(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
The concept of a pen case that can double as a stand is one that many manufacturers have tried out. It's a product that always intrigues me because it offers a lot of convenience for anyone that wants to quickly deploy a fistful of writing instruments on any work surface. In some cases, the two main functions of the case can detract from each other. The perfect balance of making a great case and a great stand can be hard to achieve.
The Sonic Sma Sta standing case is a two-in-one case and stand that endeavors to fit both uses. On the outside, it's a clean nylon package with a crescent-shaped zipper over the top of the case, while the back of the case is flat. When unzipped, the back of the case folds back and attaches to itself with a couple of magnets hidden under the nylon fabric. When the case is open like this, the bottom is a nice round shape that provides great stability for everything inside. There's a large opening in the back for storing long writing instruments, and then a smaller opening in the front for stashing smaller tools and accessories. The marketing copy says you can pop your phone into the front pocket so that it holds your phone up, but this only works on smaller phones. For example, a Pixel 7 and iPhone 13 Pro are both two wide to easily fit.
When the case is in stand mode, I've really enjoyed using it. It provides a nice level of organization and great stability for whatever I keep in in. It holds about 10-15 writing instruments when fully loaded, but the sweet spot for this case is between 6 and 12 items. If it's too loaded down, it can be difficult to pull things out of the case because there's too much friction with other nearby things. You can also splay things out a bit so they're easier to grab while the case is in stand mode. The front pocket is handy for keeping small items at bay, but I've found that I don't really use it much (more on why a little later). There's also a small pouch in the front area that has a small Velcro fastener to keep it shut, but the edges of the pouch are still open so you can store objects that are little taller than the height of the pouch. Overall, it's a great stand.
When it's time to pack up, just flip the top back up and zip it up. Easy, right? Maybe. In order to close this case, one of the sides ends up being positioned upside down, and gravity can really cause problems here. For me, I gave up on trying to store anything in the smaller compartment when packing it up as a case. I only use the larger compartment so that I don't have to worry about things falling out of the smaller compartment when I flip it and close the zipper. Even though the small pouch has a Velcro closure, it doesn't cover the entire opening and things tend to fall out with just a little movement. When you factor in the fact that the smaller compartment becomes the same area where the writing instruments are stored once the case is zipped up, I really think that Sonic didn't intend for anything to be stored in the smaller compartment.
This learning process was a bit frustrating, but fairly easy to overcome once I realized the limitations. What I haven't overcome yet is the problem of opening the case when I'm ready to use it as a stand. Let's start with the correct way to always open this case: lay it flat on its back and unzip the pouch before picking it up and transforming it into a stand. What I find myself doing without even realizing it is unzipping the pouch while I'm still holding it in my hands, intending to flip it back and set it down on a desk in stand mode. Every time I do this, I manage to spill most or all of the contents of the case onto the table or floor. Yikes!
Aside from the usage problems I've had with opening this case, I still really like using it as a stand that I can easily pack up and move occasionally. I wouldn't use this is a heavy commuting case that I potentially pack and unpack multiple times a day. The process of opening the case and setting it up as a stand is just a little too chaotic for my taste, and there are other options out there that offer the same basic functionality without the uncertainty of spilling everything out when opening it.
At $20.50, it's a fair price for what you get. The materials aren't the best on the market, but it feels well-made and robust. The zipper is smooth and sure, and the stitching is tight and clean. The light blue color is fun and I appreciate the minimal branding — plus, there are several other colors to choose from. The case also looks unique due to the crescent-shaped zipper and half-pipe shape when it's closed. At this price, I'm more than happy to use this on my desk as a pen holder that I can quickly pack up every few days/weeks if needed. If you want something that you can use on the go, look for other options that are more secure when opening/closing the case!
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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