Are Stationery Subscription Services Worth It? (Or, Why Do I Need All These Blackwings?)

June 29, 2019

Subscription services of all kinds are having their moment. Whether it be books, vinyl records, food, clothes, quirky pop culture swag, or, yes, stationery, the rise of vocal communities of internet enthusiasts has revitalized the market for the old concept of the “book of the month” or “record of the month” club. If you’re of a certain age, you’ll remember (fondly or not) those promotions where you could get nine different books/records/CDs/tapes up front in exchange for subscribing to the monthly club, and agreeing to buy at least four of whatever over the next year. Some of these clubs were legit, and occasionally you could get some good books or albums, but what you usually ended up with was a monthly shipment of whatever item the record company or publisher had in overstock (translation: that they couldn’t sell at retail). I don’t recall any of my friends becoming longstanding members or subscribers - most of us just bought our three CDs and cancelled. (And, of course, subscribed again under your dog’s name to get another nine free CDs.)

Today’s riff on the mail order subscription service is less about freebies and discounts than about offering your customers willing to pay extra some combination of first access to new products, exclusive “members only” releases, or a curated experience in which the member gets a box of stuff specially selected for them. For stationery, the two most popular options are the Blackwing Volumes pencil subscription service and the Field Notes pocket notebook subscription service (formerly Field Notes “Colors”). I’ve subscribed to both, along with the now-discontinued Write Notepads subscription. Currently, Blackwing Volumes is my only active subscription. I’m asked a lot about whether I think these subscriptions services are a good idea. Here are my thoughts.

So what do I like about being able to subscribe?

You don’t miss any limited edition releases. I prefer brand-specific subscription services. If there’s a brand that I enjoy, such as Blackwing, I can subscribe to the Blackwing Volumes program and ensure that I’m among the first to receive a dozen of each new limited edition pencil without having to remember to place an order. I did the same with Write Notepads before that service was discontinued. (BRING IT BACK, CHRIS!!!)
You support a brand you really enjoy. For me, this is probably the most compelling reason to subscribe. If you like a brand, and want to make sure they keep releasing special editions (or stick around in general), paying for a year’s worth of their limited releases in advance gives the company a predictable revenue stream that allows them to plan for the future.
You get a slight break on price. Blackwing recently raised their prices on the Volumes editions, so by subscribing you get $2-3 off retail.
Subscriber extras in the box. Brand-specific swag isn’t a particularly big draw for me, but some people collect this stuff. Of more interest are special promotional codes with discounts on “subscriber days,” and sometimes “members-only” sales where you can purchase limited-run products.

While I was writing this review, I made a point of sharpening one of each Volumes edition, just to make a point to myself that I’m going to use all of them.

Downsides to Subscription Services

For me there’s really only major downside: Hoarding and paying for things you don’t need or won’t use. It’s why I discontinued my Field Notes subscription. I like Field Notes fine, but I realized I was subscribing simply to collect the latest design of the notebooks, whereas from a practicality/usability perspective there were other brands whose paper I enjoyed more. I still use Field Notes occasionally, but not enough to justify having nearly three dozen pocket notebooks shipped to me every year, which only adds to the never ending S.A.B.L.E. stash. For Pete’s sake, use this stuff, don’t hoard it! A major issue I have with the “limited edition” culture pervading stationery - and pretty much everything else these days - is that it encourages a mentality where all the things are meant to be kept sealed, unused, and pristine in a box and later sold on eBay for $150 for a dozen pencils or a three-pack of pocket notebooks. I don’t get it.

So that begs the question: What am I going to do with all these pencils? Fortunately, I have a daughter entering Kindergarten this year, so these pencils will get used one way or another. (She’s already started raiding my stationery cabinet for drawing supplies.) I’m also starting to use more pencils at work, and have become more proactive in giving them away when people come up to me at work and express interest.

Conclusions and Final Thoughts

Are subscription services “worth it?” Honestly, it just depends on your personal reasons for subscribing. If you find yourself enjoying everything that a brand has released over the past year, go for it. Personally, I’ve enjoyed all of the past four Blackwing Volumes editions, including the vinyl-themed Blackwing 33 1/3 edition that nobody else seemed to appreciate. I have no regrets about re-upping my subscription, and in fact I wish I had subscribed a year earlier. On the other hand, if you find yourself not using or not appreciating all of the various releases, or if you’re simply looking to save money, I’d discourage you from subscribing because the few dollars you might save off the retail pricing are more than offset by the 1-2 quarterly releases you won’t be crazy about and wouldn’t buy other than through the subscription program.

You’ll notice that my personal experience extends only to brand-specific/limited release subscription services, not any of the “curated” stationery boxes that are available. Those include the CW Pencils Pencil Box Quarterly Subscription, which offers a curated selection of pencil-related goodness four times a year for $30 per box, the Rad and Hungry kits that bring you stationery from different travel destinations around the world, Art Snacks (focused on art supplies), and even fountain pen ink sample subscriptions such as Ink Flight, where you can get a set of five new inks sent to you monthly. If you’re interested in trying out new products that you might not otherwise pick up yourself, you might enjoy a curated box!

