Galen Leather A5 Expansi 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 Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

I have loved using my Galen Leather A5 Zip folio for years, and it shows. It has the patina of many grand adventures. And while it has a dignified worn look, it is far from wearing out. We have many adventures ahead of us! It's perfect for holding an A5 notebook, my writing pens, and a few accessories. But there are some instances where my chaos has outgrown it, specifically at work. The Galen Leather A5 Expansi Folio saves the day, here.

My work kit, which follows me from my desk, to meetings, to the reference desk, and on outreach adventures, can get unruly. I have a notebook for taking notes, my planner for making plans, a selection of pens for color coding, a pencil because librarians just need pencils, a general writing pen, stickers (always, and I don't know why), dozens of tiny slips of paper with random notes and call numbers on them, and whatever else I gather throughout my day. And my keys! And my phone, sometimes. Maybe a chapstick. It all takes up space, and the Expansi Folio has the space that I need. There's a pocket for everything.

The Expansi Folio is nearly twice as thick as the regular folio, so I can work in layers. Inside the right cover, there's a flap-folder pocket where you can put a notebook or a notepad. In the spine is a key ring attachment. And on the left there are three elastic tool loops, a handful of card slots, and a removable pen-holder that has elastics for four pens. With a slim notebook on the right, I can fit a variety of writing tools and still fit my Hobonichi Weeks Mega alongside them. And I can stuff the card slots with all the random stickers and papers that I need.

The inside of the case is lined with a suede-like microfiber that will keep the contents safe from scratches and will not transfer any dye to your supplies. The outside is a vegetable tanned leather that shows its character with age. This one is the Crazy Horse Blue, which is more of a teal color in this instance. Colors and markings will vary with each unique piece of leather. Mine is already starting to show its battle scars after a few weeks of work, but aren't we all? The zipper that closes the folio is a brass YKK zipper that goes all the way around the case, stopped only by its spine piece. This allows the case to lie open flat while you use it. The whole piece is a simple but effective design that is effortlessly practical, which is why my older one has stayed in rotation for so long.

The Expansi Folio sells for $149 at Vanness Pens, which is very fair for their handmade quality and durability. It's a big price tag, but a small investment for something that will last forever.

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Galen Leather Magnetic Flap Five Pen Case Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

There's always room in my collection for new bags and cases, even if I seem to run out of space to store these things every so often. It's difficult to decline new cases and bags that fit a single purpose because of course we want to be prepared for that single eventuality. In practice, you can never be sure if a bag or case will truly fit the purpose you have in mind until you've had some time to try it for yourself. Sometimes, you discover that the bag or case just doesn't work like you had hoped, and you have to rotate it out of your collection. But for the times where the new bag or case fits that need perfectly, it's all worth it.

The Galen Leather Magnetic Flap Case is a well-crafted addition to any pen storage collection. What caught my eye most is the fact that this case has an individual pen slot for each pen inside the larger case. This means you get a little more protection for each pen since they stay nice and cozy in their little area.

The next thing that caught my attention is the magnetic closure design. I'm a big sucker for magnets, and I'm always interested in something includes magnets as part of the open/closing mechanism. For this case, there's a strong magnet that holds the flap against the front of the case. It's strong enough to keep the flap in place when other objects come in contact or move across the case, but it still only requires a little effort to actually open. Closing is a snap, since the magnets are obliged to follow the laws of physics.

The materials used with this case are the same level of quality you'll find in other Galen Leather products, which is to say the quality is excellent. I'm a big fan of the Crazy Horse Green colorway that they offer, but there are plenty of other great colors to pick from for this case.

This colorway uses a leather with a dark green hue, and then it's also been distressed a bit to look more worn in. Even with this effect, you can expect even more character to develop as you use the case. All of the seams and joints are strong and neat. When you handle this case, it feels like an object that was made by hand (because it was) with a high level of care and attention to detail.

Being a leather product, you can expect a bit of "breaking in" as you start using it. For me, this mostly meant that the individual pen slots were a little tight on some pens at the beginning, but they loosened up a bit with use. The cool thing about magnets is that they won't wear out any time soon, so the closing mechanism on this case should hold up much longer than the case.

For me, this case is for carrying fountain pens. For that purpose, I think it works great. There's enough room for five full-size fountain pens to fit snugly while still being easy to remove them or stow them back in their pockets. I have found that this case works much better if you position the pens so that the clip (if the pen has a clip) isn't attached to the leather sleeve. I just store the pen with the clip facing the open space of the sleeve where it connects to the larger case assembly — the clip is just tucked into the corner.

While you can use any case in the way that makes sense for you, I don't think this case will work well for gel pens, pencils, or other small diameter pens. Wood case pencils won't fit unless they're about a third used, and other small diameter pens won't stay put, diminishing the value of a case that keeps pens separated while stored. Sure, you can use the pen clip to ensure it won't move, but that adds effort to the process of stowing or removing the pen from the case. In my use, this case fits the purpose of carrying several fountain pens in a stylish, protective fashion.

The Galen Leather Magnetic Flap Five Pen Case is a great case for carrying around a few fountain pens, and it will keep them nice and secure in the process. I love the strong magnetic closure mechanism and the distressed look of the leather material. It's something that I'm sure will last longer than me, and I love the warm hand-made feel that elevates it something more than just an inanimate object. For $74, you can pick up your own case in Crazy Horse Green or any of the other excellent colors that Galen Leather offer.

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Galen Leather Co. Legacy Collection Leather TwinFlip Case Giveaway

Galen Leather is always designing fun and functional cases, and this Leather TwinFlip Case is a great take on the traditional three pen holder. The exterior leather is smooth and soft, and the case is lined with an Orange silk and cotton fabric. I have one to give away this week, so read the rules below and enter away!

Galen Leather Co. Legacy Collection Leather TwinFlip Case Giveaway