Review: Golla Horizontal Cases

Golla Cases aren't your typical phone cases. They break away from your traditional black leather case by offering fabric pouch-styled cases with flashy colors to help them stand out. Golla cases, for the most part, have been vertical in design but with the Golla Stunt Pouch and the Golla Tracks Pouch they are venturing into the horizontal case design. They follow the Golla tradition of being unique and I had the opportunity to take both out for a test drive with my HTC Fuze. Follow the break to see what kind of impression these two new cases made.

First Impressions

We've taken a look at Golla cases before with their Parrot Case but up until the release of the Tracks and Stunt, you were limited to vertical pouches. Personally, I like the low profile of a horizontal case and was pleased to see Golla come out with these two cases. I did expect some design differences between these two cases but other than appearance, they are virtually identical. Both are soft cases with a slight degree of padding that are well made with the Tracks being made of olive drab cotton-like fabric and the Stunt being made of black nylon. The Tracks and Stunt were both well made, with no loose stitching present.

The design is simple. There is a large compartment to hold the phone, a smaller zipper pouch to the front of the case and a large flap that covers both. The flap is held in place nicely with a magnet. The case itself attaches to your belt via belt loop as opposed to clip.

Performance

Out of the gate, the biggest issue most will have with either Golla case is the use of a belt loop instead of a clip. If you walk around all day with your case attached to your hip, then this might not be an issue. If you like the freedom to remove your cell phone case on the fly, the belt loop will take some getting used to.

The Golla Track and Stunt are "generic" cases in that they are designed to fit a wide range of Windows Mobile phones ranging from the HTC Fuze to the Touch Diamond to the Pantech Duo to the LG Incite. The HTC Fuze fit snugly in the large compartment but not so tight it was tough to place or remove. The smaller phones such as the Samsung Propel Pro would have a good bit of wiggle room. The smaller zipper pouch is ideal for a house key, credit card, I.D. card or cash.

Both cases rode comfortably on my hip but noticeably bulkier than the traditional case. If you're used to a slimmer case such as the Body Glove Landmark Case the bulk is really noticeable. Again, it was comfortable and accessing either the phone or zipper pouch was easy. I liked how the flap was held down with a magnet as opposed to being unsecured.

Overall Impression

Golla has introduced two really nice horizontal cases with the Golla Stunt Pouch and the Golla Tracks Pouch. With the design being identical, the choice boils down to fabric and appearance. I can see using either pouch on a hike or in a more casual outdoor setting (camping, fishing, etc.). The nylon fabric of the Stunt is a little more water repellent than the cotton fabric of the Tracks to offer a tad more protection from the elements.

Again, the biggest drawback will likely be the belt loop. It definitely holds the case securely to your belt but isn't as convenient as a clip. As with the Golla Parrot, the Tracks and Stunt are standout cases that are functional and provide a degree of protection for your Windows Mobile phone. They may not be your "everyday" case or something that would go well with a business suit. But for casual wear or outdoor activities, either would be ideal.