# Do you have a Oberon cover that you regret buying? Help me choose!



## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

I didn't buy a cover for my K1 because the one that came with it was perfectly fine for my use. I used the elastic to hold it in, and a hair scrunchie thingie to wrap around it to keep it closed, and that was that.

Since I'm passing it down to my children and ordered a K2, now I need a cover and decided to splurge on an Oberon. The problem is that the more I look, the more I can't decide which one I want! If you guys don't mind, I'll tell you what I like, and you help me decide. And if you can tell me ones that you've bought but ended up not liking (and why), it might help me choose the one that I'd like. (I hope this makes sense!)

I think I'd like a green, wine, or saddle color best, and I like the covers with the "borders" more than design covering the whole cover. However, I'm drawn to the forest design, as well as the Maple Creek design. I also like the Ave. of Trees design, but I don't think I'll like the colors (worried that the fern will be too light of a green... I usually prefer more of a forest green).

Okay, I know the fate of the world doesn't rest on what cover I choose, but I'm a Oberon virgin, so be kind and help me out before my dear husband (and he *is* pretty dear, actually) refuses to speak to me again. You'll be helping him out, too! 

Any helpful souls?


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## kevin63 (Feb 10, 2009)

In the Kindle covers I have the Wave in Navy and the Forest in Green.  I like them both equally.  I have a purple "greenman" journal that can be used as a cover also.  It is my favorite design, but it's not available as a Kindle cover.  The next one I get will be in Taupe, just not sure which design yet, it could be the avenue of trees or the world tree.  I doubt that I'd get the taupe wave since I have it in navy.  Although I have been know to have several of the same thing in different colors, so who knows what I'll do.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

In my opinion, the fern is more of a pea soup green. The green is more of a rich hunter green. My daughter has the Green Forest and it's gorgeous. Personally, I want a green Creekbed Maple. If I ever get tired of my purple Roof of Heaven, I may order it. I also have a red River Garden, but don't use it. Nothing wrong with it, it's gorgeous too, but it's a bit stiffer (just not broken in yet) and my skin matches my purple perfectly. I also had a purple butterfly for my K1 and loved it. If the shade of purple hadn't changed, I would order another one in a heartbeat. I prefer the original, deeper purple over the more grape purple they have now. 

I love the feel of the design in my hands. The texture of the wrap around cover is soothing (that might sound strange)

I will tell you that if you DO buy one and aren't happy with it, you'll easily be able to sell it here.


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## kjn33 (Dec 8, 2008)

I have the forest in fern & I love it. To me, it doesn't look pea soup-ish, bit I don't have the *green* to compare it to, so it may to other people........like Luv said, if you don't like it, you can sell it & get a different one. 
Good luck-let us know what you decide!
kjn


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

My daughter has Avenue of Trees in fern, and it's beautiful. I bought World Tree in green (which is a lovely deep blue-green), and it's gorgeous. (I was afraid I'd not like my green as well as my daughter's, but I have no regrets whatsoever about buying it. I can't imagine growing tired of it.)


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## Neo (Mar 30, 2009)

OK, I'm not sure how helpful this is going to be, but for what it's worth... I have the fern forest and the color is much darker than I expected is to be. I really love it, and while I agree that it has something of the green split pea soup color, it is still darker and has a tone of olive to it - a truly deep gorgeous color, but not as "flashy" as green split pea soup.

Sadly I don't own a digital camera (yes, still operating with film, love the thrill of going to pick up my developed pix and discover which ones came out nicely - but right now, not helpful I realize   !), but there is a very good and true pic of a fern forest cover in the "Post Oberon Pictures Here!!! Help others choose which Oberon is prettiest!" thread (that's what closed the deal for me, and no regrets whatsoever). Actually, you should probably check out that thread anyway: the pix are amazing and really true to reality (much more so than on the Oberon site): there are some amazing photographers on these boards!!!!!

