500ct Genuine Leather Chip Case

[unclepat]

Manufacturer: Unknown
Retailer(s): HoldemPokerchips , ElitePokerChips
Average Price: $50.00
Material: leather, wood
Member Review by: unclepat

This case is a step up from the free aluminum cases that come with many chip sets and can be found as an upgrade on a few chip sets that are sold on e-bay

Price

This case is available at holdempokerchips.com for $44.99, and at elitepokerchips.com for 59.99. It is cheaper than most other leather cases which are priced between $70-80, but considerably more expensive then aluminum cases that are usually priced between $10-25. The case is also sold (usually on ebay) as an upgrade from aluminum cases for little or no price increase. This case has been sold for as little as $30 with 500 9g Las Vegas Chips included.

Looks

The leather case has a dark brown leather exterior with brass colored hardware. Many cases of this style, like the one sold at HPC are black which I would probably prefer but brown is not a bad choice either. White stitching runs along both the top and bottom of all four edges. The handle is also dark brown and has little or no padding. Like most cases, there are four rubber feet on the back of the case to allow it to stand up vertically and protect the two hinges holding the top in place. Overall the exterior is looks good and is built to last. Opening the case reveals an interior that is lined in white felt that includes 10 chip slots that hold 50 (9g Las Vegas Pro) chips each and a spot for 2 decks of cards and 5 dice in the middle. 51 chips will easily fit in each of the slots making for a loose fit if you only have 500 chips. The area meant for the dice is much too large and causes the dice to fall out of place constantly. On either side of the interior is a small handle that allows for the chip tray to be removed from the case entirely if needed (see pictures). This is a nice feature that not many 500 piece cases have. On the inside, the top is connected by a single lever on the right hand side of the case that is accompanied by two spacers that push the chip tray to the left to allow the lever to close properly. The lever locks in the open position allowing for easy access to your chips without having to hold the top. Overall the interior looks very nice, with the white felt contrasting with the chips nicely. The only major complaint I have about the interior is that the walls of the tray extend to ¾ of the chip height which makes it hard to take out the first few chips, if the chips fit snuggly into the case. That being said, the case looks excellent, both inside and out and is a great choice if you are looking to purchase a mid-class case.

Security/Originality

This case has a standard locking mechanism on both the latches. The set comes with two keys, but unfortunately like most poker cases the keys are cheap and difficult to use. The latches can also be pried open by hand even if they are locked so they do not serve as much of a security feature but they do add a little insurance that the latches won’t open while carrying. I am not convinced that this case is real leather but I am not an expert in the field. If it is leather than it is of lower quality but nonetheless it looks and feels pretty good overall.

Durability

The case is pretty durable, much more than average aluminum cases. The outer frame of is ½ thick. Although the inside of the tray is not glued together the pieces fit together like a puzzle and when in place they appear seamless. The small handles on either side of the chip tray are strong enough to lift 500 9g Las Vegas Chips and also 500 Nexgens, but they are rather small and only fit a single finger, placing all of the weight of the 500 chips on only two fingers. The interior lever is rather cheap and doesn’t perform perfectly and could cause problems after numerous uses. The two rectangular spacers on the right side (used to hold the chip tray in place) are glued to the outside of the case and have begun to lose their adhesiveness. This can cause a problem if you are removing the tray on a regular basis but can be easily fixed with a little glue. In the long run this case will last longer than other cheaper aluminum models.

Reviewers Comments - Overall Rating

Reviewers Comments: This case is a big improvement from any average aluminum case especially in the area of construction. With my earlier aluminum cases I felt as though they could break at any minute but I have much more confidence in this case. Although there is room for improvement
a) a better locking mechanism
b) improving the construction of the tray
c) a better hinge
this case is reliable and adds some class to your poker set. It can be found (usually on e-bay) as a bonus upgrade for little or no cost and is definitely worth asking about.

Chip Pictures