PSP World

Vaja UMD Carrying Case

Vaja has fast built a reputation around the PSPworld offices for making excellent cases, but we were still a little skeptical when we heard about the UMD Carrying Case. Although we were fairly sure it would be made with the same high-quality leather as the PSPouch case (PSPworld Rating: B) and i-Volution for PSP (PSPworld Rating: A), spending big bucks on a case for your PSP is a little different than dropping change for a case that carries nothing but games.

The UMD Carrying Case arrived in the same nice packaging as the previous two cases we’ve received from Vaja, showing a nice attention to detail despite the case’s lower price (when compared to the other models). The leather on the UMD Carrying Case seems to be the same style of leather as was used on the PSPouch case — which is fine, but current owners of the i-Volution should know that there are slight differences in the feel and finish of the leather. The feel of the UMD case’s leather is slightly aged, but the leather is still cushy and soft. The exterior also features a stripe that contrasts the main color of the case — this color is mirrored on the interior.

The case is kind of shaped like a checkbook — two UMDs are held on each side of the snap enclosure. When closed, the UMDs stack on top of each other, but this really isn’t an issue due to the protective leather surrounding each individual disc. The snap closure of the case is very sturdy, and the case feels solid when carrying UMDs inside.

We haven’t seen a lot of UMD cases since the PSP’s release in March — four to be exact — but they all shared one common thread: they were plastic. All PETA arguments aside, leather cases are normally classier options than their plastic counterparts, so we have to put the Vaja UMD Carrying Case at the head of the UMD case class. It looks great, protects well, and has a sense of class that up to this point is unmatched.