(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!)
The Doughnut Pen Case is a simple concept perfectly executed. Overall it's a very plain case--just a long fabric box with a zip closure--no bells or whistles. Sometimes that's exactly what you need.
The case is made out of a 400D nylon that is water-resistant and has a lovely shine to it. This one is a nice charcoal and olive green, though there are teals and mustards available as well. It has a metal zip tab with plastic zipper teeth, and a knotted paracord pull attached. The inside is lined with a more lightweight nylon fabric, and all the seams are enclosed in bias tape, so there are no cut edges or threads dangling inside. There is one brand tag on the front of the case.
The simple silhouette of this case disguises a surprising capacity. While it's too short to hold some lengthy pencils, it can hold a ton of pens. Not literally a ton, but a whopping 37 gel pens fit into this baby. I probably could have fit a few more, but this was as many as it could hold while still feeling relaxed while zipping it up. It didn't feel stuffed.
The water-resistant material makes this perfect for carrying painting supplies like water brushes or anything that might get a little leaky. It will contain the mess to the case, which is washable, and protect the other items in your bag.
As a simple zip pouch, it has thousands of potential uses beyond the stationery sphere. It would be perfect for crochet or knitting notions, for camping utensils, as a small packing cube. It could even fit a mini travel umbrella, a kid's leaky sippy cup ... All sorts of things.
It's not inexpensive for a zip pouch, coming in at $19.50 at JetPens. It's about what you'd pay for a similar pouch from Tom Bihn or Topo Designs, which are arguably a tier above this one in construction and materials. But this pouch is easily just one step down from those elites, whereas most pen pouches are leagues behind. I'd say it's very slightly overpriced, but not unfairly expensive.
My kids usually end up claiming all the pen cases I review, but this one I'm keeping. In fact, it's going straight into my suitcase for my upcoming trip. I think it's the perfect size to contain my travel blanket, or maybe it will hold my stash of granola bars, or my makeup, or... Gotta love a simple zip pouch.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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