As for the in-hand feel, it seems that sometimes the wrap around designs are a bit stiffer in the beginning but soften up pretty fast. Mine was butter soft from day 1 and has always completely folded back. So it seems to depend.

Good luck and have fun choosing your new cover  ! And let us know which one you choose, and don't forget to post some pix when you get it please, we ALL love pix  !!!!!!!


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## reemixx (May 12, 2009)

I really prefer the lighter colours such as saddle, taupe and fern - just because you can see the dark tooling much better which gives the patterns a bit more depth to my eye. I also prefer the wrap-around designs such as the Tree of Life and Roof of Heaven. They're really quite stunning. The non-wrap-arounds seem quite a bit more conservative, which may be your preference.

I don't think you can go wrong with any of them, to be honest. They're all fantastic.


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## egh34 (Jan 11, 2009)

I am not a fan of Oberon. It is ok, but I think I was totally mislead, unintentionally. (Buyer beware). I have the purple ROH, and although the workmanship is beautful, I think it is overall too heavy and bulky, and I don't like the wool on the inside, even though I didn't think I would mind. But everyone is entitled to their opinion, I was just surprised there were so many who liked them. And I mean no offense.

At first I thought I wanted a design that went on both sides of the cover (front and back). But since I have had it I am thinking I should have chosen the dragonfly pond (design on front only), maybe it would be less stiff. Anyway, I am selling my Oberon and now trying to figure out which cover I do want that would suit my very picky tastes. The amazon cover is good, but boring. So now I am thinking about a M-edge.

I hope this helps, and doesn't offend anyone, I was just trying to give my opinion.


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## Kindgirl (Jan 31, 2009)

I had a navy blue wave cover, and while I was pleased with the workmanship and quality, it was too heavy and thick for my taste as well.  I sold it here on the boards this weekend and bought a Noreve I'm thrilled with.


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## MonaSW (Nov 16, 2008)

Hi Egh34! Not every cover is for everyone. That's why there are so many different covers available from so many different vendors.


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## Guest (Jun 2, 2009)

I have a purple Roof of Heaven and if I ever get tired of it or get a K2 I will get a Forest in Green. Love both designs so much!! I don't find them heavy or bulky at all-it slips easily into my purse, and it's not the least bit stiff-it bends back beautifully.


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## Cherie (Feb 3, 2009)

No regrets here. I have a Celtic hounds in wine and it is such a pleasure every time I pick it up. The color is rich and gorgeous, the pattern shows up well (it's not as detailed as some of the "picture" ones), and the overall feel is a treat. It is heavy, though, and I can understand how that could be unpleasant or distracting. My auxiliary K1 ;-) is in a Medge cover and whenever I go from reading that one back to the one in the Oberon, the extra weight is very noticeable.

I like the Medge a lot--actually, its straps for holding the Kindle are much better designed than the Oberon ones--but it just doesn't have the lush feel of the Oberon. 

If you think the weight would bother you, it might be better to get a Medge or some other brand. If the weight isn't an issue and you love the designs and like the feel of a handcrafted leather book in your hands, Oberon would be the way to go.


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## jazzi (May 4, 2009)

yeah, I hate it when I pay $75 for a cover and it's high quality and made of thick leather that will probably last a lifetime.  Pisses me off when that happens.


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## koolmnbv (Mar 25, 2009)

I have a purple Roh that I love (but its the wrap design) and my sister has the Purple fairy, very pretty also.

My mom has a Wine Three Graces and its BEAUTIFUL!! I love hers because I had seen ours with the purple for so long I fell in love with the wine! 

I Also LOVE LOVE LOVE World Tree In Green. When I bought mine I had to do eeny-meeny-miney-moe to choose between green World Tree and the Purple RoH. If I ever lose,destroy,get rid of my purple RoH I will more than likely get the Green world tree. Oh and I personally like the Green alot better than the fern , just a richer color to me. 

