Trust the Swiss to capitalize on the fact that people need to tote around a bunch of stuff besides cell phones. This delightful Swiss Mobility “Legion” case doesn’t come from Victorinox, who make the famous Swiss Army Knife, but it has the same catch-all, do-all, grab-all reasoning behind it.

The attractive black leather case, which is available here for $24.95, holds a Treo secured by a generous flap with a magnetic button catch. It butterflies open to reveal more pockets, like a wallet. The pockets provide convenient nooks and crannies for credit cards, cash, and a driver’s license. The license, or other picture oriented item, shows through a clear window. I used the windowed space for a long-faded Kodak moment from the mid-1960’s that I restored on Father’s Day.

The amount of stuff I carry around seems to increase with time, and the Legion case brings welcome capacity. I can clip the case to the waistband of my pants and fend forth into the cruel world bearing extra business cards, some cash, wallet-sized snapshots, and other treasures.

Another nice thing about the Legion is that it fits both sizes of Treos, 700p and 680, and my Palm Centro nestles in the pocket cozy as you please. The manufacturer’s claim of “universal” rings true, happily. The fit on my 700p is quite snug, accommodated by ingenious panels of elastic that are decorated with tiny accents of brilliant red. Really, the fit on the 680 is better, however, and my 680 has the advantage of being crimson, so it looks extra fine in the Legion.

Overall, the case’s quality of workmanship is quite good, the choice of materials clever, and the design excellent. Moreover, the 4.2-ounce Legion comes with a lifetime “unconditional” warranty from the manufacturer.

Usability

While the Treo (or Centro, if you like) is in the case, not much of its controls and ports remain accessible. It only takes a second to remove it for duty, but using the phone while it’s encased is out of the question – except perhaps via Bluetooth headset or hands-free device.

With Treos that have antennas, like my 700p and 650’s, I wouldn’t recommend a drop. However, the Treo 680 or Palm Centro might survive pretty well, since the Legion completely surrounds them with padding. You’re on your own to test, and I suggest that you don’t.

Although it entails buying other accessories, the case’s clip system solves a common problem: which clip to use. The Multidapt system, includes a variety of specialized options like bicycle clips and armband mounts. These fit into the close-hugging mounting mechanism on the back of the case. The Swedish maker Krusell also uses the Multidapt system, so their extra clips should work. Search TreoCentral.com for “Spare clip” to find some other options, or check out the Swiss mobility website.

Conclusion

With replaceable clip, great looks, and excellent protection, the Swiss Mobility Legion case for Palm smartphones provides wallet-like pockets for business cards, licenses, credit cards, and cash. At $24.95 it’s a great product with subtly understated style and a beautiful design for a very fair price.

---

Criteria  Rating Design 5 Usability 4 Protection 5 Cost/Benefit 4 Overall (not an average)	Pros Great looks, excellent feel, quality workmanship Extra compartments for the essentials of life Strong magnetic and button flap closures Non-slip pads help secure case to clothing when clipped on belt or over waistband Multidapt system enables a wide choice of clip options for modest additional cost
	Cons Included belt clip is fixed, does not rotate Phone compartment fit is a little tight for Treo 700-series or 650 sized phones.