Updating the EDC: Galen Leather A5 Zipfolio

June 22, 2019

Some people have bag problems, some people have pen problems, some people have pencil problems. I have all of the above, but my main weakness is portfolios. I’ve tried a huge swath of them, from the super-inexpensive Lihit Labs “Bag in a Bag” to the pricier Bellroy A5 Zipfolio. The thing I love about portfolios is that you can own several of them and use them all, because they each come in various sizes and therefore have different use cases: a larger one that holds a legal or A4 pad to take to a meeting; an A5 portfolio that’s a bit more portable for journaling in a coffee shop or toting around your planner; or even smaller “pocket-sized” portfolios like the Nock Co. Hightower designed to hold a pocket notebook and a few pens. Portfolios slide easily into a bag, or if they have a zipper, you can carry them alone as your bag if you just want to grab something small and head out the door. Options truly are endless!

An overview of the A5 Zipfolio on my desk at work, complete with three pens and a Jibun Techo Planner System.

So what have I been using lately? Zeynep at Galen Leather was kind enough to send me one of their A5 Zipfolios in “Crazy Horse” brown leather, which is a rough-looking (in a good way) material that I’ve been lusting after for a long time. Though I love the pocket-sized Traveler’s-style notebook covers she sent me a couple years ago, Galen Leather has flown under my radar since and I’ve not taken the opportunity to explore their expanded product line. The company has absolutely exploded in popularity over the past few years. They’ve even begun to offer a range of wood products in collaboration with Walden Woodworkers’ Co., including a Writing Box and a Covered Pen Tray and other desk accessories.

The Zipfolio also comes with a removable keychain. Since the keys I carry are pretty bulky, I’m not sure how much use this particular feature will get, but it’s nice to have. The position of the keychain is such that they shouldn’t rub up against yo… — The Zipfolio also comes with a removable keychain. Since the keys I carry are pretty bulky, I’m not sure how much use this particular feature will get, but it’s nice to have. The position of the keychain is such that they shouldn’t rub up against your pens as long as you keep them in the removable pen insert.

Another loadout from this week, where I threw in a highlighter, Airpods, and glasses cleaning cloth.

So let’s take a closer look at the Zipfolio, and what distinguishes it from other available options. For starters, a key attraction for me is the size. A5 notebooks are my personal sweet-spot, which I use for most writing both at work and at home. Other sizes will fit, however, including the Jibun Techo 3-in-1, which is my current primary journal/planner/notebook that I’ve been using since January. A few other attributes that make the Zipfolio a no-brainer recommendation for me include:

Sturdy Construction. Galen Leather’s take on the Zipfolio provides thick-yet-supple leather and a sturdy zipper for a relatively inexpensive $119. It may not be as polished or “corporate” looking as something from Bellroy, but that’s the aesthetic, and in any event you will get a ton of mileage out of this portfolio. If you tend to be rough on your leather products, go with Galen, and consider Crazy Horse leather, because it hides scratches well. Scuffs and dings are part of the look!
Practical Modular Layout. This portfolio strike a balance between customizability and capacity, on the one hand, and practicality on the other. It holds just enough stuff to allow you to use it as a true grab ‘n go daily carry without getting silly, like other modular systems I’ve seen where you can pack so much stuff into them that the portfolio not only becomes too fat but risks damage to your pens and other items because it’s so crammed full of stuff that rubs together. Here, you have seven elastic loops that are well spaced: four of them are attached to a removable panel and plainly intended for pens or mechanical pencils, with the other three larger and more versatile. As you can see from the pictures, I’ve used them to carry anything from highlighters to headphones/Airpods to a microfiber cleaning cloth.
Extra Space for Added Notebook Versatility. One drawback to the Bellroy A5 Workfolio was the relatively tight fit if you wanted to use a standard hardcover A5 notebook such as a Leuchtturm or a Midori. Since I don’t regularly use the slim softcover notebooks, the Galen Leather Zipfolio works better for me. (Galen Leather designs most of their products specifically to fit Leuchtturm, Baron Fig Confidant, Hobonichi Cousin A5, etc.) Even though it’s not A5, this Zipfolio fits my Jibun Techo well.
Versatile Left-Side Pocket. The Zipfolio is marketed as an “A5 Notebook and iPad Mini Folio”, with a lined pocket on the left-hand side that will protect small tablets such as a Kindle Fire 7 or an iPad Mini. While I might slide in a tablet for a trip, I think this would bulk up the Zipfolio too much in an everyday carry situation. Fortunately, the left-hand slot can also easily hold a pocket notebook, folded sheets of writing paper, or even a soft-cover notebook like the recently released Studio Neat Totebook!
A Brand with a Great Story. While I may not write about the people behind the products as much as the products themselves, Galen Leather has a compelling story. I won’t spoil it for you but please do make the time to read it. (Link here to their site.)

