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review

Baggicase Classic Phone Case

5
£62.90

VERDICT:

5
10
Top quality phone case that offers protection and some waterproofing, but the price is sky-high
Great protection
Space for cards and cash and an emergency contact
Hardwearing
Chunky zip puller
Not fully waterproof
More colour options would be nice
The price!
Weight: 
72g

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The made-in-Spain Baggicase is a great option for keeping your pricey phone safe while you ride, with a good level of protection, space for extras and some waterproofing. Its price tag might make you wince, however.

Phones have become ludicrously expensive – take Apple's flagship iPhone 12 Pro, which starts at £999. Worried about taking it out on a ride? You should be. Even if you don't have insurance that covers you for accidental damage, it's probably worth protecting your phone while you ride. So with that in mind, how about a similarly expensive phone case to suit your expensive phone? That's what the Baggicase, erm, case is offering here.

> Buy this online here

The case comes in four different sizes to suit your size of phone, and cleverly you can easily find the one you need by choosing the make and model of your phone on the website when you're ordering – it'll recommend the size that best fits your device. In my case, the size medium was a perfect match for my, ahem, ludicrously expensive iPhone 12 Pro. It even works with the official Apple silicone case on, though it's a tight fit.

The Baggicase comes in black with two contrasting stripes on each opposing corner on both sides, while the luxuriously soft lining is a bright yellow with a synthetic leather pocket for stashing your cash, cards, keys, or whatever that might fit. There's even a small clear plastic pocket for putting your emergency contact details into.

2021 Baggiecase Classic Phone Case - inside.jpg

You can change the colour of the stripe to suit your style, but the main body only comes in black, or there's an all-navy option. Personally, I would have liked to have seen more options to customise the exterior to different tastes. Even plain black, or just something a little more subtle, would be nice.

Back to the interior – the pocket is, for some reason, on the side that faces your phone screen when you drop it inside, which seems like an odd choice given the opposite side has the soft liner. Admittedly, you could just turn your phone around when you pop it inside, but that seems counterintuitive to me.

The outer material is made of tough Cordura, with synthetic leather at the bottom of the case and the same material running either side of the length of the zip. The combination of rugged materials and cushioning means your phone is likely to be well protected here. The case is also easy to clean – just wipe the surface with a damp cloth to remove mud stains or the like.

2021 Baggiecase Classic Phone Case 2.jpg

The zip puller is a chunky YKK camlock, meaning the zip can only be opened when you want it to. I can't imagine the case de-phoning itself, but it's nice to know it's held securely.

As well as being rather sturdy, Baggicase also claims its case is waterproof. Does the case live up to this claim? Under a very light stream of water, the piece of paper towel stuffed into the interior remained dry. However, under a more significant stream of water for a minute, the paper towel was sodden (as was the liner).

So, the level of waterproofing is best described as 'light'. It's probably enough for most rides given that if you encounter heavy rain mid-ride, you're likely to put a waterproof jacket on anyway.

> Emergency essentials: 10 things to take with you on every ride

Baggicase also claims the case is anti-bacterial, so it won't start to get funky after a few rides where sweat can transfer through your clothes into your back pocket. I can confirm the case still smells great after many rides.

Starting at 58g in a size small, going up to 73g for the XL – the size medium model on test came in at 72g, a few grams off the stated 69g – the Baggicase isn't the lightest case we've ever tested, but the quality of materials and level of protection on offer go some way to justify that slightly extra bulk.

2021 Baggiecase Classic Phone Case.jpg

Now, on to the only real issue I have with the Baggicase: its price, which starts at £57.90 for the small version, going up to £66.90 for the extra large. No bones about it, the Baggicase is expensive. Not that it fully justifies the pricing, but it's worth remembering that each case is handmade in Spain.

If you're feeling flush, for an extra £4.90 Baggicase offers the option to add a flag of the country of your own choosing as well as your name. If you want to go even further, there's a full custom option, but you need to order a minimum of 40 cases. A nice option perhaps if you run a cycling club and want to offer cases in your club design.

We've reviewed plenty of decent cases on road.cc for a fraction of the price of the Baggicase. The Muc-Off Essentials Case, for instance, offers pretty much everything you might need from a phone case for cycling, other than a lack of waterproofing (not that the Baggicase is totally waterproof, of course), and at £15 is much more reasonable.

The Chrome Large Phone Pouch looks similarly tough to the Baggicase, though again doesn't seem to be all that waterproof, and it only fits a certain size of phone.

While I don't believe the price to be justified, there are some good reasons to consider the Baggicase over the (much) cheaper options: you can choose the size to suit your phone, it offers a good deal of protection, and there's a decent enough level of waterproofing. It's very well made, too, so shouldn't ever need replacing... until your phone gets bigger.

Verdict

Top quality phone case that offers protection and some waterproofing, but the price is sky-high

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Baggicase Classic Phone Case

Size tested: M

Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Baggicase says, "Baggicase is the best case for carrying your smartphone, money and cards on and off the bike. Waterproof, lightweight, secure, compact and very functional. Fed up of riding around with your phone stuffed in a plastic bag? If you are fed up of going out on your bike with your smartphone, cards and money in plastic bags, freezer bags or sandwich bags then look no further. Let us introduce you to Baggicase!

We set out with the goal of creating a unique, distinctive product, based on a very careful design and paying real attention to detail. The results are the stunning case before you! Entirely Made in Spain with a design evoking the glory days of cycling paired with the most innovative materials. Baggicase is truly unique. Baggicase: The waterproof case for cyclists' smartphones and belongings."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Baggicase lists:

WATERPROOF

Whether it rains, whether you sweat or whether liquid falls on it, your essentials and your Baggicase will be intact, always safe.

