The iPhone 4 was introduced alongside Apple’s first official phone case: the bumper case. Rather than wrap their phones in a plastic coffin, Apple saw fit to design a case that would provide drop protection around the edges without spoiling the device’s visual asesthetic. The demand for these cases was such that they were hard to get after the device launched (although Antennagate found them giving them away to any aggrieved party who asked for one).

I was able to score one early after the 4’s launch because I knew someone who worked at an Apple retail score. That case provided effective coverage until the rubber gap that allowed the bumper to stretch to fit the phone started to lose its elasticity, and the case no longer fit snugly.

Apple never made another bumper case. Starting with the 6 Plus, I have wrapped my phones with Apple’s own leather cases. Despite my affection for these leather cases, I’ve always fondly remembered the bumper case.

My newest phone, the green 11 Pro Max, has a back worth looking at. The red leather case I bought when I got the phone provided a peek at the green color between the lenses, but otherwise you have to pry the case off to enjoy the frosted glass and sage green backing. Every other phone I’ve had has been black or space gray: they looked good, but it was all shades of gray. The green on the Pro Max, on the other hand, is really nice on the eyes.

My son asked for a bumper case that we saw on amazon for his XR, and I’ve admired the minimal wrap every time I’ve seen it. So here’s my 11 Pro Max, with a matching green bumper case.

In the bumper, the device feels minimal and sleek, without feeling dangerously naked. It weights 10 grams less than the leather case, so the phone drops from 250 to 240 grams in the bumper. On the other hand, there are edges where the Apple case was smooth and rounded. So while the phone feels smaller, it doesn’t feel better. It looks great, though.

There is somethig to be said for Apple’s leather cases: ‘Busage. They look fine out of the package, but they age well. I’ve never once retrired an apple leather case without a note of regret, because it was this thing that traveled a journey with me, and bore the scars to prove it.