Zipfolio with the Jibun Techo open to the week-on-two-pages layout. This has been my go-to carry for work over the past few weeks.

The pen-holder insert is removable, if you don’t want to carry pens in your Zipfolio or just want to carry one or two pens in the larger loops.

Notebooks are easy to switch out. The back of the Zipfolio contains a soft leather flap, under which you insert the back cover of your notebook.

Galen Leather A5 Zipfolio, loaded up and ready to go!

Takeaways and Where to Buy

All Galen Leather products I have owned over the years have thoroughly impressed me, from Traveler’s-style notebook covers, to a 40-pen zippered album-style case, to this Zipfolio. What I really like about Galen’s overall product line is their rugged durability. Compared to the Bellroy Workfolio, the Galen Leather Zipfolio just feels more durable and a bit less fussy, even though Bellroy products are also designed to last and age better than most smooth leather. If you’re someone who obsesses over gouges and scratches on your smooth leather products, however (like yours truly), the Crazy Horse leather option is excellent.

To view their full range of goods, visit the Galen Leather website. They are a family-owned business located in Instanbul, Turkey, and many of their products are made to order, so shipping will not be immediate, but my Zipfolio did arrive fairly quickly. For those who would rather go a more familiar route, Galen Leather also maintains an Amazon store, and the A5 Zipfolio is one of the products featured there.

Disclaimer: I received the product featured in this review free of charge, for review purposes. This post contains affiliate links. Many thanks to Galen Leather for providing this product for review, and making this post possible!

Traveling with Fountain Pens: Do You Need a Traveling Inkwell?

January 24, 2019

Everyone who writes for the pen community gets questions about the ins and outs of traveling with fountain pens. One topic that comes up frequently is the question of filling from a bottle when you’re on the road, especially for an extended period of time. This issue doesn’t arise much for me - my work trips tend to be 2-3 days in most cases, and two fountain pens filled to capacity will easily last me that long. That said, I know there are readers out there who travel for a week or longer at a time, and may need to consider a piece of fountain pen-specific travel gear: a traveling inkwell or ink pot. Also, if you favor piston-fillers with larger nibs, such as the Pelikan M800 or the Montegrappa Extra 1930, or pens like the Visconti power-fillers that are just difficult to fill to capacity, these devices can be quite useful and will make it easier for you to get a full fill of ink.

You’re pretty much limited to two options: the Visconti Traveling Inkwell or the Pineider Pen Filler Inkwell. Visconti created this highly specialized piece of equipment years ago, in 1997, so the idea has been around for quite some time. After Visconti founder Dante Delvecchio left the company to join Pineider, Pineider released their own version, which holds 5ml more ink than the Visconti and costs less than half the price. (The Visconti Traveling Inkwell holds 5ml of ink, and the Pineider Pen Filler holds 10ml.)

Fill ‘er up! It’s hard to see, but both the Visconti Traveling Inkwell and the Pineider Pen Filler feature a rubber gasket on the inside that forms a seal.

Using these inkwells are fairly simple once you grasp the concept, which can seem confusing and a bit counterintuitive (not to mention risky) at first. To start, you remove the cap of the inkwell and fill with your ink of choice to the indicator line, using the supplied eyedropper (or your own syringe or pipette).

When you’re ready to fill, Insert the pen and press gently until you feel the pen come to a stop. The section should form a secure seal against the rubber gasket inside the inkwell, allowing you to invert the inkwell (yes, you heard me correctly) while you turn the piston or converter. You will get a full fill of ink into most pens, which to me is the primary selling point of these contraptions. Note: for vacuum fillers, make sure your seal is TIGHT and hold onto the inkwell securely when you depress the plunger to fill the pen. Otherwise, you may get the “rocket effect” when the inkwell (and all of the ink in it) goes sailing across the room, coating your walls, carpet, etc. It may also be preferable to try outside for the first few times until you get the hang of it.