Thats just my $0.2...hope it helps


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## Sailor (Nov 1, 2008)

jazzi said:


> yeah, I hate it when I pay $75 for a cover and it's high quality and made of thick leather that will probably last a lifetime. Pisses me off when that happens.


 +1 Yep, what he said.


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

Since you're getting the K2 you also have the option (if you don't mind spending a bit more) to buy the $30 Amazon hinge cover and then get an Oberon 6x9 Classic Journal to slip it into.  I absolutely love the clip design and didn't want to velcro or strap my Kindle into a cover, so when I saw someone else on the board had converted one like this I ordered one to give it a go.  The nice thing is the Amazon cover slips right into the journal pockets and you can still fold it back to read.  That way the Kindle still "floats" in the cover without straps or velcro which was my biggest worry, and the hooks are very sturdy.  The leather is stiff when you get it so it takes some bending at the "binding" to get it flexible enough, but I imagine the same is true even with their Kindle versions.

The biggest advantage, however, is that that 6x9 Journals come in A LOT more designs and colors.  I got the Roof of Heaven in the gorgeous deep hunter green while the Kindle version is only available in purple and saddle.  So if you're in love with a design but iffy on your color choices, check out the journals.  I think the journals are also slightly larger, so there's a nice half an inch or so of thick leather between the edge of it and my Kindle that provides a lot of protection from drops.  The journals are closed with leather cord that you wrap around the closure, but if you prefer an elastic loop you can easily replace it.  All in all I'm really happy with this setup for mine and it allowed me a lot more options.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

Choosing a cover is a very personal thing.  So it's good that there are so many choices out there.  You've already heard from some of the folks why they didn't care for Oberon and they bring up some good points.  If there are any Kindle/Oberon owners in your neck of the woods, you might be able to meet someone and actually take a look at the cover.  That may help you make up your mind for sure.
I have a saddle Creekbed Maple with corners for my KK.  It is absolutely gorgeous and I love it.  However, I do tend to slip the Kindle out of the cover when I read for long periods of time.  I also take it out if I am reading at the table 
I can't decide what cover to get for my K2 so its temporary home is just a zippered case that fits in a pocket in my purse.  I will probably get another Oberon; I'm just waiting until I am certain about the pattern/color that I want.


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## dhajra (Jun 2, 2009)

I have an Oberon Raven cover in the saddle color (I think it's saddle -- it's light brown).  I certainly don't regret buying it at all -- it's beautiful and the workmanship is great.  I plan to buy another Oberon cover at some point.  I'm always suprised when people complain about the Oberon covers being heavy or stiff.  Mine was never what I'd call stiff, even in the beginning.  I tend to read with the cover open as if the Kindle were a book; the weight and feel of the Oberon gives me that book-y feeling!


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

I agree with those of you who are commenting on the way the Oberon gives the Kindle a "book-y" feel.  I love leather-bound books, and the Oberon, with its texture, weight, and very light leather smell (which I have to make an effort to detect), makes my Kindle nearly perfect in its attempt to merge the best of both worlds.


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

dhajra said:


> I'm always suprised when people complain about the Oberon covers being heavy or stiff.


And I always assume that people who don't get the weight issue read nothing but massive hardcovers pre-Kindle. 

Seriously--I just went & weighed three paperbacks of the type I read voraciously pre-K, plus a hardcover.

Agatha Christie (small PB)--3.7 ounces.
Average sized paperback--6.5 ounces.
Hefty paperback (think Jean Auel)--12.8 ounces.

PG Wodehouse hardcover (average sized)--17.6 ounces.

Oberon + Kindle--20.5 ounces.

Oh, and if you do the journal-Amazon cover, you can add another 6 ounces to that total.

