TL;DR: Nomad delivers four excellent iPhone 17 Pro Max options: the elegant Traditional Leather Case, the durable Modern Leather Case, the tough-but-gorgeous Rugged Leather Case, and the minimalist Magnetic Leather Back. All premium materials, all great craftsmanship — just pick the vibe that fits your life.

Every time a new iPhone drops, I perform a ridiculous ritual. I unwrap the phone with the kind of reverence normally reserved for ancient relics, admire the design Apple spent billions perfecting… and then immediately cover it with a case. Such is the cycle. We spend half our time obsessing over color finishes and then hide them under layers of leather and plastic. But if we’re going to hide them, we might as well do it in style — and that’s the part where Nomad always wins me over.

For years, their cases have felt like companions rather than accessories. They age, they soften, they develop character. And with the iPhone 17 Pro Max now permanently embedded into my hand like some overgrown cybernetic implant, I’ve been testing Nomad’s latest lineup: the Traditional Leather Case, the Modern Leather Case, the minimalist Magnetic Leather Back, and the newly added Rugged Leather Case — a tank dressed like a gentleman.

Here’s how they stack up after weeks of daily swapping, pocket-dunking, MagSafe snapping, and the occasional accidental drop that definitely wasn’t my fault.

Traditional Leather Case: A Classic Wrapped in Full-Grain Sophistication

Nomad’s Traditional Leather Case feels like stepping into a well-made pair of boots — all full-grain leather, no exposed TPU, nothing breaking the aesthetic. Every surface is wrapped, which gives your phone a warmth and presence the bare iPhone could never replicate. The leather has depth to it; it’s not just smooth but alive, subtly textured in a way that makes the entire case feel intentional.

The anodized aluminum camera ring is one of those tiny architectural elements that elevates the whole piece. It frames the iPhone 17 camera module like it actually belongs there. This case is for people who appreciate little details: the quiet tactile click of metal buttons, the soft microfiber interior, the way full-grain leather gradually forms a story across its surface.

And if you’re the type who obsesses over premium materials, the Horween version turns the dial up by about 30 percent. It’s the leather equivalent of ordering the expensive whiskey because you want to taste the good stuff at least once in your life.

Modern Leather Case: Practical, Polished, and Built for Everyday Use

The Modern Leather Case is Nomad’s sensible-but-still-sexy option. It uses Horween leather on the back but wraps the edges in a flexible TPU bumper that helps with grip and subtle drop protection. Where the Traditional case leans classy, the Modern case leans intentional. It’s designed to slot cleanly into the rhythms of everyday life.

Installing it takes seconds, the buttons click perfectly, and the leather resists scuffs in a way that’s almost suspicious. After weeks of shoving it in pockets, bags, and occasionally the black hole in my car known as the passenger-side footwell, it still looked clean. No weird discolorations. No premature patina blobs.

This is the case you buy when you want leather but also want a little extra durability — the kind that saves your phone during those dramatic 3-foot falls that happen when you’re checking notifications half-asleep.

Rugged Leather Case: A Tank in a Leather Jacket

Now this one is new to the review, and it immediately earned a permanent spot in my rotation: the Rugged Leather Case — and no, not the all-synthetic rugged model, but the leather-wrapped beast with reinforced corners and classic Horween vibes.

At first glance, it looks like the Traditional and Modern cases had a child who went to the gym. The Horween leather gives it that same patina-friendly charm, but underneath, it’s all business: polycarbonate frame, durable TPU bumpers, and corner reinforcements that shrug off impacts up to 15 feet. That’s high enough to survive the average drop, a careless toss, or the occasional where-did-my-phone-go moment when it slides off your car seat mid-turn.

It also has a reinforced camera ring, a glass Camera Control button, and those familiar anodized aluminum buttons that feel better than anything Apple ships stock. The wrist strap anchor is smartly recessed, meaning it’s there when you need it but invisible when you don’t.

This is the leather case for people who want premium aesthetics without babying their phone. Rustic Brown is especially gorgeous — the kind of color that looks like it belongs on travel gear or a vintage leather-bound journal. It’s rugged in the way Indiana Jones is rugged: worn but classy.

Magnetic Leather Back: The Minimalist Rebel

This one is for the people who whisper I don’t really like cases but still fear scratches. The Magnetic Leather Back is essentially a MagSafe-compatible leather plate that hugs only the back of the iPhone, preserving the edges, curves, and thickness. It’s as close as you can get to going caseless without actually committing to chaos.

But — and this is important — you need to use the microsuction adhesive pads. If you don’t, MagSafe chargers will pry it off like it’s nothing. When attached properly, though, it feels surprisingly secure and adds a luxurious texture to the phone without hiding the actual design.

This is the minimalist’s dream and the maximalist’s nightmare, and there’s no in-between.

Final Thoughts

Nomad continues to nail what so many case companies miss: personality. Their cases don’t feel mass-produced — they feel intentional, nuanced, and human. The Traditional Leather Case is warm and classic. The Modern Leather Case is clean and practical. The Rugged Leather Case is protective but premium. And the Magnetic Leather Back is the rebellious minimalist option for the brave.

This year’s iPhone 17 Pro lineup feels more refined and more cohesive than ever. Whether you want softness, structure, durability, or minimalism, there’s something here that fits your lifestyle without sacrificing aesthetics.