Check out how much ink I was able to get into a Montblanc 146! The best part? Hardly any ink on the section afterwards. You’ll only have to wipe off the nib and the very end of the pen where the ink meets the feed.

In terms of actual traveling, I’m honestly a little nervous about flying with these things, only because you’re technically supposed to put all liquids (including fountain pen inks) into single plastic bag in order to get past security. Both of these inkwells have a “stopper” closure, not a threaded cap, so I have some concern about leakage. For the record, the stopper on the Pineider inkwell feels a lot tighter and more secure than the Visconti. I’ve included pictures of the Pineider in action below, featuring a Sailor Pro Gear. I’ve never been able to get that much ink into a Sailor Converter without syringe filling!

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I like both of these products, but perhaps not for their stated purpose of traveling. Rather, for me their true utility lies in the ability to swap favorite inks (mostly Sailors) from the hard-to-fill “flat” bottles into a different format that will let you use piston-fill pens with larger nibs, such as No. 8s. They’re also a great way to make sure your pens are filled to the brim if you’re preparing to leave on a trip or attend a class/meeting where you will have to do a lot of writing.

I acquired both of the inkwells featured in this review from Pen Chalet. The Visconti Traveling Inkwell is currently priced at $70 MSRP, with a street price of $56. While it’s certainly not inexpensive, I recall these being priced well north of $100 when they first came out several years ago. Pineider has priced their version lower at $25 MSRP / $20 street price, and to be honest it’s probably the product I would advise most people to buy. While its overall design lacks some of the elegance of the Visconti and feels a bit insubstantial, it’s the more practical choice for what’s going to be a relatively limited-use purchase for most people. I have, however, read reports that certain Visconti pens don’t fit well into the Pineider inkwell, specifically those with the “hook” closure system, so if you have a large Visconti collection stick with that brand.

Side Note: Though you will eventually run into the same problem as you do with ink bottles once the ink level gets too low, many people forego the traveling inkwell in favor of ink sample vials or the 4oz version of these smaller Nalgene bottles. In addition to being extremely inexpensive, the caps on both are quite secure and have survived many a trip through TSA screening.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I purchased both inkwells featured in this review from our sponsor Pen Chalet using store credit generated through Pen Chalet’s affiliate program.

Who would’ve guessed that this relatively simple accessories pouch would’ve been one of my favorite items of 2018?

2018 Annual Review, Part 2: Favorite Writing Accessories

December 29, 2018

Earlier this week I briefly recapped some things I liked and didn’t like in the pen world from 2018, and talked about a few developments that I’d like to see in 2019. One area that I didn’t touch on is writing accessories, a sector of the stationery industry that has been growing rapidly in light of the resurgent interest in pens and ink. I decided to devote a separate post to the topic highlighting five of my favorite new accessory-type things introduced in 2018. Without further ado, here they are:

Bellroy Workfolio A5. This particular folio ended up being a touch too small for my own everyday use (hence its appearance in the year-end giveaway), but I continue to be a huge Bellroy fan and loved watching them expand outside of wallets and pocket notebook covers in 2018. In addition to the Workfolios (which also come in a larger A4 size), Bellroy has released a line of bags, as well as…
Bellroy Classic Pouch. I guess I should mention that this list is not in any particular order, because the Bellroy Classic Pouch is my most-used non-pen gear item of the year. It’s not even purely a pen accessory - I also use it to carry cables, Mac dongles, USB thumbdrives, and SD cards in addition to a few pens, post-its, and paper clips.
Atelier Musubi Pen Case. One item that I haven’t been able to review yet, but love, is the Atelier Musubi two-pen case that I picked up from Daryl at the Big Apple Pen Club meeting. I’m working on carrying fewer pens with me at any given time (and generally having fewer pens inked at once) so this gorgeous, handmade fabric case fits right into my “own/carry fewer things, but carry nicer” mentality that I want to bring into 2019. (Since I haven't reviewed the pen case yet, I linked to an excellent review by the team at Hand Over That Pen, a blog you should be reading!)
Leather Goods from Baron Fig: The Guardian and the Sheath. While Baron Fig as a brand certainly isn’t new to the scene, I’ve enjoyed seeing them expand their line, which they have continued to do despite moving away from their perhaps-too-ambitious limited edition subscription service/monthly release plan. One particular area where the company has been particularly active is leather goods, including not only notebook covers in every size, but pen sleeves and even wallets. Baron Fig manages to maintain their clean, minimal aesthetic while offering a range of color options. I’ve been carrying one of their slim bifold wallets for the past six months or so and have been impressed with the durability and quality.
Toffee Lincoln Briefcase. Again, not a new brand, but definitely new to me. I’ve continued to use this slimline leather bag as a computer case or a minimal briefcase when I just want to take a few pens, a pad of paper, and maybe an iPad Pro for some quick work in a coffee shop.

