Baron Fig Black Box Limited Edition Review

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

Baron Fig, makers of fine notebooks and writing instruments, recently started offering limited editions of their popular notebooks. They've also mentioned plans for limited editions of their entire product line, but that's neither here or now. The current limited edition is called The Black Box, and it's a mystery set of Vanguards that comes in a (can you guess?) black box.

This is the first limited edition Vanguard, and it comes in the "flagship" size (5.4" by 7.7") only. This works great for me since it's my favorite size by far out of their 3 offerings. Unlike the normal line of notebooks, you aren't able to choose the paper type. Instead, this notebook ships with dot grid paper only. If you happen to enjoy or prefer dot grid, that's fantastic. I do! But, I can imagine this might put off some buyers if you prefer a different paper type.

Since this is the same Vanguard that we know and love, the main difference here is the packaging and the notebook covers. Personally, I'm in love with the covers and think they're definitely worth buying.

First off, the box is a dark black with a smattering of little symbols and glyphs that hint at what's inside. Apart from that, there's minimal branding. Upon opening the box, there's a paper insert that describes the mystery edition, and then there are three Vanguard notebooks beneath.

All three notebooks feature the same color cover. To me, it's a dark chocolate brown that looks great. Now, on to the fun part. Each notebooks adopts a unique color and theme of symbols. The yellow symbols point toward the Bermuda Triangle, the orange/red symbols imply aliens or UFOs, and the green notebook hints at the legend of Bigfoot. The symbology and colors they've used in these covers is really fun, and I've been enjoying it immensely.

The yellow notebook (Bermuda Triangle) has a lighthouse, anchor, compass, airplane, boat, and radar screen on the cover. At the center of the cover, there's a triangle symbol that offers the biggest hint as to the mystery it's alluding to.

The red/orange notebook (UFOs and aliens) has similar symbols, such as a cactus, telescope, Saturn, a picture of an alien head, and a jet fighter. At the center of this cover is a UFO. Again, the design of these icons is fun and well-done.

Finally, the green notebook (Bigfoot!) features a collection of mountain ranges, maps, binoculars, tents, lanterns, a giant footprint, and finally a set of trees in the center.

These symbols are fun because you can't just look at one of them and determine what the theme of the cover is. You have to consider all of the symbols before you can name the mystery, and that's what makes it fun and delightful.

Apart from the covers, these are standard Vanguard notebooks. Same paper, same specs, same number of pages, etc. Some people have complained about the lack of "special edition-ness," but I really enjoyed this set. I'm not sure I'm ready to sign up for a subscription yet (I have too many notebooks already), but it's definitely something I will keep my eye on as Baron Fig continue to roll out more limited edition products.

The paper quality hasn't changed since other reviews, which is a good thing. When I reviewed the original Confidant, I noted that the paper was a great quality with some serious tooth. The Vanguard has smoother paper, but it still has that signature tooth. The dot grid pattern is a very light gray and gets out of your way if necessary. This paper will handle anything you throw at it. Gel pens, ballpoints, brush pens, fountain pens, and even some water colors.

This is a fun limited edition of a great product. I really enjoy the design of the covers, and I'll enjoy using these notebooks over the next few months. Since the insides are the same as the standard line, you know exactly what you're getting! If you enjoy good iconography and good notebooks, this is a match made in heaven. Grab a set before they're all gone!

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Leuchtturm1917 Pocket A6 Sketchbook 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 Twitter.)

The build quality of Leuchtturm notebooks is always bound to impress. They're simple, functional, and durable--and with the bright colors, they're also fun. The Pocket A6 Sketchbook has all of the staple necessities of a standard Leuchtturm: a sturdy hardback cover, expandable back pocket, ribbon bookmark, elastic closure, thread binding, acid-free paper, and sticker labels. Because it's a sketchbook and not a journal, the pages are blank and not numbered, and there is no index in the front. Perhaps it's my inner librarian talking, but I'd still love a table of contents, even for sketches.

