Posts filed under Pen Case

Kaimo Japan 2 Room Pikachu Pen Case 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 check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

School supply shopping season is upon us. The seasonal glut of bargain stationery, the feeding frenzy of office supplies. At my house, and I'm sure this is true for many Pen Addict homes, there are several phases of the back-to-school supply prep. Step one is "what survived the previous year," where we check anything off the list that can be re-used. Step two is "raid mom's stash." There are three people in this house who want this pen case, which is quite an endorsement. And it's easy to see why. It is both functional and adorable.

This Kaimo 2 Room Pen Case is made from vinyl with two ring-pull zippers, one on either side of the case. The zippers are plastic, but pull smoothly and feel sturdy. The rings are a little bulky, but do make for more easy and accessible opening and closing. The vinyl on this case is color blocked in a pale coffee color and cream, and printed with some super cute Pokemon characters enjoying some cafe treats. The text says "Enjoy your cafe time!" Thank you, Pikachu. I will.

Inside, the case is divided into two compartments. At first I worried that this would limit the space too much--that having two small pockets would not be as useful as one large space. However, the pockets are deceptively large, and the space is divided only by a very thin piece of nylon cloth, so if one side is overstuffed, it can borrow some space from the other compartment. The division doesn't impact the volume at all, and having the two compartments helps keep things organized.

The inside of the case is fully lined with no rough seams, which is always nice to see. The satiny fabric will likely show some ink and pencil stains, but that's just part of the pen case life. It's a dirty job.

Quite a few of the cases in this style are limited editions with a variety of cute characters. This one is not currently available on JetPens, but there are others just as adorable. The case is priced at $25, which I think is fair and in line with other cases of similar quality. I'm glad it's reasonably priced, because I'm going to need two more to keep the peace.

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

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Posted on August 3, 2023 by Sarah Read and filed under Kamio, Pen Case.

PLOTTER Grain Leather Pen Case Review

I picked up the PLOTTER Grain Leather Pen Case at the Chicago Pen Show earlier this Spring. Did you know they made pen cases? I didn’t, until I was standing in front of their table in May. So, what’s a person in my situation to do? Buy one, of course!

Yes, it was a spur of the moment decision. I mean, have you handled one of these yet? They are so soft. And the color I chose, this Natural leather, is not available on the website. FOMO much?

I’ve spent ample time with this case since then, primarily on my desk. That is a telling factor, because I don’t think this design is good enough for every day portable carry. Let me break it down.

First off, the positive: this case feels amazing. The leather is thin and soft, while providing enough protection. The finishing around the seams, pocket, zipper, and magnet are perfect. To no ones surprise, it is extremely well made.

Functionality is where this case falls off, and I have an opinion as to why. I use a lot of fountain pens, and this case is not designed for these larger pens. PLOTTER also does not sell any fountain pens, so given that, maybe it is perfectly designed for what they sell. If I was loading this case with two of their ballpoints and two of their mechanical pencils - with some extra leads and erasers in the pocket - maybe I would have had a better time with it.

The fact remains that I use a lot of different pens and pencils, and this case is not a good fit for most of them.

The pen slots are too narrow, and too close together. The flap to cover the pens is too short. Pen clips touch when you roll it closed. When closed, the pens sit on each other awkwardly, giving it that poorly wrapped burrito vibe. And this is before I attempt to put anything into the zip pocket, which only exacerbates the situation.

I want it to be good. For highly-specific setups, it can be. For more random use, especially with fountain pens, it is not good enough.

*A proper setup, with narrower pens and clips turned inward. The zip pouch holds more than you think.*

Will PLOTTER run out version two of this product? I kind of hope not, because I would like to see a complete rework, not an iteration of this one. I don’t think it can get there from here.

If you are interested in carrying your narrower pens and pencils (maybe it is my Spoke Design case?) then I do think you will enjoy it. Even at $85, it is more than fairly priced for what it is, and is available in three different color options - Brown, Gray, and Navy - to boot. Just be very sure it fits your needs before making the purchase.

(I purchased this product from PLOTTER at the 2023 Chicago Pen Show at a discount.)

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Posted on July 24, 2023 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Plotter, Pen Case, Accessories Review.

Plotter Mesh Case Review

If you're following the stationery sensation that is Plotter, you probably already know that the temptations on their tables have gone beyond their elegant binders. Among their accessory offerings is the Plotter Mesh Case. They come in various sizes and colors, though the one I have is different from the ones that appear on the site. This one is in landscape orientation, with the opening on a long edge, and it is a pale pink color that is not currently listed online. According to the Plotter Instagram post, this was a limited edition for the Chicago Pen Show.

The cases are sized to fit the Plotter binders, but they're handy for lots of things. It should be noted that I couldn't fit a standard A5 notebook in the A5 mesh case, but the design of the case allows it to hold a lot more than you might think. I was able to fit a small novel, a few pocket notebooks, a handful of pens, and plenty more inside. It seems very flat and 2D when lying on the desk, but it has some secret ballooney power that expands to fit a whole bunch of items.

The case has a hinged opening that is spring-loaded, so it pulls open easily and self-closes when you let go. The closure is firm enough that nothing falls out when the case is held upside-down. It's actually very satisfying to open and close it. The only downside to the design is that you can't make it stay open if you want it to. If you're storing a bunch of markers in the case and you want a different color, you can't just reach in and grab another. You're going to need both hands to open the case every time.

The body of the case is separated into two compartments. The front is a mesh pocket that allows you to see what's inside at a glance. The back compartment is solid PU leather. Both appear to have about the same volume.

Overall, I think this is a nice product, and the prices listed on the Plotter site are very fair. The A5 case on the site is listed at $22. That's right in line with similar products you might find from other brands, though the construction of this one is nicer than many I've used.

The only issues I had were the slightly-too-small size (I would like to be able to fit an A5 notebook inside), the fact that there's no way to keep it from snapping shut, and the unpleasant odor that comes with some PU leather. This one was particularly stinky, even after I propped it open with a pen stand to let it air out for a few days. I have a pretty sensitive nose, so it may not bother others as much as it bothered me. And it didn't bother me enough to stop me from eyeing the other sizes and colors available.

(This product was purchased from Plotter at the Chicago Pen Show.)

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