Other brands that continued to kill it in 2018 include Good Made Better (makers of the Penwell), who released their new Penwell “Traveler” via Kickstarter. I’ve done much gushing over the Penwell recently, but I left it off this “Top 5” list because I kept that concept in the “2017” bucket. I’ve also thoroughly enjoyed this Italian leather notebook cover from The British Belt Company, and it’s been fun to watch new fountain-pen friendly notebook brands such as Stifflexible and Dingbats* continually improve their paper and bring fun new designs to market. I’m sure these trends will continue into 2019!

Things That Didn’t Stick

A couple items that I mentioned earlier in the year (or even in 2017) fell out of use as the year went on. One is the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter, which is an awesome product if you enjoy using multiple slim, single-subject A5 notebooks. (Yes, I know you can put larger notebooks into the Roterfaden too, but it makes it fairly bulky and a bit hard for me to write with.) At the end of the day, I couldn’t justify hanging onto what is a relatively expensive accessory so I sold it off after admitting that it doesn’t fit my workflow. Other cases that didn’t find a permanent home in my workflow included folios such as the Bellroy A5 (mentioned above) and Nock Co Seed A5, as well as the Nock Co. Lanier briefcase. All of these are excellent products - I’ve simply come to terms with the fact that I need to move on from those products that I’m definitely not going to use every day, otherwise I’ll end up drowning in bags and pen cases. Without exception, the reason these items didn’t work out for me is my personal preference with respect to size and format. I prefer to use hardbound A5 notebooks in leather covers, and if I carry a portfolio, I need it to be A4 or American legal size.

So this is it for the year! I’m signing off until after the New Year, and wish everyone a happy end to 2018!

Of the four items I started carrying at the beginning of 2018, only two stuck (the Nanami Paper Cafe Note, bottom left, and the Baron Fig Confidant with One Star Leather Cover, bottom right).

Disclaimer: I received several of the items featured in this post for review purposes, free of charge (you can find details through the linked reviews). As always, everything in this post is solely my own personal opinion, and should be taken as such.

Italian Leather Notebook Covers from The British Belt Company

November 21, 2018

More excellent leather goods to show and tell! A couple months ago, The British Belt Company reached out and requested that I review one of their leather notebook covers. Not having purchased from this company before, and always looking for new manufacturers and retailers entering the stationery space, I of course agreed.

I opted for the pebbled burgundy leather option. At least nine different color options are available.

Immediately upon handing this notebook cover, I knew that it would be a hit. The cover is made from thick, full grain leather, with nicely finished edges and a suede interior. It feels great in the hand, and smells even better. (Yes, I smell all my leather.) The British Belt Company was kind enough to emboss my initials in the lower right-hand corner of the cover, which I always do if I have the option.

British-Belt-Company-A5-Notebook-Embossed

This notebook did ship with a lined, A5 refill, but it’s not the most fountain-pen friendly paper and devoted fountain pen users will probably want to swap in something else. A Seven Seas Writer from Nanami Paper fits perfectly, and I suspect that another A5 notebook like the Taroko Design Enigma or the Hobonichi Techo Cousin would also work.

My A5 Nanami Seven Seas Writer snug in its new home.

A comparison shot of three leather notebook covers that find their way into my daily rotation: The British Belt Company A5 (bottom), a custom One Star Leather Baron Fig Confidant Cover (middle), and the Gfeller English Kip leather cover for my Nanam… — A comparison shot of three leather notebook covers that find their way into my daily rotation: The British Belt Company A5 (bottom), a custom One Star Leather Baron Fig Confidant Cover (middle), and the Gfeller English Kip leather cover for my Nanami Paper Cafe Note B6 (top).

