I don’t buy a lot of pen cases, at least compared to the number of pens, inks, and other accessories that I own. Those cases that I do have in my collection tend to stay there for a long time, as demonstrated by the fact that my most-carried pen case of all time is a mid-2010s Nock Co. Sinclair in black waxed canvas, which I picked up as part of a limited run at an Atlanta Pen Show several years ago. Frankly, the only zippered pen case I’ve found that can give the now-discontinued Sinclair a run for its money is the Lochby Quattro, which I’ve flashed on Instagram several times and stock in the shop but have not yet reviewed.

Look and Overall Design

Lochby is U.S.-based company owned by army veteran and fountain pen enthusiast Chris Elfering, who incorporated his love of pens and durable gear into the current Lochby lineup. All Lochby products are designed with usability and durability in mind. You can read more about the background of the company here.

The Lochby Quattro is a traditional zippered pen case made from waxed canvas, which holds four pens in secure, padded sleeves. Notably, the pen slots are offset so that pens don’t rub against each other. While “pen contact” in a case doesn’t bother some, for those of us who collect unique finishes and materials that may be more sensitive to scuffs and scratches, this sort of attention to detail can be a huge plus. In my experience, having the pens offset also makes the case easier to close, and more compact. Relatedly, the Quattro uses nylon zippers to further reduce the possibility of scratching pens when closing the case.

Lochby Quattro Pens Don't Touch! — No Touching! While larger pens fit snugly, I’ve had no trouble carrying pens as big as a Visconti Homo Sapiens in the Lochby.

In addition to the four interior slots, the exterior of the Quattro features two additional pouches. One I’ve been using as a slot for gel pens and mechanical pencils, and the other mainly holds post-it flags, which I use a lot of in my job.

Real-time action shot from yesterday’s work carry.

Lochby Quattro Exterior Velcro Pocket — The second exterior pocket features a velcro closure to hold smaller items.

A final feature that I’ve enjoyed with the Quattro is the fact that it’s designed to complement the Field Journal notebook cover. The Quattro fits within the back pocket of the Field Journal (though the fit can be pretty tight depending on which notebooks you choose for the Field Journal cover). If you choose to use the Field Journal as a mini-briefcase or singular carry-all, you have a convenient way to carry four pens with you.

Even though I have two thick notebooks inside the Field Journal (a Seven Seas Writer and a Theme System Journal), I can still squeeze the Quattro into the outer pocket.

Materials and Available Colors

So far, the Lochby Quattro only comes available in brown waxed canvas with a golden, honey colored interior lining. The backing fabric is a soft microfiber, and the pen slots are crafted from nylon that features a honeycomb pattern, in keeping with Lochby’s “bee” logo. Everything is double-stitched and bartacked, and feels incredibly durable.

Lochby Pen Case Pen Slots — I enjoy the honeycomb pattern on the nylon interior. This picture also gives you a look at the soft interior fabric, plus the durable stitching.

Lochby does advertise their products as vegan-friendly. Those longing for non-leather options after the retirement of Nock Co. should consider the Quattro as an alternative, though I’m looking forward to seeing whether Lochby releases this case in color options other than brown, especially since the Field Journal and Pocket Journal both come in Black and Navy color ways.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I’ve enjoyed exploring the Lochby lineup, mainly because it successfully strikes the ever-elusive balance of quality, value, and functionality. I absolutely love waxed canvas anything, especially notebook covers and pen cases, so once I saw these cases I was all-in. Every one of these products designed to be used, and constructed from materials that will age well as the waxed canvas picks up the inevitable scratches, scuffs and stains that will develop into a patina. In terms of pricing, the entire lineup is under $60.

Lochby Quattro in Action (Workflow Shot) — The Quattro has formed a core part of my “deskscape,” both at home and at the office.

You can purchase select Lochby products from the T.G.S. Curated Shop, and I’m proud to offer this brand as one of my carefully selected lines. In addition to the Quattro pen case pictured here, you should also check out the Field Journal A5 Notebook Cover, the Pocket Journal (another zippered case designed to hold your typical Field Notes-sized pocket notebook), and the Tool Roll, which can hold anything from fountain pens to bike wrenches to calligraphy supplies. And if Lochby’s fountain pen bona fides weren’t already evident from their case design, all of their paper refills feature one of my favorite papers: Tomoe River 68 gsm.

Disclaimer: The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Lochby products. I was not otherwise compensated for this review. The Gentleman Stationer is supported exclusively by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

I’m in the process of cleaning up/cleaning out my office here at “T.G.S. HQ,” in advance of some work we’re having done on the house, and part of the process has been taking an inventory of everything I have in my personal collection as well as items for the review queue that have never made their way onto the blog. One surprising find includes a large number of pen wraps and pen rolls, something I don’t believe I’ve ever written about at length. Pen rolls have grown in popularity to the point where most major brands have at least one in their lineup, and like pen cases, pen rolls come in a variety of designs and materials across a wide range of price points. I thought it might be helpful to offer my thoughts on pen rolls and why you might want to choose (or not choose) this type of carry over a traditional case.

