Your Guide to Nomad's iPhone 16 Cases

| Words by Madeline Myers

If you’re here, you probably just secured a brand new iPhone 16. Now all that’s left to do is find the perfect Nomad case for your device. Let’s walk through your options.

Modern Leather Case

We’ve been making Modern Leather Case for years now and at this point it feels like our bread and butter. It’s lightweight and has a sleek leather look while also guaranteeing reliable drop protection with durable polycarbonate bumpers. The case is finished off with thoughtful design touches—a grooved bumper, tactile aluminum buttons, and dual lanyard attachment points. 

It’s important to note that both of our leather options are naturally and minimally treated and will therefore scratch and mark easily in the first few weeks of use. This is what we love most about our leather—it’s 100% authentic and will patina with time to become exclusively yours. This goes for all our leather options including Modern Leather Folio, Magnetic Leather Back, and Traditional Case.

Key Features

  • Develops a unique patina over time
  • Highly tactile aluminum buttons
  • Precise cutout for bottom ports and Camera Control button
  • 8ft drop protection
  • Dual lanyard attachment points
  • MagSafe & wireless charging compatible

Best use: sophisticated everyday carry

Horween Modern Leather Case in Rustic Brown.

Modern Leather Folio

We like to think of Modern Leather Folio as the older sibling to Modern Leather Case. With 3 card slots and a larger cash slot, Modern Leather Folio effortlessly accommodates cash, cards, receipts, and more. You all loved the removable magnetic clasp on last year’s Folio so much that we decided to carry it over this year’s version of the case. Other than that, it features all the same design elements as Modern Leather Case—genuine leather, a grooved bumper, tactile aluminum buttons, and dual lanyard attachment points.

Key Features

  • Plenty of storage for all your cash and cards
  • Develops a unique patina over time
  • Highly tactile aluminum buttons
  • Precise cutout for Camera Control button
  • 8ft drop protection
  • Dual lanyard attachment points
  • MagSafe & wireless charging compatible

Best use: on-the-go storage

Horween Modern Leather Folio has an all-leather card slot for a seamless leather look.

Magnetic Leather Back

We first introduced Magnetic Leather Back to iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max and you all went crazy for it. Its durable fiberglass frame is covered in a layer of Horween leather, and finished off with a protective polycarbonate camera ring. Does it offer drop protection? No. Does it celebrate your iPhone’s form factor while simultaneously giving it a sleek leather look? It absolutely does. 

Key Features

  • Develops a unique patina over time
  • Innovative magnetic MagSafe and microsuction attachment
  • Raised protective camera ring
  • Exposed Camera Control for easy access
  • MagSafe & wireless charging compatible

Best use: showing off your iPhone

Magnetic Leather Back is just 2.20mm thick. That's just wider than a nickel.

Traditional Case

Traditional Case was our first foray into full-wrap leather and we couldn’t be more excited with how it turned out. Traditional Case gives your iPhone 16 the sophisticated look and feel it deserves. Its slightly raised lip protects your screen from scratches and it has a precise cutout for your iPhone’s Camera Control button. 

Key Features

  • Seamless, full-wrap leather design
  • Tactile aluminum buttons
  • Protective aluminum camera ring
  • Cutout for unhindered Camera Control cutout
  • MagSafe & wireless charging compatible
  • Also available for iPhone 15 Pro

Best Use: bringing top-quality leather to your everyday carry

Traditional Case in Rustic Brown.

Sport Case

We used all your feedback from iPhone 15 Sport Case to give our iPhone 16 Sport Case a fresh new look. We moved away from the high-gloss backplate in favor of a matte finish that feels silky-smooth in hand. Other than that, the case has design details that should feel familiar if you’ve used a Sport Case in past years—a grooved TPU bumper that grips well in hand and tactile aluminum buttons.

Note: this year’s Sport Case doesn’t have lanyard attachment points. If you’re looking for a plastic-based case that supports lanyard use, keep scrolling for Rugged Case. 

Key Features

  • All-new matte backplate
  • Tactile aluminum buttons
  • Precise cutout for Camera Control button
  • 8ft drop protection
  • MagSafe & wireless charging compatible
  • Matching Sport Bands
  • All new Naval Blue & Stone colorways

Best use: sleek everyday carry

Sport Case and Sport Band in Naval.

Rugged Case

We had to round out our iPhone 16 lineup with an ultra-protective option for all you adventure lovers. Enter Rugged Case. Rugged Case protects your iPhone 16 from all angles with a durable polycarbonate frame and fortified corner bumpers. It’s finished off with a smooth PET backplate and grooved side bumpers that feel great in hand. 

Key Features

  • Fortified corner bumpers allow the case to lay flat on any surface
  • Polycarbonate frame with PET backplate
  • Anodized aluminum buttons
  • Precise cutout for Camera Control button
  • 15ft drop protection
  • Dual lanyard attachment points
  • MagSafe & wireless charging compatible

Best use: adventure-proof protection

Rugged Case and Rocky Point in Forest.

Our iPhone 16 case collection builds on over a decade of experience, and this time we honed in on what matters most—style and functionality. We focused on refining design elements to maximize aesthetic and functionality, and introduced some cool new colorways. Plus, we engineered an entirely new case, Traditional Case, to scratch that seamless, full-wrap itch.

There’s something for everyone in our iPhone 16 lineup. If you need help picking one out, we’re just an email away at support@nomadgoods.com.

iPhone 16 Collection

iPhone Accessories

Base One Max - The Ultimate Charging Station for All Your Apple EssentialsBase One Max - The Ultimate Charging Station for All Your Apple Essentials