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Based on what I’ve seen so far, The British Belt Company makes high quality leather goods, and I can add this notebook cover to my list of recommendations, alongside One Star Leather and other quality makers. You can purchase this product, along with a wide range of leather belts, bags, and other accessories, directly from The British Belt Company via their website or via their Etsy shop (which has slightly lower prices). The Italian Leather Notebook Cover, plus refill, is currently priced between $80-90, which is about standard for a leather notebook cover of this size and quality. I’ve also decided to include this product in the TGS 2018 Holiday Gift Guide. Be sure to check it out, especially since many of the retailers featured in the guide will be running Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales in the coming days!

Disclaimer: The British Belt Company sent me the notebook cover featured in this review at no charge, for review purposes. This post contains affiliate links.

Leather Goods from Baron Fig: The Guardian and The Sheath

February 15, 2018

Baron Fig has recently supplemented their accessories lineup to include a whole slew of new colors. While I’ve written much about Baron Fig’s pens, notebooks, and paper, I’ve never reviewed any of their leather products. Here, I’ll take a quick look at two that I recently received.

“Guardian” Confidant Cover

The Guardian is a high-quality leather cover for Baron Fig’s flagship product, the Confidant notebook. Available in two sizes, “Flagship” and “Plus”, the cover adds some protection to the Confidant’s cloth cover, which will come in handy if, like me, you tend to use your notebooks over a longer period of time and need the covers to hold up. If you’re a planner person, and you’ve chosen to go with the Baron Fig Confidant Planner for 2018, I’d definitely recommend investing in a leather cover to ensure that your planner survives the full 12 months. A smaller Guardian is also available for the pocket-sized Vanguard softcover notebook, which seems as though it could double as a wallet.

Pictured here is a Baron Fig Confidant (Dot Grid) in the "Plus" size. (Squire and Sheath for scale.)

I appreciate that the Guardian doesn’t add much bulk to your notebook. Initially, the cover is a tight fit, and for the first week or so the front cover of the notebook may not lay completely flat when the notebook is closed. Eventually, the leather stretches out a bit, and it’s no longer an issue. The Confidant still lays flat when the notebook is open.

There is no branding on the front of the Guardian cover. The only Baron Fig branding is an imprint on the back inside flap, which makes for a very clean design.

“Sheath” Pen Sleeve

One of the more practical accessories that Baron Fig offers is the “Sheath” pen sleeve, tailor-made to fit the Squire. I advise against carrying liquid ink rollerball pens in your pocket or loose in a bag - if the tip of the pen accidentally makes contact with fabric, it can ruin your clothes. A close-fitting leather pen sleeve not only protects the pen, but protects you from your pen! (Or from yourself, whichever it may be.)

I do wish Baron Fig had omitted the “sword” motif from the front of the Sheath, and left the Guardian as a more minimal leather sleeve. While I can live with it, and I understand that their brand is based on adding a bit of whimsy to the otherwise staid stationery industry, I can’t help but feel that the imprint cheapens the look of the product a bit.

The Sheath features the Squire's "sword" logo on one side, and a Baron Fig imprint on the other.

The Sheath is a straightforward product. You slide the Squire (here, the Brass "Key" edition) into one end of the leather sleeve/pouch. It's a tight fit, so no worries about the pen sliding out.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Overall, I’m impressed with the build quality of Baron Fig’s leather goods, all of which are made in the USA. My favorite aspect, however, is the range of available color choices. Rather than your ordinary brown, black, and natural leather options, Baron Fig decided to go with something completely different, offering both the Guardian and the Sheath in Fig Wine (a burgundy-ish red), Charcoal (pictured here on the Sheath), Blue Slate (self-explanatory), Yellowgold (pictured here on the Guardian), Rose Quartz (the recently released pink option), and Light Brown (the conservative “tan” option). I know, for someone who talks so much about “work appropriate” products that won’t turn heads at the office, who would’ve thought that I would opt for the bright yellow leather notebook cover?

You can order the Guardian Confidant cover and the Sheath pen sleeve directly from Baron Fig, via their website. The Guardian starts at $79 for the standard A5-ish “Flagship” version, and $109 for the larger “Plus” version. The Guardian Vanguard is $45. The Sheath pen sleeve costs $24. While these prices aren’t cheap, they’re well within the range of reasonableness for leather goods of this quality.

Disclaimer: Baron Fig sent me the Guardian Confidant cover for review purposes, free of charge. I purchased the Squire Pen Sheath with my own funds, for my own use.