to it, and would clean easily with a damp cloth. It looks stylish and understated at the same time.

I am not a fan of the color pink, if fact, I dislike it. But the color that Vaja calls "rosa" is beautiful. It is a pale color, with a subtle tint of purple to it. Additionally, this leather has an almost matte finish to it. It's mysterious and elegant and beautiful. It's not too feminine either, less so than your standard pink color, at least.

The Fit
There is one, and only one, flaw with this case - it simply fits too snugly. Both cases I had featured bumps within the lining on the sides of the case about 3/4th of the way down to the bottom. As the iPod slid down into the case, it would encounter these slight protrusions and the last inch or so of travel would be a very tight fit. It was also a struggle to start to remove the iPod. It took a very firm pressing of the bottom of the iPod to get it started on its way out of the case. Once it was past the protrusions, it was a simple matter of sliding it the rest of the way.

Another note, it took a couple of days for the iVod case to expand and allow my iPod to fit all the way down into it. This was not a problem, but I wanted to mention that the display and Click Wheel holes may not line up perfectly the first time you insert your iPod. Fear not, try it again the next day and it will be much better.

Having said that, the alignment of the iPod within the case, and with the display and Click Wheel cut outs was millimeter perfect. The leather was wrapped and folded expertly around the Click Wheel circle as well.

Usage and iPod Protection
The iVod case strikes a very good balance between style and protection. It is arguably one of the best looking cases for the iPod in my opinion, so it is a wonderful addition that this case is also moderately protective.

The iVod case protects the bottom sides and corners of the iPod very well. The case has a strong, rigid skeleton inside of the leather and this skeleton protects the bottom corners of the iPod well. There is also a thin padding in this section of the case too.

The top of the case is completely open, but the iPod fits below the upper edge of the case, which provides some protection for the top edge and corners of the iPod.

The front face of the case is padded, the back of the case is stiff, with the leather simply wrapped over the skeleton of the case. The clear plastic display protector is of good quality, but it is susceptible to scratches if mistreated.

The iVod is a great, all-around case for the iPod mini. The large access hole in the bottom does its best to accommodate dock cables of different sizes. By its nature, the leather used for the exterior is durable and easy to clean.

Vaja offers an optional standard button and clip with this case. The button is permanently mounted on the back of the case and gives you some options for carrying it or mounting it in a car, etc. The cases provided to me were without this button, which makes them smaller and thinner, but I do feel that the added functionality of the button/clip combination is nice to have.

The Bottom Line
Are you tired of my droning flattery yet? I warned you, at least. Anyway, the Vaja iVod case is great. It's beautiful, well made, versatile, and moderately protective all at the same time. With all of the custom colors available, you could purchase your own unique work of craftsmanship. Speaking of, the price of the iVod (or any Vaja case for that matter) is not cheap, especially with shipping and a custom color choice, but at least you get an excellent quality product in return. The snug fit is an issue that I had trouble with, and it did detract from the case in my opinion. But that is a single criticism on an otherwise exceptionally good product. The iVod is easily one of my favorite cases for the iPod mini and it's highly recommended. 5/5 stars.

The good: Excellent quality materials, excellent quality workmanship, looks beautiful, good iPod protection, versatile, easy to keep clean.
The not so good: iPod fits too snugly inside.

For more information: VajaCases.com