Craft Cadence Essentials Case

The Craft Cadence Essentials Case works really well – it keeps large phones safe from rain and even condensation, handily organises any other valuables, and stows securely in a jersey pocket. It's a little heavy and bulky, but its effectiveness makes it worthwhile.

At 19 x 10cm, the Essentials Case can handle pretty large phones with ease, yet still stuff into a typical jersey pocket. It's a bit of a squeeze and can poke out the top, but on the up-side that makes it secure. The rough-textured TPU covering of the 600D (read 'thick and tough') polyester creates plenty of friction if you're rattling about off road, too.

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The waterproof fabric, welded seams and water-resistant zip do a great job of keeping rain out, and unlike many such pouches I've tried, they also keep out vapour. I usually end up with a screen damp with condensed sweat whatever the weather (I know – eww), but the Cadence keeps my Strava-running Android perfectly dry.

Dunk it in water and the YKK zip will leak as it's only water resistant, but as it's very easy to open and close (unlike many waterproof zips) and works in all reasonable circumstances short of riding into a river, I'm more than happy to take it.

The case is full of organisational mesh pockets, fabric sleeves, elastic straps, zips and key hooks, which is presumably why it's so heavy – at 103g, it's a good 30-50g heavier than much of the opposition. That bothered me slightly until I used it. The extra heft is not something I can really feel, but the performance is.

The large internal phone pocket is soft-lined for screen friendliness, and though the whole pouch is around 2cm thick normally, you can pack it out to around 2.8cm. I wouldn't personally choose to stow metal tools in there with my phone, but Craft Cadence certainly provides the pockets to do that.

Value

At £34.99 it's mid-market, which is to say it's surprisingly expensive for what it is. The VeloPac Cinelli Italo is roughly the same size, half the weight and £29.99, for instance, while the similar Baggicase Classic Phone Case is an eyebrow-raising £62.90.

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There are decent (if more basic) options at around half the price of the Craft Cadence, such as the unpadded Mudhugger PhoneHugger at £14 – simple, effective and recycled from inner tubes – or the Muc-Off Essentials Case at £15. The latter has no padding either, isn't as well done inside as the Craft Cadence, and is smaller too at 17 x 9cm.

Overall

While the cost of the Craft Cadence feels slightly inflated to me, it's certainly not alone in that – and perhaps, given the price of phones, it's a perfectly reasonable expense. It's certainly very useful, very effective and very solidly built – it's the ideal thing to entrust your all-seeing, all-knowing, all-consuming phone to.

Verdict

Extremely water-resistant, versatile and a well-judged size – a little hefty, but worth it