(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
Always in search of a good notebook and pen case, I couldn't pass up the chance to check out Galen Leather's 10-slot pen case with A5 notebook holder. This is essentially a combination of their 20-slot pen case and the notebook folio with plenty of pen storage and compatibility for A5 notebooks that are both side and top bound.
There are plenty of options for combining a notebook holder and a few pen slots inside a zipped case, but what's special about this Galen Leather case is that it holds 10 pens in their own individual elastic loops. In my mind, this was going to be a perfect case for holding my testing pens and testing notebook in one central location since I normally have between four and ten pens inked up at a time for testing.
Like everything in life, there are tradeoffs when it comes to this product, but it can be a perfect fit for you if you consider its strengths and limitations prior to buying. But first, let's focus on the exterior of this case.
Like all the leather goods that Galen make, this case is exceptional and looks fantastic. The semi-distressed dark green leather is beautiful, and feels great in the hand. This is my first time owning any kind of leather good that has a dark green hue, and I'm in love. It still has plenty of brown tones and unique marks to let you know it's real leather, but I love the color of the finished product with this dye treatment. Paired with the forest green zipper fabric and bronze-colored zipper, the color combinations are on point.
The stitching is all tight and clean, and the attention to detail is obviously high. I like the worn-in look and feel of this leather, and I'm looking forward to the patina it takes on as I use it over the years.
Inside the case, Galen use a soft velvet fabric to line the interior covers and the divider flap that keeps your pens separate and protected from the notebook area.
On the left side of the case are ten elastic loops. The loops are all the same size and can easily stretch to accommodate a pen with a diameter of 16mm (about 2/3 of an inch), but the relaxed size of the loops is closer to 7 or 8mm (quarter of an inch), which means smaller pens aren't held in place.
There's a large flap attached to the spine of the case that provides coverage for your pens and protection for the cover your notebook. The material isn't very thick, but provides just enough cushion to prevent scuffs and dents inside the case.
The right side of the interior is where the A5 notebook is stored. There's a flap for inserting the back cover of a notebook for a tight fit, and the flap even has a horizontal slit at the top so that you can use it with a top-bound notebook or notepad. Really glad that Galen Leather added this feature! Notebooks are held securely in either configuration, and the notebooks are easy to use when inside the case — similar to any other notebook cover.
When you're ready to go, just stash your pens in their loops, close and zip the case, and throw it in a bag. It's a beautiful little system that I've really enjoyed lately. But, there are some downsides regarding the capacity of the case.
In my testing, this case works best if you only use a thin notebook (80-100 pages) instead of a standard ~220 page hardcover book. The reason for this is that the total expand-ability of the case isn't enough for a full loadout of standard diameter fountain pens and and typical hardcover notebook. The case barely zips up in this scenario, and it bulges quite a bit once closed.
For me, I've been happy with a small softcover notebook paired with ten fountain pens. There's plenty of room to zip up the case without feeling like I'm compressing anything, and that's still a lot of pens to carry.
The other limitation is that you can't carry slim pens with the same level of confidence that they'll stay put. Slim pens (like typical gel pens) are too narrow for the elastic loops to hold, so they move back and forth inside the loop. When the case is closed, there's no way for the pens to come out of the loop, but they can fly out if you forget about them and open the case in a hurry. This is something to remember! Also, the loops are centered in the interior, so you also can't use pen clips to your advantage in most cases since clips are almost always located at the top third of the pen.
Still, despite these limitations, it's a great case. I don't think these cases were designed for gel pens and fineliners. There are plenty of other options out there for those writing instruments. This case excels at storing and organizing a collection of ten fountain pens along with a notebook.
I'm fairly confident that this case will continue to break in with use, and it will probably feel less strained when fully loaded with pens and thick notebook. Everyone will have a different threshold for what they find acceptable, and I'm sure every case is just a little different in thickness. At any rate, this is a great example of the typical quality and craftsmanship you get from Galen Leather products. If this configuration isn't right for you, they have several other A5 sized notebook and pen folios that might work better for you.
At $89, the Galen Leather 10-pen holder and A5 notebook zippered case is priced fairly. The materials and craftsmanship are top notch, and this is a case that you could hand down to the next generation as long as you provide basic maintenance and care. It also makes a fantastic gift!
(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
