Focus on the Galen Leather Co. B6 Zippered Folio
Paper size standards are a funny thing. In the US we tend to use the standard of “Letter” sized paper, which is 8.5 inches wide by 11 inches long. Occasionally we’ll use “Legal” sized paper, which is the same width, but a few inches longer. But if you’ve spent any amount of time in the stationery world you’ll know that nicer notebooks and paper pads aren’t generally sold in Letter and Legal, but rather in sizes that sound like moves in a game of Battleship. A4 is the size within the ISO standard that is closest to Letter, being slightly narrower and a little bit longer, but A5 and A6 are more common as notebook sizes, being one half and one quarter the size of an A4 sheet, respectively. I won’t go through all of the equations to reach different paper sizes, there are plenty of charts available online that can walk you through all of the various size options.
One of the things that you may notice, both when shopping for notebooks or when staring at size comparison charts, is that there is a second ISO standard, the B sizes. These B sizes are slightly larger than the A sizes, and sit at a midway point between them. For example, if you find A4 paper too big, but A5 paper too small, then B5 paper may be the size you’ve been looking for. When you go shopping for notebooks the A sizes tend to be more common, but if you know what size you want, you can start by looking only at notebooks in the size you need.
And thankfully, there are companies out there like Galen Leather who recognize that not everyone is sticking to the A sizes, and whom offer products like their B6 Zippered Folio, which their generously sent me to test out and share my thoughts on.
When Galen offered me a choice of colors for their folio I was pretty excited, because I’ve long been a fan of their deeply dyed leathers. I ultimately chose their crazy horse navy blue (the crazy horse smoky grey was a close second, though), because I really like how the crazy horse leather wears in over time., taking-on a look that shows it has been used. My photos above are after months of use, showing scuffing and discolored, and I think it’s beautiful to see the usage and care just from looking at the folio. That said, if I could have had any color at all that Galen uses, I would have gone with their purple (just run a search for “purple” on the Galen site to see some examples.) I’m not sure if there are difficulties involved with making more purple items, or just Galen’s own research has shown that the demand isn’t there and I’m an outlier, but I’ve noticed that their purple color (and their red color, for that matter) don’t generally make it into their larger format offerings. They do such a gorgeous purple though that it’s worth keeping an eye for, but I digress.
The Inside of the folio is, of course, where the action is. The B6 zippered folio has a slot on the right for a B6 notebook of your choice, as is to be expected, and then a variety of pockets and loops on the left. The first thing that I immediately noticed and appreciated is that the pen loops are kept to the inside, towards the spine of the folio and away from the heavy duty zipper. That’s always one of the first things I look for in a zippered folio, which tells you that it is designed to be used, and not just laid out to look pretty without regard for scratching up your pens. As for the loops themselves, there is a pair of stacked loops that can fit two very short pens, or one short pen and one other small item, and a second loop that has space for larger pens I had no issues fitting a Wancher True Urushi pen in the latter loop and carrying it around. Two to three pens is going to be your maximum carry inside of this folio. The pen loops are color matched to the rest of the interior, which features dyed leather matching the exterior and a velvet lining. In terms of colors, the inside is just as striking as the outside.
The rest of the inner left cover has space for a couple of very small notebooks or receipts or post cards, and also a few business cards or credit cards or book marks. If you’ve been looking to replace your wallet with a notebook folio that’s slightly smaller than an A5, then this would be quite an exciting sight. If you prefer to carry a few more pens, though, then that is a compromise of this folio. However the larger A5 and B5 folios from Galen have you covered there.
Of course this is a notebook folio not just an edc case, so one of the most important things is how well you can use it with a notebook. And I’m happy to say that notebooks work in this case exactly as you’d like them to. The back cover of your notebook slides in on the right, and your notebook is held in place. You can write in the notebook directly inside of the case; no need to take your notebook out when it’s time to write. Personally, I tend to just write on one side of a page, but I did note that the left side of the folio leaves enough space for your notebook to open nicely and allow you to write on both sides of the page if you so chose. In terms of writing, it’s worth noting that the slots on the left would also make a great spot to carry blotting paper or label stickers or other flat sheets that may come in handy while writing in your notebook.
Whether or not this folio is right for you is going to come down to the size. For my own personal use, B6 is a middle ground that just isn’t ideal for me, but Galen Leather offers a larger A5 folio (and an even larger B5 folio) that hold even more pens and accessories in addition to a larger notebook, which is what I like in a larger notebook folio. Galen also offers a five pen case that fits an A6 notebook (but without the room for the extra items that the B6 folio allows.) Ultimately, the B6 folio is a compromise between the larger and smaller options, just like the B6 size of paper. Even the price falls in the middle at $89.99 for the B6 folio, versus $49.99 for the A6 case and $119.99 for the A5 folio. If you like the aesthetics of Galen Leather’s work, and you’re looking for a folio that’s not too big, but still has room for a few extras, then I would definitely recommend checking out the B6 zippered folio.
Thank you to Galen Leather Co. for providing me with this folio.
