Since the iPhone 17 Pro launched, one complaint has refused to die down, and that's about the paint chipping around the camera plateau. It's been my biggest anxiety with the phone, and yet almost every case I've tried leaves that entire island exposed through a giant cutout.
ESR's Tropical Paradise case is one of the very few that covers the camera plateau completely, and honestly, that alone earned it a spot on my phone. Everything else it gets right is a bonus.
A design that pops, and protection where it matters
And it gets a lot right. The blue floral print is genuinely pretty in person — punchier than ESR's renders suggest — and the tropical motifs on the back have a subtle 3D lift to them.
They feel almost like stickers under your finger, though they're printed and embossed, not stuck on. After weeks of use, I haven't spotted any fading or scratching either. My only lingering worry is that the light blue base might pick up grime over time, but so far, it's held up clean.
The kickstand earns its place
I tested both variants: the standard Classic Hybrid and the one with ESR's Stash Stand, a fold-out kickstand built around the camera bar. The stand's hinge is sturdy and adequately stiff — firm enough to hold angles reliably without being annoying to open.
It works best in landscape, which is exactly where I used it most: propping the phone up for movies and shows instead of holding it for two hours. Impressively, the stand adds no noticeable bulk. The metal feels light but solid despite the slim profile.
Two wallets, one very strong grip
ESR also sent two magnetic wallets, and the attachment strength on both is seriously strong — no shifting, no accidental slides. The Classic Magnetic Wallet holds around four cards, while the flip-style Aura Clutch opens like a proper wallet, secured by a small button hook, and swallows three to four cards plus cash, IDs, and even coins.
Both ship with an RFID interference blocker card pre-included, something most brands either skip or charge extra for. You obviously can't wirelessly charge with a wallet attached, but for stepping out, they're perfect.
A smaller touch I loved: the covering over the Camera Control button has a glass-like finish and reliably registers both soft and hard presses — a detail plenty of cases fumble.
Pricing and verdict
The standalone case costs $22.99, which makes it an easy recommendation on its own. The bundles climb higher — the case with the Aura Clutch runs about $52 — but even that holds up well against the competition.
Native Union's Active case, WIRED's top pick for the iPhone 17 Pro, costs $50 for the case alone, with its wallet stand sold separately for another $40.
ESR handing you a case and a proper wallet for the same money feels like the better deal. If you own an iPhone 17 Pro and its chipping paint keeps you up at night, this is the rare case that actually does something about it — and looks lovely doing so.