Posts filed under Folio

Bellroy Tokyo Folio Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

I love bags and I love notebooks, so there are few things better than a bag for my notebook--or a good notebook case. And this is a very good one. Bellroy is known for their excellent bags and accessories. The only one of their products I've tried before is the lunch bag, which is the best lunch bag I've ever owned, so I was very excited to meet the Tokyo Folio.

The premise of this case is that it's designed to carry both your analog and digital tools in one handy package. Specifically, it's designed to hold an iPad Mini in the sleeve behind a slim notebook, and the pockets on the left are perfect for carrying cables, Air Pods, etc., and the pen sleeve is designed to fit an Apple Pencil. I don't have any of that stuff. So here's what I put in all those pockets.

The notebook: The case comes with a slim A5 notebook with a cardstock cover. It's decent, with good paper and nice binding. But you know I love a chonky notebook, and unfortunately this case only holds slim ones. I could fit a softcover Leuchtturm notebook--but that eats up too much of the space needed for the other pockets. So slim notebooks it is. While it won't work for bigger writing projects, it's still very useful for meeting notes or a commonplace book, which is closer to its intended design.

The pen: The pen loop, which is a long, narrow leather channel in the inside of the spine, is designed to hold an Apple Pencil, so it doesn't hold most pens. It's very slim. It does hold very narrow pens, like a Bic or a Pilot Precise. But it's not going to hold many of the pens that I prefer to use. That was a bit of a bummer.

The tech: This promises to hold an iPad Mini, so long as the tablet is not in a protective case. Happily, it holds my Kindle Paperwhite just fine, even with its case and pop socket on. The tablet sleeve is gusseted, so it isn't squeezing the device.

The accessories: The wee side pockets are also gusseted, so you can fit some handy tools there. Ear buds, pocket notebooks, a small pen case (yaknow, cause your pen won't fit in the pen sleeve) all fit nicely here. And the zipper pocket on the back is perfect for a phone.

Overall, it holds a great kit. It might not be everything I'd want for my own perfect gear configuration, but it's very well designed for what it's supposed to do. As a small, portable office kit, it's perfect. Take your notes, send some emails, keep your phone and music handy--fabulous. Personally, I'd trade the tablet pocket for a larger notebook capacity and expand that pen loop. Or maybe I just need to finally cave and get an iPad, just so I can carry it around in this snazzy case.

The case itself is very snazzy. The raven-colored nylon is elegant and practical. It looks office-y, but it's also waterproof. The zipper pulls are soft leather, and the wee silver owl logo delights me. This is totally the case Athena would carry to her meetings.

All that good quality does come with a price tag on it. The 8” Folio costs $119, while its 12.9" sibling costs $175. It's a bit on the steep side. I do have some folio cases that hold more but cost less. You can certainly feel the quality in this case, though, and I don't think the price is too out of line. It's nice enough that it's tempting me to try some of Bellroy's other bags, which is a dangerous path to tread, for my wallet. Of course Bellroy also makes wallets, so ...

Ultimately, this is a very good case and very well designed for what it is supposed to do. My only gripes with it are that it does not do what I wanted it to do, which is not what it was designed to do. I'm still going to use it, though, because I just like it. And it has a little owl on it.

(This product was purchased at regular retail price from Bellroy.)

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Posted on October 3, 2024 by Kimberly Lau and filed under Bellroy, Folio, Notebook Cover.

Bellroy Work Folio A5 Review

I’m a Bellroy fan, and what they created with the Work Folio A5 is truly beautiful. The build quality is fantastic, the leather is strong yet pliable, and the full aesthetic of the product is a designers dream.

It knocked my socks off when I opened the box, yet it doesn’t fit as part of my daily carry for reasons which you will read below.

Bellroy’s tagline is “Considered Carry Goods”. To me, that means they consider a wide range of details in making their product designs the best they can be. I think that is clear across the board, from wallets, to phone cases, to bags, and more. With the Work Folio A5, I think the burden of consideration is placed on the user. How, exactly, do I use this case in the best way possible for me?

Let’s start with the size. A5 is the Goldilocks size as far as stationery goes. It is just right for a vast majority of uses, providing enough space to be creative while small enough as to not be overwhelming. Choosing this size for a carry folio is smart, except when it isn’t.

The provided slim, softcover notebook is the perfect compliment for this folio. It is a personal favorite format of mine actually. But the fact of the matter is, if you are spending $200 on a leather folio, you want to use your nice hardbound A5 sized notebook, like a Leuchtturm1917. It fits perfectly, but you may be limited to what else you can fit in the folio and still be able to zip it closed. This includes using the pen loop. (For my tests I chose the medium-sized Sunderland MK1, a pen I would consider an average size.)

*Maxed out with a Leuchtturm1917, pen, and Kindle Paperwhite.*

Alternatively, popular hardbound notebooks like the Baron Fig Confidant and Story Supply Exposition that are around 1/2” narrower than standard A5 do fit easier with the pen loop filled. Surprisingly, the A5 Nanami Paper Crossfield fits easily, likely due to its lack of a hard cover. It’s possible other similarly styled soft cover A5 notebooks will fit as well. Regardless, you will be limited in what else fits in the folio using a standard harcover notebook.

The left hand side of the case provides several storage options, including two credit/business card size storage slots, and two flex-fabric pockets for larger items, like a pocket notebook or phone. This is my favorite section of the folio, as I fit a Field Notes memo book, Nock Co. DotDash 3 x 5 notecards, business cards, and credit cards - all without a hitch. If you plan on carrying a phone on this side and a hardbound A5 on the right, you will struggle with closing the case yet again. And don’t even think of sliding a small tablet under the notebook and being happy with the situation.

It’s clear to me at this point that this design was based solely on using a slim, soft cover A5 notebook. That’s fine. Like I said above, I adore this size. Unfortunately, the included Bellroy A5 notebook is terrible, and that is being generous.

I understand that complaining about a $5 notebook in a $200 folio is like complaining that the paracord zipper pull on your new backpack is frayed, but this is next-level bad. The first page of the notebook has a layer of the page torn off, the lines are crooked on both sides, funneling toward the middle of the page, and it looks like someone dropped a 25 lb. weight on each page, causing a raised ridge around the edge throughout the notebook. Like I said, it’s bad.

I think it is unfair to knock the overall package for the failings of the notebook, but when the exterior is so pristine I expect more. Fortunately, it’s easy enough to swap out.

Considered carry is how I recommend approaching the Bellroy Work Folio A5. It is a stunner to look at, and can be used in a functional manner. You just need to consider exactly how it will work for you before pulling the trigger.

(Bellroy provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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