The Elan Holster case from Griffin Technology is pretty much what its name implies: an iPhone holster with élan.

What's élan? According to the Mac OS X Dictionary:

élan
noun
energy, style, and enthusiasm : a rousing march, played with great élan.

ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from French élan, from élancer ‘to dart,’ from é- ‘out’ + lancer ‘to throw.’

I'm not sure about energy or enthusiasm, but I definitely think it's got style. Here's what it looks like from the side, front, and back:

The leather-covered clip is removable, so you can attach it vertically (as shown), horizontally (insert it in the slot on the right instead of the slot on the top as shown), or remove it altogether (although that kind of defeats the purpose of a holster).

The only other thing of note is that it includes a static peel screen protector you can use if you like, and a "premium cleaning cloth," in case you lose the one that came with your iPhone.

I've been using this case for a few days and I'm still not sure I'm a holster kind of guy. Your iPhone fits snugly inside it which is both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because there's little chance of it falling out accidentally. But it also means that removing the phone quickly is sometimes a challenge. I didn't miss any calls because of it but there were a couple of times it was close. Still, if you prefer this type of case and don't mind having to remove the phone each time you use it, the Elan Holster provides good protection, craftsmanship, and looks.

By the way, someone commented that an iPhone may get hotter when you use it in a case than when you use it without. I haven't found that to be a problem with the Case-Mate Signature Leather Case I reviewed last week, but if heat during use concerns you, this case may be a better choice, since it's a holster and you have to remove the phone to use it.

One last thing: While researching the whole heat/case issue I came across this warning on the Apple site:

Charging your iPhone while in certain carrying cases may generate excess heat, which can affect battery capacity. If you notice that your iPhone gets hot when you charge it, take it out of its case first.

From: Apple - Batteries - iPhone
http://www.apple.com/batteries/iphone.html

So regardless of which case you choose you should probably remove it from that case before your recharge it.

The Bottom Line

The Elan Holster from Griffin Technology is a stylish, well-made case for anyone who prefers a "remove-it-to-use-it" holster-style case.