DODOcase's leather Surface Pen sleeve provides stylish protection

You love your Surface Pen. And it's likely an important part of your technology toolbox. So your Pen deserves a little TLC, right? San Francisco-based gadget case and accessories maker DODOcase makes a quality leather sleeve for styluses, called the "Leather Apple Pencil Sleeve," that's good looking and effective. But is it worth the $35 asking price? Keeping reading to find out.

What you'll like about DODOcase's Leather Apple Pencil Sleeve

DODOcase's leather stylus sleeve is very well made, and it should last for a long time if you take care of it. I've used a number of different products from the company in the past, and quality is never an issue. It's handmade in California using leather from The Hide House in nearby Napa, California. And though it only comes in one shade, the chestnut color is simple and elegant.

The sleeve is both functional and versatile. It's not specifically made for the Surface Pen, and it's perhaps a bit longer than is ideal. But the Pen itself fits perfectly in the sleeve width-wise and doesn't slide or move around when it's in place. It's also simple to bend back the top of the sleeve and easily remove the Pen without accidentally yanking off the battery cover.

The DODO Surface Pen sleeve can be personalized with gold-foil stamped and embossed initials, which is a nice touch. And that personalization is free. When it's not holding a Surface Pen, the DODOcase sleeve works well as a bookmark or other placeholder. Oh, and the DODOcase leather stylus sleeve smells swell, at least at first — I love that new leather scent.

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What you won't like about DODOcase's Leather Apple Pencil Sleeve

The DODOcase "Leather Apple Pencil Sleeve" is, unfortunately — and somewhat obnoxiously — branded as an Apple Pencil accessory. And it's made to specifically fit Apple's stylus, so it's a tad too long for the Surface Pen vertically, though honestly, this is not a big deal. The company does, however, clearly state that it "works great for regular pens and other styluses," and that's accurate. But I still would have liked to see some love for Surface in the branding.

The sleeve is somewhat pricey at $34.95 (plus shipping) for what is essentially a luxury you really don't need. However, $35, or about a third of the cost of the Surface Pen, really isn't a lot of money, and chances are if you're all-in on Surface, you probably don't mind. For context, though, Waterfield Designs makes a similar leather sleeve that costs $29, and it also has a useful pocket clip that DODOcase's sleeve lacks. (And it's actually branded for Surface Pen, which we appreciate.)

Finally, I can say from experience with other DODOcase products that the gold-foil stamped onto the initials wears off very quickly. The letters are stamped into the leather, so you can still see them without the coloring if you look close. But they're harder to see, and it doesn't look great as that gold foil wears thin. The gold on my sleeve is still holding up, but I've only been using it for a week or so.

You also might want to be careful not to jam other pens or objects that are wider than the Surface Pen in there, because the leather can stretch a bit, and then the sleeve doesn't fit the Pen quite as well.

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Bottom line

If you're looking for a good-looking case or sleeve for your Surface Pen, you'll appreciate the DODOcase Leather Apple Pencil Sleeve, regardless of the fact that's not designed specifically for Microsoft's Pen. It works well and fits the Surface Pen almost as if it's made just for it. And it should last for a long time with proper care — though the gold-foil stamped initials may not. However, it's not really a necessity, and at $35, it's also not exactly cheap.

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