The PITAKA Sunset series has been my favourite phone case for several years running, and the Sunset 2.0 California Dream edition makes a strong argument for keeping that streak going. This is PITAKA’s 3rd Anniversary Special Edition of the Sunset line, now available for the iPhone 17 range, and it brings the same ultra-thin aramid fibre formula that made the original so good — with a fresh new visual twist.
The California Dream edition is themed around 1970s California: the Pacific breeze, garages full of schematics, sunset skies over the hills where the tech industry was just beginning to take shape. It’s a romantic concept, and PITAKA has translated it into a few colour variants that each capture a different moment in that golden hour. My samples came with three different variants.
California Dream-01 is the most grounded of the three, with a warmer, more classic finish. California Dream-02 embraces an overexposed blur of purples and pinks that manages to look striking without crossing into loud. California Dream-04 stands out the most – the burnt orange gradually bleeding into cold blue across the aramid weave is the kind of colour transition that looks better the longer you stare at it.
All three are crafted from PITAKA’s finely woven aerospace-grade aramid fibre, and the texture in hand is something that’s hard to say in words. It’s silky and smooth rather than rough or grippy, and combined with the weight – approximately 25g. It’s not the slimmest case but not a bulky one either.
At around 1.2mm thick, this is about as close to a bare-phone experience as you can get without going caseless. The case doesn’t feel flimsy, though. The aramid fibre is tough, scratch-resistant, and has a structural quality to it that makes the whole thing feel considered rather than just thin for the sake of it.
The button openings are done right. The cutouts give you clean, unobstructed access to the side buttons, so the tactile feedback from the iPhone’s physical buttons comes through exactly the way Apple intended. Other cases sometimes add extra protection to the buttons but at the expense of tactileness. It’s a small thing that cases often get wrong and this one gets right.
Camera protection is handled well too. The case surrounds the camera module with enough of a raised lip that when you set your iPhone face-up or place it flat, the lenses aren’t making contact with the surface. It’s not a rugged drop case by any stretch, and PITAKA is upfront about that. The Sunset 2.0 is built for daily scratch and minor impact protection rather than serious drops. If maximum drop protection is what you need, PITAKA’s Cairn or Summa series might be better suited to that job.
On the iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max, the California Dream case includes PITAKA’s PitaTap technology. The Camera Control Button sits beneath a section of aramid fibre less than 1mm thick, with a hidden capacitive layer underneath that lets you tap and slide through it as normal. The aramid texture is preserved completely, and sensitivity isn’t compromised.
MagSafe compatibility is something PITAKA has always taken seriously and the Sunset 2.0 is no exception. Every iPhone 17 series variant of this case includes a built-in magnetic ring that works with MagSafe accessories and PITAKA’s own ecosystem like the MagEZ Car Mount Pro, MagEZ Grip, the Aramid Magnetic Power Bank, and Magnetic Woven Wallet. In my testing, every MagSafe accessory I use daily attached without any issues, including wireless charging. The case never needs to come off, which is exactly how it should work.
The PITAKA Sunset 2.0 California Dream retails for USD$59.99. It’s a limited-edition Special Edition aramid case with MagSafe support, PitaTap integration, and PITAKA’s build quality. The two-month warranty is short compared to what you’d hope for at this price point, though the durability of aramid fibre means it’s unlikely to be an issue in practice. In all honesty, I’ve never had to replace my case for a whole year so far (I usually upgrade to a new iPhone every year) so that’s something to brag about.
PITAKA Sunset 2.0 California Dream Review Conclusion
The PITAKA Sunset 2.0 California Dream is a beautiful, well-made slim case that delivers exactly what the Sunset series has always been about – an ultra-thin aramid fibre build that keeps your iPhone safe from daily bumps and scratches. The California Dream colourways are some of the best the series has produced, the MagSafe integration is rock solid, and the PitaTap implementation on the Pro models is seamless.
Disclosure: PITAKA Sunset 2.0 California Dream cases were supplied for reviewing