ANTIBACTERIAL

With its antibacterial fabric this case won't become smelly, no matter how much you sweat while carrying it in the back pocket of your jersey.

LIGHTWEIGHT

Size S weighs 58 grams, M 69 grams and XL 73 grams. Three sizes, the same feeling of lightness.

RESISTANT

Baggicase, the mobile case for all your rides, will be your roadmate for many years.

CAMLOCK

The zipper of your waterproof case will never accidentally open thanks to camlock technology.

HANDMADE

All Baggicase cases are carefully handmade in Spain by skilled craftspeople. All of them.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10

Great protection and some waterproofing, but not fully waterproof.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

Very hardwearing exterior and it uses a high quality YKK zip.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
6/10

Not the lightest, but not too bad given the level of protection on offer.

Rate the product for value:
 
2/10

 A capable case for protecting your expensive asset, but it's seriously expensive.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

It did everything expected of it – it fitted the phone it was designed to perfectly, offering space for extras like cash and cards, with a high level of protection.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Tough on the outside, soft and snug on the inside.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Other than the obvious elephant in the room, I wasn't so keen on the inside pouch being located on the side that faces your phone screen.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

It's more expensive than any phone case we've reviewed on road.cc – we thought the Zilfer was expensive at £52. For about a quarter of the price you can go for the similarly performing (and arguably nicer looking) Muc-Off case at £15, or there's the Chrome Large Phone pouch which offers a similar level of protection to the Baggicase. Neither of these phone cases come in a size to perfectly fit your phone, though.

Baggicase tells us that each product is handmade by skilled, local craftspersons in decent working conditions, earning a living wage, unlike some cheaper products that are mass-produced in the Far East in inferior working and environment conditions.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? No

Would you recommend the product to a friend? No

Use this box to explain your overall score

The Baggicase is a great option for keeping your phone protected while you ride, but it's hard to justify at this price tag when there are much cheaper options available. If you can afford it, go for it, but otherwise it's hard to recommend.

Overall rating: 5/10

About the tester

Age: 39  Height: 6'4  Weight: 175lbs

I usually ride: Steel audax bike  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, club rides, sportives,

Add new comment

10 comments

Avatar
Truffl3Shuffl3 | 3 years ago
1 like

The irony of all this moaning is that it's keeping the visibility of the product right up there on the site. Honestly, you lot. Like the old oft used phrase goes, if you don't like it then don't buy it (or for that matter, moan about how expensive and/or crap it is).

If it's such a pointless product then nobody will buy it and the company will go down the toilet. Or... you lot are wrong and there are lots of people out there that are looking for exactly this thing.

Avatar
Chris Hayes | 3 years ago
0 likes

I wonder if Road.cc self-polices the products it reviews and ever just says 'No. We're not reviewing that. It's not for our readership' because I would have thought this fell squarely into that category.

Maybe I've misjudged the readership, but you guys farm our data; what we click on; which products we follow the links to buy; and I'm sure I've completed the odd survery or two to tell you more about my kit and riding. 

Perhaps it's commercially sensitive, but could you give us a high level view on the readership, at least in the subscriber's newsletter?  

Avatar
mdavidford replied to Chris Hayes | 3 years ago
2 likes

Do you mean that this whole class of product wouldn't be of interest, or that this particular item wouldn't be, due to the quality/value? If the latter, isn't that as much value in telling people when something's not worth their money, so that they can avoid it, as there is in telling them when it's good, so that they can consider it?

Either way, I suspect your impression of the readership may be somewhat skewed by the comment-dwellers - that there'll be a lot more casual riders landing on the reviews, but they just never venture below the line.

Avatar
David9694 replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 3 years ago
0 likes

Don't forget that the price includes all the Brexit import paperwork. It would be more like £15.99 otherwise (that's €16). 

P.S. I just put my 'phone in a pocket. Am I doing it wrong?

Avatar
HLaB replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 3 years ago
0 likes

I've got a Rapha one similar and I'd give it a 2 out of 10 for value and it was half the price 😯

Avatar
Rendel Harris | 3 years ago
1 like

"Fed up of riding around with your phone stuffed in a plastic bag? If you are fed up of going out on your bike with your smartphone, cards and money in plastic bags, freezer bags or sandwich bags"

A) No

B) Even if I was I'd sooner set fire to thirteen fivers than waste them on this nonsense

C) Fed up with, not fed up of

Avatar
Chris Hayes | 3 years ago
2 likes

Quad-lock and rain cover.  Pretty much bombproof, stored on your handlebars, not your pockets, you can see your phone, and it doesn't look shite.... unlike this specimen.  Did you really ride around with this to test it? 

Avatar
Yorky-M | 3 years ago
0 likes

Sure you can buy a ladies purse for £500. Top marks that it is only £66

Avatar
fwhite181 | 3 years ago
2 likes

£60 and it's not even waterproof?! Sandwich bag + £100 phone for me ta! 

Avatar
Sriracha replied to fwhite181 | 3 years ago
1 like
fwhite181 wrote:

£60 and it's not even waterproof?! Sandwich bag + £100 phone for me ta! 

That's what gets me. All these cycle bags of whatever description, and the deluxe version boasts an "included" rain cover (if you're lucky - but not here), like you're supposed to be impressed. Just make the sodding thing intrinsically waterproof from the get go!

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