Disclaimer: I purchased each of the products featured in this review with my own funds, for my own use. I was not compensated for this review.

Baron Fig Releases the Vanguard "Clear Sky" Edition

June 5, 2017

Baron Fig has released their latest limited edition "Vanguard" soft cover notebook, the "Clear Sky" edition. This quarter's edition once again comes in the "Flagship" size, and features three different covers, each a different color gradient designed to evoke sunrise, midday, and sunset.

The notebook on the far right (sunrise?) looks much more pink in person, whereas it appears almost orange in the pictures on the Baron Fig website.

Clear Sky contains blank paper, which I don't use much. If you're a fan of unlined pages or looking for a soft-cover sketchbook, however, this may be the edition for you. You can purchase directly from Baron Fig, or subscribe so you don't miss any of the special quarterly editions going forward.

Disclaimer: Baron Fig provided me with these notebooks free of charge.

Introducing the Baron Fig Askew Confidant Limited Edition

January 31, 2017

Well, Baron Fig did it, for all you doubters out there who met the company's announcement of multiple simultaneous subscription services for as many as four different product lines with skepticism that they could maintain their creative edge. I'm still not sure what, exactly, they're going to be doing with all those limited editions, but the newest version, Askew, makes it clear that it probably won't be boring.

Even the inside cover is hand-colored, with blue ballpoint.

Askew, a collaboration with graphic designer Debbie Millman, is entirely hand drawn, from the inside cover pages to the ruling on the paper itself. Spoiler alert (not really): the hand-drawn lines aren't straight, and on a handful of pages they even cross or devolve into scribbles. Obviously, you're not going to be able to use these pages as you would a typical notebook, but that's clearly not what Ms. Millman and Baron Fig were going for here. The goal of this particular edition is to foster creativity by encouraging people to think "outside the lines." Personally, I really like it, and can see myself using this book as an offbeat journal or for brainstorming sessions.

Everyone has focused on the "usability" of Askew, and whether it was wise for Baron Fig to include this unusual notebook as part of Baron Fig's subscription service. That's a fair question, and one that I've addressed before in my review of the "Black Box" Vanguard notebook. Those who were considering a Confidant subscription, thinking that they would definitely get a standard notebook each quarter - as in, one they can use to take notes at work - may now have to reconsider whether they want to subscribe or purchase on a "wait & see" basis. Of course, Baron Fig could always avoid the issue by doing what Field Notes does - offer subscribers the opportunity to exchange the Limited Edition notebook for a standard Confidant of their choice, if they so choose.

The vibrant violet color of this notebook really changes things up for Baron Fig. I like it, especially the red bookmark.

What's more interesting to me here is the collaboration aspect of this edition, and what it says about Baron Fig's prospects. Debbie Millman is a big deal in the design community: She hosts the wildly popular "Design Matters" podcast, and has been a guest on many other well-known podcasts, including the Tim Ferriss Show. That Baron Fig is attracting collaborators like Ms. Millman bodes well for the future, and I'm excited to see what else they have lined up.

Where to Buy

You can buy the Askew Limited Edition via Baron Fig's website for $20. If you're interested in subscribing to the Confidant quarterly subscription service (or one of the others that Baron Fig offers), you can do so here.

Disclaimer: Baron Fig sent me this product for review purposes at no charge.

Quick Take: In the Pines, In the Pines ...

January 23, 2017

While I received these a week or so ago, I just got around to cracking the box open over the weekend, and I must say that I continue to be impressed with what Write Notepads is doing with their limited edition pocket notebooks. The latest edition, "In the Pines," just confirms for me that I made the right decision by subscribing this past fall. I love the forest green cover and dot grid paper, and the pencils seem a bit different this time (for the better), with more rounded hexagonal edges and a stronger cedar smell.

Beautiful simplicity: thus far, Write Notepads has resisted the urge to do "too much" with the design of their notebooks.

"In the Pines" is a reference to the American folk song of the same name, first popularized by Leadbelly in the 1940s and later by Nirvana on their "MTV Unplugged" album, where it appeared as the closing track under the name "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" (Great album, by the way - I listened to it for the first time in years this weekend - but I digress.)

Unlike other pocket notebook brands, Write Notepads sells and ships their books in tastefully designed boxes rather than shrink wrap.

I suspect these will go quickly, since they've received a lot of attention, so grab some now if they pique your interest. For the moment, pencils are subscriber-only, as is the "In the Pines" sticker. You can order directly via the Write Notepads website.

If you're interested in checking out what Write Notepads has done with previous limited editions, check out my review of the "Kindred Spirit" edition. At some point I need to do some photos and a quick take on the "Royal Blue" edition as well, but in the meantime I recommend reading Johnny's review over at Pencil Revolution.

Disclaimer: I purchased these notebooks with my own funds, for my own personal use.

Baron Fig: The Black Box and Thoughts on Stationery Subscription Services (Spoiler Warning!)

December 3, 2016

You may have heard that Baron Fig recently announced a massive number of new quarterly subscriptions: one for each of their main product lines, including the Confidant hardcover notebook, the Vanguard softcover notebook, the Squire pen, and the Archer pencil. The idea behind stationery subscription services is pretty simple: subscribers will be among the first to receive limited edition versions of the Company's products that are issued on a quarterly basis. Once you subscribe, you don't need to take any further action in order for the latest and greatest to show up at your door.