The main advantage of a pen roll, for me, is the combination of capacity and compact size in your bag. Both the Lochby Tool Roll (top) and the Superior Labor Leather Pen Roll (bottom) can hold a LOT of writing instruments, especially if you double (or quintuple) up. The Lochby also has pockets behind the elastic loops, so you can really cram it full if you need to.

Advantages of a Pen Roll Over a Pen Case

Compact Size without Sacrificing Capacity. For me, the main advantage of a pen roll over a traditional zippered, sleeve-style, or hard case is the ability to carry a larger number of pens without having the case completely take over your bag. For example, I love my 12-pen Galen Leather Hard Case, but if I need to carry a large volume of pens in my briefcase or another bag where space is at a premium, I’m probably going to opt for something like the Superior Labor Leather Pen Roll or the Lochby Tool Roll (or both - see below). If you’re well-organized, you can fit two dozen pens into two pen rolls and still take up less space in your bag than a single larger 12-pen case (a huge advantage for traveling to pen shows).

Superior Labor Pen Roll with Longer Pens — Pen rolls lie flat when open on your desk, yet roll up to a compact size for storage.

Versatility. While most pen cases are sized for pens, pen rolls can be repurposed to carry other things, whether it’s other writing instruments such as mechanical pencils, ruling pens, or Pilot Parallels (shown above on the right), or even things like pen repair equipment, crafting knives, wrenches, and/or bike tools. Many pen rolls also fit a wide range of pen sizes (in terms of both length and diameter), and if you’re not squeamish about your pens touching, you can often double the stated capacity of the pen roll by sticking multiple pens in a single slot, especially with more slender writing instruments like ballpoints and gel pens.

Disadvantages of a Pen Roll (or Why You Might Prefer a Pen Case)

Security. While some pen rolls come with straps and secure closures, others need to be tied or rely on elastics, which are arguably less secure in the sense that it’s easier for them to fall open inadvertently. Some designs that don’t have a flap across the top leave your pens at risk of falling out. If you carry expensive pens, be sure to evaluate the security of a pen roll before you invest. (As an aside, items like the now-discontinued Nock Co. “Brasstown” drew on elements of both the pen roll and the pen case, allowing you to tuck a six-pen roll into a compact outer zippered case.) Likewise, if you’re going to be transporting pens inside checked luggage or another situation where they might be crushed, a pen roll might not be the best choice over a case with more structure.

If you value protection over all else, then a pen case is the way to go. Both the Galen Leather “Magnum Opus” 12 Pen Hard Case (bottom) and the Franklin-Christoph Covered Pen Tray (top) are excellent.

Scratch Protection. If you’re one of “those people” who freak out at the slightest prospect of your pens rubbing together or touching, pen rolls are probably not for you. While many designs incorporate flaps to minimize contact, it’s hard to avoid entirely and somewhat inherent in how pen rolls are designed. For this reason, I’d recommend pen rolls for those who use their pens regularly on the go, aren’t overly concerned with wear and tear, and who are mainly looking for a compact way to tote around a larger volume of “daily writers”, as opposed to rare collectibles. (I will say that in all the years I’ve been using pen cases and pen wraps, I’ve not experienced any damage to my pens from daily carry beyond micro-scratches. I’ll also say that if you’re NOT squeamish about pens touching, a pen wrap will generally offer more protection than overstuffing a traditional pen case or pen pouch.)

The two pen rolls contain the same number of pens (24) as the two hard pen cases. I mainly use my pen rolls for transportation, while I use the larger pen cases for long-term storage and organization at home.

Takeaways

There’s no categorical recommendation here - I regularly carry both traditional pen cases and pen rolls, depending on where I’m going and what I’m doing. That said, for situations where I want to carry a larger number of pens with me in a smaller bag, such as a pen show or a local pen club meetup, I’m going with a pen roll (or “rolls,” plural) more often than not. Two current favorites, shown here in photos, are the Superior Labor Leather Pen Roll and the Lochby Tool Roll, which I just added to the T.G.S. Curated Shop. Other great options, which I’ve reviewed in the past, are the Nock Co. Brasstown if you can find one on the secondary market, as well as options from Rickshaw Bagworks. Also, many smaller makers craft their own pen wraps and rolls, and these make excellent pen show souvenirs, especially if you can snag one in a one-off material or fabric!

This post does not contain paid third-party affiliate links, though the T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Lochby and other brands we stock. By shopping with us directly, you are supporting original content, pen reviews, pen show events, etc. from The Gentleman Stationer. If you would like to support us even further, please consider checking out the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more!