Golla , a Finland based design house , has a mission , protect our gadgets and that too in style .  What started as a furniture manufacturer in 1994 is now a Tech Fashion Premium brand , featured in  Cosmopolitan Finland ,  Stuff Russia , Wohn Idee German , Lounge Austria and New Design UK  to name a few .  Golla now has bag for every tech be it netbook or a mobile phone , Digital Camera or a GPS device and even the upcoming iPad , whatever your tech , there is a Golla to add colors and design to it .

I stumbled upon Golla at the last day of Mobile World Congress when I entered hall 8 and stopped in my tracks with a beautiful display with rows and rows of colorful  bags and pouches  for every gadget possible from Netbooks to iPhone /  iPod ,  Mobile Phones to Cameras  and every other gadget I had in my pockets and in my bag .

( not the actual image I was so awestruck that I forgot to take the stall snap , but it will give the idea how it was like)

Golla people were very helpful and Miss  Lothner, the Trade Marketing Director  gave me an overview of what Golla is about and how they are protecting technology without compromising on style .  She graciously gave me a Golla Gavin Pouch for Nokia N900 which I’d been using for the past 15 days and here is what I think about it .

The Looks

Golla is not wrong when they talk about Style and Design, the Golla Gavin sure looks good whether I hook it on my belt while travelling or in casual dressing or inside my coat when I’m in business attire and the Velcro fastened  flap  protects my N900 inside .

The pouch is multipurpose with a large pouch to easily slide in and out the N900 , it also has slots to hold credit cards and a zippered  pocket by the belt loop which I used to keep my passport while travelling and in regular use to hold my money .

Usability

Golla has taken utmost care in keeping the content of the pouches safe .  There is a soft polyester lining inside the pouch where it keeps the N900 safe from scratches , the same material is also used inside the Credit Card slots and back pocket to protect the content .  Although it looks like the design aspect, Golla ingeniously put rubber edging on the credit card slots to keep them soft and smooth and don’t damage the magnetic strip when inserting the card . If that was not enough , the zipper on the back pocket is covered both ways , from the front it slides into the top lining to avoid it protruding our and damage the trousers and inside it’s covered by thick lining for it to be segregated from the content . 

On design side the Golla Gavin   is accented with  rubber printing on the top flap and also the same design in repeated underneath by the Credit Card slots also giving protection to the card’s magnetic strip

On durability , I almost abused the case in the 15 days I had it with me , travelling with it , throwing it in my bag with all the knickknacks with my N900 inside and it protected the phone like a shell .

What happened to the Golla Gavin , well even after all the abuse including twisting the flap from middle countless times , Golla Gavin retained it’s shape . The materials used are strong enough to handle daily use and even the belt loops refuse to tear off when pulled with ordinary strength . My only quip which I also mentioned at the Golla booth at Mobile World Congress is the Velcro , it has started to given out the fiber , although it’s natural for Velcro to do that over a longer period of use and the much abuse I’ve given it , still Golla can work out some other way to hold the flap .

In conclusion , Golla Gavin is meant for Generation mobile , it’s trendy , it’s durable and it’s protective of the things inside . Golla has taken utmost care in it’s design like segregating the zipper from the content to avoid it ripping apart the paper or notes inside but I do have some suggestions for Golla

The Design of the Gavin is great but can the rubber printing be optional or customized ?

I’m saying this because I can use it when in Jeans and T-Shirt , change me into a Suit and the Gavin goes in my pocket , with the design I , part of Gen X , don’t feel comfortable neither do I look a serious business man placing it on the table .  On the other hand , what Golla can do is to provide heat sticking rubber pad with one side removable butter paper  ( if available and possible ) on which creative users can make their own design , cut it out and paste it on their Gavin .

Change the Velcro , can Golla go for a magnetic lock ?

In 15 days the fiber is coming out of my Velcro , and may be in the next 3 months it may be rendered useless , Golla has to look for alternate closing mechanisms to make it workout

I hope Golla find my suggestions helpful  in coming up with the next best thing and I’d like them for giving me an opportunity to review their Gavin case