Best MacBook Pro 16 Sleeve – Woolnut Leather Sleeve Review
I got the Woolnut Leather Sleeve for the MacBook Pro 16 over 3 years ago and this is a long-term review of the sleeve. Made out of full-grain leather from Scandinavia, this has to be one of the best MacBook Pro 16 Sleeves I have used. Sure, it doesn’t come in cheap for $129 but if you carry your MacBook everywhere, it might be worth the money.
I had gotten the sleeve for the MacBook Pro 16 2019 but it fits the newer 16-inch Macbook Pro 16 with M1 and M2 chip without any issue.
I will breakdown this long-term review of the Woolnut Leather Sleeve into different categories listed below:
Design
Made out of Scandinavian leather, the Woolnut leather sleeve is made out of the highest quality leather. Even after using it for 3 years, the sleeve looks good as new. Sure, it has developed some patina but I wouldn’t consider it a bad thing. I like how it has changed color over the years. I can say with confidence that it is made out of high-quality leather and doesn’t have synthetic material amalgamated with the leather.
The design of the Woolnut leather sleeve is minimalistic. Even in 2023, the sleeve is very relevant. Since it has a very minimalistic design, it doesn’t look old or dated.
The Woolnut sleeve has stitching on 3 of the sides and one of the sides is completely open making it easy to slot in the MacBook as well as take it out of the sleeve.
However, for some, it might be a deal-breaker that it doesn’t have a zipper anywhere and there are no additional pockets for storing a few cables or a charger.
Build and Quality
Having used the sleeve for over 3 years, I can confidently say that this is one of the better leather sleeves you can buy for the MacBook Pro 16 at the moment. And for the price it sells for, I didn’t expect any less. On the outside, the sleeve is made out of Scandinavian leather. On the inside, it is made from 100% wool felt. The felt material makes sure that the laptop isn’t scratched. And it works as advertised.
The sides are sewed and the wooden felt is sandwiched in-between the leather.
Features
There’s really nothing to write about here. And this has to be one of the negatives the Woolnut leather sleeve. One thing I really don’t like about the sleeve is the fact that there is no zipper. There were some instances where I wanted to carry the sleeve independently and didn’t want to put it inside a bag. Since there was was no zipper, I didn’t feel very secure carrying it.
I would also have liked if it had a compartment to hold some charging cables or a dongle. If it could fit a charger too, it would have been great.
Customer Support and Shipping
Woolnut ships their sleeves and accessories worldwide- including Canada and the US. I got this when I was back in Nepal and they shipped it there without any issues.
I had to reach out to the customer support once to know the shipping timeline because they had to ship it to Nepal and the response time was good. I got a reply back in 1 business day and there was nothing to complain about.
How does Woolnut customer support handle returns and refunds? I don’t have experience first-hand.
Price and Value
While the Woolnut leather sleeve for the MacBook Pro is great – probably one of the best MacBook Pro 16 sleeve, I can’t say it is the best value. Priced at $129 or £129, it is quite a bit of money for a leather sleeve. But the price is just as high for other premium genuine leather sleeves and cases too. So, it isn’t a surprise here.
If you are looking for a sleeve to protect your MacBook and are in a budget, there are definitely cheaper options. You can find the sleeves for $20 or less if you are trying to go the cheap route.
Buf if you are looking for a quality sleeve that looks and feels good, the Woolnut sleeve is a great option.
Conclusion
Is the Woolnut Leather sleeve the best MacBook Pro 16 Sleeve? If you are looking to get a sleeve to strictly place inside a backpack, I would say it is. However, if you want some features such as a zipper, you might want to consider the Harbour London Leather sleeve. But if you are looking for a quality leather sleeve that adds to the elegant design of your MacBook Pro 16, the Woolnut Leather sleeve is one of the best options for sure.