The Oberon _by itself_ weighs nearly half again as much as an average paperback, and together with the Kindle weighs as much or more than an average hardback book. For those of us with hand or wrist difficulties, that negates a major point of switching to a Kindle. And even for those who are perfectly healthy, if you read mostly paperbacks, the weight may surprise you. If someone had laid these types of numbers out before I bought, I probably would have gone with a much lighter cover. As it stands, I read with the Kindle out of the cover all day long. The only time I read with the cover on now is when I need to use the cover to hold my booklight, and at that point I only read it with a Peeramid pillow to support the additional weight.

Having said that: Assuming you're OK with the weight, and you like the unique nature of Oberon versus the other cover types on the market, there's no reason not to get one.

I do own a Dragonfly Fern Oberon with corners which has been my primary cover since the K2 came home. It's beautiful--there's no equivalent out there for looks. I haven't had any stiffness issues with the leather, it's very secure, it's well made, and the protection level is outstanding. Colors & styles are strictly personal preference, you need to go with what draws you in the most, and if for some reason you end up with the wrong one, they tend to resell pretty quickly either here or on ebay.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

VictoriaP said:


> For those of us with hand or wrist difficulties, that negates a major point of switching to a Kindle.


I have arthritis in my hands and fingers, but don't really notice the weight of the Kindle 2 + Oberon when I'm reading. I guess I usually prop my Kindle + cover up on my lap on an afghan or whatever is handy. If I had to hold the combination without resting it on something, I'd probably be complaining about the weight. I have been a reader of both paperback and hardcover books, preferring hardcover. Maybe that's another reason that I haven't even given a second thought to the Kindle + cover's weight.


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

That's actually a question we usually forget when we get into these discussions about the "perfect" cover--HOW do you prefer to read?  

There's a fair number of implications involved in that that I admit I didn't consider when I bought my first cover:
Do you read with your Kindle held in one hand only?  both?  laying on your lap?  book style, or with the cover wrapped back?

Almost might be an interesting poll.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

I want to thank everyone for their comments - you've really helped me think through my options, and pointed me to other good threads (pics, other Oberon threads) to help me finalize my decision.

After all of this deep contemplation, my practical side took over and I decided to get an M-Edge Prodigy instead of the Oberon. The Oberon's are beautiful, but I think the M-Edge will work better for me in the long run (especially when they come out with the light that fits inside the jacket - I've already left one Mighty Bright in a hotel room!).

I know, I know... being practical isn't very sexy.  But I *am* sexy in other ways (according to my very wonderful husband - which may be why we have so many kids  ), and I did order a *red* M-Edge, so that has to count for something!

Thanks to all of you for helping me with this decision, as well as my K2 vs DX, and Sony 505 vs K2 debates. You're great!


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## jazzi (May 4, 2009)

VictoriaP said:


> Do you read with your Kindle held in one hand only? both? laying on your lap? book style, or with the cover wrapped back?


Yes.


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## MonaSW (Nov 16, 2008)

I read with the cover folded back in one hand. Sometimes I want to fondle the leather though, and read with the Oberon Design's cover open.  So I'm a little silly.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Mona, I do the same thing. There's just something wonderful about the feel of the leather cover, as well as the tooled design.


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## ricky (Dec 24, 2008)

I have a red MEdge and it goes with all my skins.  I love it.  And you are not the only silly ones, during the first week after Tyrella arrived, I slept with her under my pillow a few times.


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## Bren S. (May 10, 2009)

jazzi said:


> yeah, I hate it when I pay $75 for a cover and it's high quality and made of thick leather that will probably last a lifetime. Pisses me off when that happens.


lol


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## EllenR (Mar 31, 2009)

I have the purple butterfly, which wraps around, and love it. I love the color and the feel of it.  I also have the purple Roof of Heaven that does seem a little thicker due to the design. It's also darker due to the amount of black in the relief of the design. I don't like it as much as the Butterfly but it's for my daughter when I upgrade my K2 eventually so she chose it.

I do read with mine folded in half but I stick my fingers into the fold and rub the leather too. LOL

EllenR


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