Monday, March 23, 2020

REVIEW: ASTON LEATHER PEN CASE

REVIEW: ASTON LEATHER ZIPPERED PEN CASE
Despite the name of this website, pen cases and storage options have never been my number one priority. I've reviewed a couple throughout the years (Visconti Dreamtouch case, Franklin-Christoph Penvelope, Frara Road pen roll, One Star Leather pen sleeves,...), but we're going to do things a bit more seriously from now on. Let the search for the ultimate pen case begin!

Today's review took me to Goulet Pens, to take a look at a very traditional style of carrying (fountain) pens: the zippered, folio-style pen case. More specific, the 10 pen case by Aston Leather. "Why this particular brand?", one might ask. Well, if you've followed the Goulet Pens YouTube channel  (which used to be just founder Brian Goulet, filming from his kitchen table!) long enough, you'll undoubtedly have seen Brian using these exact cases for his personal daily carry. Besides having a nice premium appearance, what has always stuck with me is that these Aston cases use a slightly different setup inside to hold the pens, that differentiates this case from the rest -at least in my opinion.
REVIEW: ASTON LEATHER ZIPPERED PEN CASE
Aston uses 'top grain' leather for this case. For those that aren't familiar, top grain is when full-grain leather (which is the complete skin) is sanded down to remove the textured top layer. So top grain DOESN'T have a top layer? [CONFUSING] Because of the sanding step, the leather that's left behind is easier to work with because it's thinner, and it has fairly little texture. The leather is coated and sealed more so than full-grain, to add a protective barrier, which creates a shiny and uniform look on the leather surface. 

The treated leather gives the case a classy appearance that matches well with the traditional and rather conservative overall design (as far as these folio-style zippered cases go, they all look roughly the same). The leather is dyed and can be had in four earthy brown or black colors (this is the 'Cognac'). The case is unbranded on the outside and is finished with a plastic zipper and weathered brass zipper pull. It's simple and unassuming on the outside, which I think is a positive. 
REVIEW: ASTON LEATHER ZIPPERED PEN CASE
The only design choice I don't necessarily love is how the zipper is actually a single piece that wraps all the way around the edge and folds over at the top of the spine. I think it would've looked classier if it was tucked into the lining of the case (as it's done on the other end of the case). On the plus side, it does perhaps allow the case to open up flat a bit easier.
REVIEW: ASTON LEATHER ZIPPERED PEN CASE
REVIEW: ASTON LEATHER ZIPPERED PEN CASE
L to R: Aston 10 pen case, Franklin-Christoph Penvelope 6, Visconti Dreamtouch 6, Frara Road 6 pen roll. Note that the Frara Road roll would be considerably thicker when filled with pens!
The Aston 10 pen case is surprisingly compact considering its generous 10 pen capacity. Measuring about 23 cm (9") by 19 cm (7.5"), with a thickness of 4 cm (1.6"), it's roughly the size of a book and so it's still very much able to fit in a bag or backpack. Compared to the Franklin-Christoph Penvelope 6, Visconti Dreamtouch 6, and Frara Road pen roll - all built to hold 6 pens - the Aston case is not that much larger, despite holding almost twice as many pens!
REVIEW: ASTON LEATHER ZIPPERED PEN CASE
REVIEW: ASTON LEATHER ZIPPERED PEN CASE
Build quality on this case is quite good. Everything is stitched together cleanly with a fine thread that matches the color of the case. The elastic loops are attached straight and the slots are evenly spaced. On the inside of the case, the spine of the case is reinforced with an extra piece of leather.
REVIEW: ASTON LEATHER ZIPPERED PEN CASE
As I said at the beginning of this review, the reason why I chose to review the Aston case, is their different approach on the inside. Aston's cases feature double elastic bands per pen. If you know me, you know that I'm incredibly OCD about avoiding my pens hitting each other, which is what happens when they're kept in place by a single elastic band. The double elastic is a feature that you don't see very often at all (to my knowledge only three brands that do this: Franklin-Christoph, Girologio, and this one), so Aston immediately scores some bonus points for that.

Now, there's a good and a bad about double elastics. The good is obviously that it does a better job keeping your pens in place (especially narrow pens that would otherwise have too much wiggle room). The bad is that it's twice as hard to get pens in and out of the case, while also maneuvering around the zipper. It's a double-edged sword, and whichever type you like best depends completely on your personal preferences and needs. Personally, I'll gladly take the extra hassle, knowing my pens are secure and protected.

If I'm being really picky here, I feel like the wider elastic band on top is maybe a bit overkill. Two narrow loops would probably require less effort to get pens in and out of the case, while still keeping them securely strapped in place.
REVIEW: ASTON LEATHER ZIPPERED PEN CASE
Another positive is the velvet divider in between the two layers of pens. It's quite thick and does a good job protecting the two layers of pens. The divider is attached to the outermost left edge of the case, so you can fold it back to reveal all 10 (or 20, if you opt for the larger 20-pen case) pens at once. The divider has a small business card pocket in leather which could be useful in some cases (for example to leave a note with your contact info, should you lose it), but it also makes the divider stiffer and thicker than it needs to be. As I said, the case opens up all the way to allow it to lay open completely flat.
REVIEW: ASTON LEATHER ZIPPERED PEN CASE
L to R: Pelikan Souverän M805, Pelikan M1005, Lamy 2000, Opus 88 Omar, Montblanc Meisterstück 149
The 10 pen case fits 10 (duh!) relatively large pens. I say relatively because yes, it will fit a chunky MB 149 or Opus Omar, as demonstrated above, but it's a tight squeeze and also adds considerable bulk to the case when closed. You won't be able to fit 10 massive pens like this comfortably, but a balanced mix of larger and smaller pens should not be an issue. More averagely-sized and less girthy pens like the Pelikan M800, Lamy 2000 or most Pilot pens, fit effortlessly. Noteworthy is that -because of the generous height of the case- it can easily deal with very long pens if they aren't too thick. The ASC Bologna Extra for example, a 16 cm (6.3") long pen that barely fits the Visconti Dreamtouch case, easily fits in here. Not bad!
REVIEW: ASTON LEATHER ZIPPERED PEN CASE
Zippered folio-style pen cases are ubiquitous in our hobby. If you've ever been to a pen show, almost every vendor and trader swears by them. There's a lot of reasons to pick one up: they fit a ton of pens in a small space, provide very decent protection, and are generally quite affordable (especially price-per-pen!).

The Aston Leather pen case adds to that the small and practical 10-pen form factor. The more secure double pen loop setup gives some additional piece-of-mind, making me more inclined to recommend this along with cases like the Visconti Dreamtouch or Franklin-Christoph Penvelope if you're looking for the best possible protection. On top of all that, the Aston Leather 10 pen case comes in at just 64$ (90$ for the 20-pen version), which is very competitively priced compared to the alternatives from Visconti and Franklin-Christoph, mentioned above!

Note: This product was provided by The Goulet Pen Company, free of charge, so I could write this review.  I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

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