The paper is white, 180 gsm. It has a good bit of tooth to it and works best with pencil, rollerball ink, and brush pen or marker. I was surprised that there was no feathering with the wet marker I used. Fountain pens feathered a little, but not as much as I expected. I think this notebook would hold up well for pen-and-ink drawings, or could be used as a freeform journal.

I tried a dip pen with a flex nib, and that didn't go well at all. The nib snagged at the page, the ink feathered like a baby chicken, and it bled through the page and onto the next one. The paper stood up to some light watercolor use. There was some mild wrinkling, but not severe. In places where water was used more heavily, however, there was a little bleeding and deterioration of the paper.

The notebook does lay open quite well once the spine has been trained. It's a bit stiff at first, but putting it through a little notebook yoga did wonders. At 96 pages of thick paper, this book has a lot of girth for a small sketchbook. Despite its claim to being a pocket notebook, I don't think it would fit comfortably in a pocket, and it didn't fit in my pocket notebook cases. It is, however, a good size for slipping into a purse or briefcase for on-the-go sketches. It wouldn't take up much space in a daypack or messenger bag. The plentiful pages would be nice for travel, when you need something portable but don't want to run out of pages or carry multiple books.

My nine-year-old, who has claimed this on the grounds that it is his favorite color, intends to use it to write out LEGO instructions for his very complicated and important designs.

I personally prefer my sketchbooks to handle more sloppy media, but I think this book has a lot to offer a pen-and-ink or pencil sketcher with places to be. You just can't beat Leuchtturm's sturdy reliability.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Galen Leather Notebook Cover: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

Galen Leather has galloped onto the scene with beautiful leather products. I am reviewing their leather notebook cover for 3.5 x 5.5 size notebooks.

The review unit sent to Pen Addict is a beautiful burgundy color. This particular model is $44.00, but there are other versions ranging from $37.00 to $39.00. I’ve been carrying this in my purse for a couple of months, and the leather is unmarred and as perfect as the day I removed it from its box.

The notebook comes in a brown cardboard box.

An evil eye charm is also enclosed. I wish the charm was attached to a ribbon or a band so you could use it as a bookmark or a cover closure.

The cover and inside pockets are hand-stitched with waxed thread.

Inside there is a pen holder and two pockets for credit cards or business cards, plus the pockets for inserting a notebook.

The leather is soft and supple unlike many notebook covers that are made of more rigid leather.

You can fit a variety of notebooks in this leather cover. It was made with Field Notes in mind, but you can use any notebooks in the 3.5 x 5.5 size (Word Notebooks, Rhodia, etc.). Unfortunately this version is a bit too small for the Hobonichi Techo (though Galen makes a cover specifically for the Hobonichi).

This is a lovely cover, but there are a few things I don’t like about it. First, the pen holder is too small to hold most fountain pens. In fact, the only one that fits (barely) is my Lamy 2000. Since this notebook is in my purse, and I don’t like my fountain pens being exposed, I have been carrying it with a Pilot Hi-Tec C pen instead.

The cover seems to be a bit large for the notebooks it’s made for. For example, if you put a Word notebook in, the cover flops over and seems ill fitted. Of course you can put more than one notebook in to make the cover more rigid, but it seems like the size could be just a bit smaller for these thin notebooks.

Another thing I don’t like about this notebook is that it has no closure. Sure, if you carry notebooks in your pocket, this probably isn’t an issue. But I don’t have pockets in most of my clothes, so this notebook is either in my purse, a backback, or in my hands. Because the leather is so soft, it can easily fold or open up in a bag. I much prefer having a means of closing it to keep cards, the pen, and the notebook protected. A basic snap closure might make this notebook a bit more secure.

I really like Galen leather products. They are made in Instanbul, Turkey. The notebooks are high quality and reasonably priced. They offer a variety of sizes, including Traveler’s Notebook, Moleskine, Leuchtturm1917, Field Notes, Hobonichi, Rhodia, and Baron Fig. Check them out at Galen Leather.

(Galen Leather provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)