With the new 16″ MacBook Pro in the studio, I decided it was time to figure out just who in the hell makes the best sleeve for the thing. It’s a saturated market for sure, but I was able to narrow it down to a handful of the best by relying on reviews and reputation.
Once I had those few in hand, I could sit down and figure the pros and cons of each. Let’s get started:
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The Apple Branded Leather Sleeve
It’s impeccably made by machines and beautifully finished. It’s also damned near $200… and that’s a lot of money for a soulless commodity, isn’t it? I’d say this one is worth considering if you aren’t worried about personality or value, but that there are better options out there for less. I returned mine, but you can get yours here.
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The Mosiso Sleeve
The highest rated sleeve on Amazon for the new 16″ MacBook is this neoprene job that runs only $16. I generally live by the idea that you get what you pay for, but this thing is actually made pretty well for the cost. In fact, I agree with all the Amazon reviews – if you are on a budget and need protection for your new $3000 laptop, look no further.
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The Cargo Works Case
They don’t have a 16″ version yet, but the 15″ actually fits the new 16″ Pro pretty well. I’ve been using this sleeve in one variation or another for the past three years and it is VERY good. In fact, I would call this the best sleeve on the market for travel. It’s too big for every day use (for me), but for travel all of the extra storage spots and pockets and MOLLE comes in really handy. It’s also made as well as you could expect given it only costs $65.
And while this might not be the best sleeve on the market for EDC, I still consider it a must have. Get yours here.
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The Bellroy Sleeve
I typically like Bellroy products, but to be honest – I didn’t see anything too special about this sleeve. It’s marketed for the 15″ MacBook Pro, but like other sleeves on this list, it fit the new 16″ just fine. I just didn’t feel like it was made well enough to justify even the relatively affordable $50 price tag.
I did, however, really like the magnet used to keep the sleeve closed. It’s easy to open one handed and it stayed closed even when gravity was trying it’s damndest to open it.
You can get yours direct.
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The Woolnut Sleeve
I hadn’t ever heard of Woolnut, but Reddit reviews spoke highly of them and I figured it was worth a shot. It was…
The Woolnut sleeve costs about $175, which is not cheap obviously, but in my opinion it’s best value on this list simply because it’s made so well. The leather is gorgeous (I got green), the stitching is perfect, and the wool interior is crazy plush. And did I mention the zipper? Holy hell…
In any case and in my opinion/use case, this is the best MacBook Sleeve on the market. It cost $25 less than the Apple branded sleeve and is better in every conceivable way. Put plainly, this is a no brainer.
Get yours here.
