Grabbit iPad Grip Case Review

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed)
Feb 25th 2011 at 2:01PM

When I first learned about this new case/grip for the Apple iPad I was stoked - it seemed to be exactly what the iPad needed to be more more usable in a lot of instances. I don't hide the fact that I think Apple designs pretty piss poor items from an ergonomic standpoint. The iPhone is like a slippery pebble, and holding the iPad with one hand and using it with another causes wrist and hand strain after prolonged use. Basically, the iPad is like a heavy piece of paper, with nothing to really hold on too. They just sort of deferred usability to the world of accessory makers that happily come to the rescue.

Netherlands based Grabbit offers an elegant solution with a case that has a wrist strap and rotates. You basically slide your hand in a comfortable position through the strap to hold the iPad, while your other hand is free to poke at the screen. This manner of holding the iPad greatly reduces wrist and hand fatigue. The strap itself is leather and is adjustable to a few sizes based on your hand. The base where it is connected also rotates so you can spin around the iPad to a good position without having to contort your wrist. While the Grabbit itself is made of a high-quality black plastic, the strap is real leather (coming in brown or black).

The system is really elegant and works nicely. You just snap in your iPad and you are good to go. It is important however to size the strap properly before putting in the iPad. Grabbit also comes with a separate piece to cover the front of the iPad when you are not using it. While the case won't protect from severe shock, it should be enough to prevent scratches.

The Grabbit works as advertised and is as good as I suspected it would be. While the device feels obvious, there are a lot of little details that go into it that make it work smoothly. It also doesn't feel cheap - which is important as plastic qualities can certainly range. I wanted to use it for a bit before writing about it to ensure it didn't start to wear quickly. One thing you should be aware of is that you'll have to keep track of the top part of the case. As the Grabbit essentially is two parts, it is possible to accidentally lose the top because it isn't actually connected to the iPad. Also, because the Grabbit is for holding the iPad, you'll have to remove the iPad from the Grabbit if you want to put it in a stand for viewing it on a desk or table. Other than that the Grabbit is a pretty serious accessory that will provide a more comfortable iPad usage experience for the majority of iPad users both casual, artistic, and professional.

Available online for purchase, the Grabbit is not cheap. Price for it is 49 euros plus shipping. To get one to the US you'll need to spend an additional 17 euros of shipping. That is close to $100 for the Grabbit. Though I anticipate that some larger distributors will pick up the Grabbit and it will be cheaper pretty soon. Over all a great iPad accessory if you want to spend the money on it.

Learn more about the Grabbit for iPad or get one here.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: Grabbit for iPad