I do love a well-dressed notebook. And I definitely need a sturdy containment center for my notes on the go. A good A5 case is an essential for me--I carry one with me everywhere I go, literally from room to room. As such, I've tried a lot of different types and styles, some of which have worked for me and I've used them till they fell apart, and some of which don't work for me at all. This Coal Creek Bainbridge A5 cover lands somewhere in the middle of that spectrum, leaning toward the great end.
To begin with what I think is its best feature: holy cats, this is well made, from really fine materials. The construction is precise, and the leather is by far the sturdiest I've ever encountered in a notebook cover. I'm pretty sure you could throw this cover over the back of a horse and use it as a saddle.* The layers of leather on the front and back will give any notebook you put inside a lifetime of protection. Maybe several. This thing will probably outlive me. A single layer of leather forms the spine, allowing it to be more flexible and accommodate a variety of notebook inserts. The Coal Creek website has the Bainbridge listed by insert brand, so if you have a specific favorite notebook, you could select the cover by that and be sure to get a proper fit. I'm not certain, however, if there is really any difference between all the A5 size covers--is there actually a difference between the covers for the A5 Leuchtturm and the A5 Rhodia? I'm not sure. I have tried my cover on a wide variety of A5 notebooks, and they've all fit well. In fact, I have three A5 notebooks in there now, plus a few extras.
Coal Creek describes their design aesthetic as minimalist, and this cover does fit that definition. That's not how I use my covers, though. I have maximal things to do, and my cover needs to somehow contain all that chaos. This one does a decent job of that. The intended use is for one A5 notebook to be used, with its back cover inserted into the right-inside folder pocket of the cover. Right now, I have the Midori A5 planner in that spot. There's also a slit in this pocket that will allow an elastic band to come through, so if you're using a notebook with a band closure, it won't block that feature. On the left inside, there's another folder-style pocket, a 1/2 size pocket, and a card slot. That other folder is meant to hold a device or additional papers. Right now, that spot holds the covers of two slim A5 card-cover notebooks (a Midori MD and an Apica monthly schedule book), a Field Notes Dime Novel edition, and about 20 pages of printer paper folded in half. In the 1/2 pocket, I keep important scratch paper notes, and I have about 10 business cards in the card slot. I might be abusing the generous space of this cover a little bit, but it does successfully hold all of these things. The monthly schedule will be phased out at the end of this month, as I transition fully to the 2020 planner, but there's a good chance another notebook will take its place.
I also have a pen in the elastic loop that is positioned so that it sits in the spine of the case. In the online photos, that loop is on the outside edge. I'm not sure why mine is in a different spot, but I prefer it where it is. It doesn't interfere with my layered notebook sandwich, and it keeps my pen safe.
My notebook cover is a lovely chocolate brown, but you can custom order your case from a wide selection of colors, and even choose your stitching color. The pen loop is optional, and there is also an option for a snap closure. They also provide monogramming if you want to personalize your cover further.
Overall, I think this is a very good cover. I've been using it for months and I don't have any legitimate complaints. Because of how I use it, and what I need my covers to do, it's not ideal for my purposes. I need a reliable closure of some kind to help make sure all those extra bits and bobs don't fall out as I run around my library or home. I need room for more pens or accessories. Basically, I need something that is not minimal. The maximal covers, though, tend to clock in at a maximal price, whereas this Coal Creek Bainbridge is quite reasonably priced at $85. I would honestly have expected a price over $100 for something that feels this finished. And a good saddle costs thousands.
*Please don't actually do this.
(Coal Creek Leather provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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