Belkin's Slim-Fit Case for iPhone is a holster-style case that's quite similar to the Elan Holster case from Griffin Technology that I reviewed here in July. They're both crafted of black leather, priced at $29.99, and come with a low-profile belt clip so you can easily slip the whole affair into a pocket if you wish (or if you're not wearing a belt).

I like both holsters a lot but the Belkin has a couple of features I like better than their Elan counterparts as well as one I don't much care for.

First, it's a little easier to slide the iPhone in and out of the Slim-Fit case than the Elan. With the Slim-Fit case I never missed a call because I couldn't slide the phone out of the case fast enough. The Elan is a tighter fit and I did miss a call or two because I couldn't get the phone out of the case in time. I'm not convniced this (the looser fit) is a good thing but so far it hasn't caused me any trouble and I prefer it slightly over the Elan's tighter fit.

Second, the closed end of the Slim-Fit case is made of some sort of open mesh material (which, unfortunately, can't be seen in the picture below). Since the iPhone's speaker is on the bottom edge, the mesh makes it much easier to hear when the phone rings. The Elan, on the other hand, has a solid leather bottom that muffles the ring tone sound a bit.

To be fair, the Elan Holster has a nice feature not found in the Slim-Fit -- the belt clip is removable and can be configured so you can either carry the phone sideways or upright. The Slim-Fit belt clip is permanently attached in the upright position.

The one feature I don't care for -- the silver strip embedded into the leather on the top of the case -- can be seen in the photo above. I don't like the dorky design or Belkin's name, both of which can be seen better in the close-up below.

Maybe it's me, but I resent having to pay for the privilege of advertising a brand name. While the Elan Holster does have Griffin's name embossed in the leather, that's much more subtle than the Slim-Fit's tacky silver adornment.

The Bottom Line

I like everything about the Belkin Slim-Fit case except for the garish silver strip on its front. Given a choice of this case or the Griffin Elan Holster, I'd have to flip a coin.