(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)
I have loved using my Galen Leather A5 Zip folio for years, and it shows. It has the patina of many grand adventures. And while it has a dignified worn look, it is far from wearing out. We have many adventures ahead of us! It's perfect for holding an A5 notebook, my writing pens, and a few accessories. But there are some instances where my chaos has outgrown it, specifically at work. The Galen Leather A5 Expansi Folio saves the day, here.
My work kit, which follows me from my desk, to meetings, to the reference desk, and on outreach adventures, can get unruly. I have a notebook for taking notes, my planner for making plans, a selection of pens for color coding, a pencil because librarians just need pencils, a general writing pen, stickers (always, and I don't know why), dozens of tiny slips of paper with random notes and call numbers on them, and whatever else I gather throughout my day. And my keys! And my phone, sometimes. Maybe a chapstick. It all takes up space, and the Expansi Folio has the space that I need. There's a pocket for everything.
The Expansi Folio is nearly twice as thick as the regular folio, so I can work in layers. Inside the right cover, there's a flap-folder pocket where you can put a notebook or a notepad. In the spine is a key ring attachment. And on the left there are three elastic tool loops, a handful of card slots, and a removable pen-holder that has elastics for four pens. With a slim notebook on the right, I can fit a variety of writing tools and still fit my Hobonichi Weeks Mega alongside them. And I can stuff the card slots with all the random stickers and papers that I need.
The inside of the case is lined with a suede-like microfiber that will keep the contents safe from scratches and will not transfer any dye to your supplies. The outside is a vegetable tanned leather that shows its character with age. This one is the Crazy Horse Blue, which is more of a teal color in this instance. Colors and markings will vary with each unique piece of leather. Mine is already starting to show its battle scars after a few weeks of work, but aren't we all? The zipper that closes the folio is a brass YKK zipper that goes all the way around the case, stopped only by its spine piece. This allows the case to lie open flat while you use it. The whole piece is a simple but effective design that is effortlessly practical, which is why my older one has stayed in rotation for so long.
The Expansi Folio sells for $149 at Vanness Pens, which is very fair for their handmade quality and durability. It's a big price tag, but a small investment for something that will last forever.
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