Accessories DecalGirl

So I revisited the DecalGirl site, and I really like the composition book. What is it with you people and your tempting peer-pressure?

I just order the B&W Fleur. It was between that and the Library. Sarah, I didn't care for the white front on Composition Book, but liked the back. I already have Before The Storm on by k3 or that would have been in the mix.

DecalGirl is a great company. My first order was delivered but 'walked' before I got it; they sent a replacement and gave me a discount code for my next order.

What is a variety pack, JL6161?

Variety pack -- I meant that I had ordered a few different EE and PE skins so that I could decide what I liked best after they arrived and have a couple of back-ups on hand for later use. As a skin-newbie, I also thought it was wise to have extras in case I screwed up the application process, which turned out to be smooth sailing.

I see. I thought it might be some kind of bundle they offered. Someone mentioned somewhere they would do a custom cut, but I couldn't find anything about this on their website. I was kind of interested in a couple of designs unavailable for the PE, but realistically I hardly notice my other skins once they're on the device.

Yeah, it took me several days to screw-up courage for the first application, but as you say "smooth sailing".

DecalGirl will cut you a PE or EE skin (or one for any other gadget on earth) in any of the designs they stock, way more than the 40ish popular pre-cut ones they list in the EE+PE section. On the main menu, click More Ways to Shop at the right, and choose Shop by Design.

So I have finally received and applied both my DecalGirl and Gelaskin PE skins, and here's a quick comparison:

- Quality: The materials are slightly different, Gelaskin seems to be using a thicker, slightly textured material, more geared towards outdoor use and probably tougher. I don't particularly like glossy, but with that bit of texture it actually works well for me. DecalGirl's material is not flimsy by any means, but doesn't seem quite as tough. On the other hand, they offer both a glossy and a matte option (at extra charge). On the inside, reader side, I like to have a non-distracting material (*), so I tend to choose matte, dark-colored, mostly uniform lightly textured skins, like Carbon or Blue Jeans. Plain black tends to look a bit chintzy, esp. for the price since you pay for the imprint anyway.

- Designs: Both offers a variety of skins presets for the PE, and while DecalGirl apparently offers a way to have them use some of their other designs and request them to be cut to fit the PE, Gelaskins is much better: You have a -very- nice online editor that doesn't just allow you to use any of their existing designs, but you can even pick 2 different ones for the front and back and define the print area for each one. Even better, you can just upload your image(s) and do a completely custom job, with separate front & back if you want to.

- Application: The biggest problem, after having applied a few myself, seems to be stretch: it's good when you need to extend it a bit, but once it's stretched (which happens easily when you have to peel off a decal again to reposition it) it won't go back easily. Because DecalGirl's material is thinner, and had smaller/thinner pieces, that was more of an issue for me. I didn't have any problems with Gelaskin.

- Bang for the Buck: Clearly DecalGirl: Not only is it cheaper, but it covers inside & outside, and not just the big panels, but even smaller areas (as fiddly as the application may be) Gelaskin was worth it me because I really wanted my custom design on the PE with its large book-style outer cover (as opposed to just the bezel on most other readers, where the back is hidden inside the attached cover anyway) And the quality is definitely very high, and there are no extra charges, always the same price no matter what option you choose. Worth the extra money? That'll be up to you...

(*) I think fake-aluminum or white bezels, esp. glossy are the worst, and especially around an eInk display. Offenders include Sony's older readers, Kindle, nook classic and of course the PE. Some of those companies saw the light and offer(ed) a dark version of their reader, for everything else, I think a skin improves readability noticeably.

Thanks for the post - I don't think anyone has previously done such a comparison in these forums.

I just received two Decal Girl Pocket eDGe skins today and I couldn't be happier. Application was a breeze with a little patience and preparation. The first thing to to do is to use something small like a jeweler's screwdriver or toothpick to remove the the button and bumper cutouts from the skin. Then carefully peel each skin off (they come off in sections) and start by positioning one end of the skin using the bumper cutouts as a guide and slowly work your way up without stretching. There is room for peeling (very slowly, take your time, and roll the skin off using your thumb or finger but DO NOT use your nails) and repositioning should it be required. I found that once the skin was applied you could even stretch it ever so slightly by using your fingers to push the skin where you need it like around the rubber bumpers. I can tell you that these are very easy to apply and you will have no bubbles when you are done. Bubbles wipe away easily by sliding your finger over them and pushing them toward the edges. I was amazed how easy this was because I tried to apply a screen saver to my wife's cell phone once and the level of frustration when trying to get the bubbles out was was very high. The key to getting it done right is to take your time. It took me about 30 minutes per PE.

Now for the best part: I decided to go with the Matte finish which costs $5 extra ($19.99) and boy am I glad I did. Fingerprints will NOT stick to these skins. It is incredible. I bought the Slate Black skin to match my PE with some hesitation because it is a solid color and I figured it would probably show some fingerprints, but I am here to tell you I put my hands all over it before and after putting it on my PE and not a fingerprint in sight. My son got the Bullseye skin and I applied it with the same great results.

For the quality, price and the sheer delight of not seeing fingerprints all over your PE or EE I HIGHLY recommend the Matte Skins from Decal Girl. It is $20 well spent.