The Black Box Is a Big Winner, for Me

So far, Baron Fig has announced two limited edition notebooks that subscribers will receive. The first was the Work/Play II, a reboot of last year's acclaimed Work/Play Confidant. More on that below. The second is the Black Box, a run of limited edition Vanguard notebooks that I absolutely love, and that I'm going to talk about first.

The theme of the Black Box is "Mysteries." Each Black Box contains three softcover Vanguard notebooks (the medium-sized, A5-ish "Flagship" size) featuring Baron Fig's excellent dot grid paper and a black cover with different "mystery-themed" illustrations in unique colors. The three mysteries are (by my best guess) The Bermuda Triangle (yellow), Bigfoot/Sasquatch (Green), and UFOs (Red). As a fan of The X-Files, Supernatural, Stranger Things, insert-scifi/horror series here, these are a huge win for me.

I've reviewed Baron Fig notebooks before, so I don't see a need to talk at length about the paper quality, etc. here. In short, Baron Fig paper is very good, and will hold up to most pens, though you may see bleeding and feathering with especially wet or broad fountain pens. I really enjoy writing on Baron Fig paper with pencils, and I think it's among the best pencil-friendly paper available. What I would like to talk a bit about, however, is the flak that Baron Fig has taken during the initial rollout of their subscription services, some of which I think is unfair and fails to take into account the nature of Baron Fig's products and who their end users are.

For some reason I really love those stylized trees.

My Thoughts on Baron Fig's Subscription Strategy

It surprised everyone that a company would take the unprecedented step of announcing a quarterly limited-edition subscription service for ALL FOUR of their major product lines. It's an ambitious move fraught with a lot of risk. Baron Fig is a small shop, and it will take a lot of work for their team to maintain the existing business while attempting to develop fresh ideas for four different limited editions on a quarterly basis. That's 16 special editions a year across all of the product lines. Companies like Field Notes, Write Notepads, and Palomino-Blackwing do four.

One thing I'd love to see Baron Fig do is include some great extras with their subscriptions - like these "Manifesto" stickers they sent me with my Black Box.

Before Baron Fig had even announced any new editions, chatter started on blogs, Twitter, forums and podcasts saying that "there was no way" Baron Fig could come up with "inspired" or "unique" ideas for each one of these limited editions. Predictably, when Baron Fig announced the Work/Play II as the first limited edition Confidant, it was criticized as just "a reissue" of a past L.E. (despite the fact that the past Work/Play was highly acclaimed and sold out in days, leaving many - myself included - disappointed and empty-handed). Even the Black Box has been minimized as "just a new cover on a pre-existing notebook." IMHO, the critiques of the Work/Play II have some validity, but the snipes at the Black Box are unfair. (The first year's worth of Field Notes Colors were essentially standard graph-paper notebooks with different color covers and rulings. It took Field Notes a while to get to where they are now). Additionally, I think both overlook why many people would subscribe to Baron Fig products in the first place.

It's easier for a company like Field Notes and Write Notepads to take risks with crazy designs on smaller items like 48-page pocket notebooks. Even if you get an "out there" edition with your Field Notes subscription, like Sweet Tooth or Expedition, you can still find some use for them, whether it be as substitutes for post-it notes (Sweet Tooth) or a garage/car notebook (Expedition). This is harder to do with a larger notebook or a journal. Personally, if I'm subscribing to a service that sends me four large 100+ page notebooks a year, I want a bit more predictability. That's not saying that I'm paying in advance for four reissues - I want to see some creativity - but I also want to be sure that I will receive four Confidants or larger Vanguards that I can reliably use. Baron Fig's following is also smaller than that of Field Notes, and I'd venture to say that a larger percentage of them tend to be professionals who use their notebooks daily for work. I'm not above carrying and using some absolutely insane notebooks, but if I were to subscribe to a service, I'd want some comfort that the notebooks I was going to receive wouldn't stray too far from what I've come to expect from my daily-driver Baron Fig books.

From this perspective, I like what I've seen so far from Baron Fig, and would gladly pay a subscription price to receive products like the Black Box and Work/Play II. With respect to the Work/Play II, it may not have been the best launch strategy to lead with a reissue, but the original Work/Play was such a huge hit and sold out so quickly that I see it as a perfectly legit business decision to kick things off by giving your hardcore fans - those most likely to subscribe - what they've been asking for.

To date, Baron Fig has put a lot of thought into their products. Everything I've reviewed from them has been high quality and - importantly for me - highly practical and usable in my daily life. I'm perfectly willing to give them the benefit of the doubt until they have had, at a minimum, a year or so under their belt with the subscriptions before trying to declare whether it's been a success or not. Enough on this from me. Enjoy your weekending and Holiday decorating!

Disclaimer: Baron Fig sent me the Black Box notebooks featured in this review at no charge. I was not otherwise compensated for this review, and the views expressed here are just like, my opinion, man. If you disagree with me on anything, I'm sure you'll let me know. :)