PEN CASE REVIEW: ESTERBROOK NOOK V2

Esterbrook released their own line of pen cases last year - the NOOK - but they literally revised it even before I had the chance to review it! The revised version however, the Esterbrook NOOK Navy - we'll call it v2 for now - is quite a strong departure from the concept of the original NOOK, in some cases for the better, in other instances... well, let's have a look, shall we?

The looks have certainly changed quite drastically, not in the least because of the more structural changes they made to the way the case functions. If anything, the overall shape of the NOOK is still very much sizeable and bulky. It's also still of course a hard pen case, with a sturdy inner structure that provides rigidity to the case.

Stylistically though, the NOOK took quite a 180-degree turn from the very classic, cognac leather-look and paisley interior fabric of the first version, to a more modern and younger blue faux-leather and bright red fabric interior with the modern Esterbrook 'X' logo (yes, I still refuse to call that an 'infinity' logo) imprinted all over it. Not to mention the contrasting red stitching all over the exterior of the case!

The magnetic pushbutton closure and double front flap design (not dissimilar from the split tailgate of some SUVs!) replaces the two-part construction of version one, and that's a good thing. One of the major issues with version one was the risk of sliding out the 'pen drawer' while holding the case upside down, and having your pens plain fall out. The new design prevents that by having a clear top and bottom, but also implements elastic bands throughout each slot, so the pens are secured in place even when the case is open. 

The cutouts for the elastic could've been finished a bit cleaner

The elastic bands are both a good and a bad bullet point on my list. Good: the premise works, pens are indeed securely kept in place. Even smaller or shorter pens that would otherwise roam freely and happily throughout the case, stay put. But the flip side is that the elastic is placed in a somewhat awkward position, I feel. Being dead-center in the middle of the slots, you have to maneuver pens underneath it, and it can be a bit tricky or tight depending on the size of the pen. If they had moved the elastic down to about 1/3rd the height of the case, it probably would've been much easier to take pens in and out. 

The slots at either side of the case are also a bit less easy to use, due to how the elastic is attached underneath the bottom of the case (see picture above), so you have to manually lift the elastic up to slide a pen underneath. It's - in essence - a functional design, but I think it could be implemented just a little bit better, still... maybe something for version three?

Visconti Dreamtouch (top  left), Franklin-Christoph Penvelope 6 (top right), Esterbrook NOOK v2 (bottom left), Franklin-Christoph NPV (bottom right)

Top to bottom: Franklin-Christoph NPV, Galen 10-pen case, Visconti Dreamtouch, Esterbrook NOOK v2, Franklin-Christoph Penvelope 6

The first NOOKs were absolutely massive, so luckily they managed to slim down version 2 just a bit. Make no mistake, these are still large cases though! Regardless of the version (1-, 2-, 3-, 6- and 12-pen capacity!), the NOOK cases are 17.2 cm/ 6.77" tall, and 3.5 cm/ 1.38" thick. The slots are all roughly 1.8-2 cm/ 0.75" wide. The 6-pen case is 14.7 cm/ 5.79" wide, but since those numbers are more than likely absolutely useless, I put it up against some other cases with a 6 pen capacity, and the similarly-sized Galen 10 pen case. The NOOK is the second-to-largest of the bunch, with only the Franklin-Christoph Penvelope 6 being a good bit larger still.

In terms of size, the massive hardcover flap obviously takes up a ton of space when opened up (and obviously you want it open, to look at your pens!). I hoped they would've made it so the front flap can fold behind the back of the case (maybe even function as sort of a kickstand?), but that's not the case... maybe another idea for a future version three?

L to R: Esterbrook JR, Estie, Estie Oversized, Montblanc 149, Pelikan M1005, Platinum #3776, Lamy 2000, Lamy Safari, Kaweco Sport, SCHON DSGN P6

The NOOK's large form factor has one obvious benefit: space! Despite being almost one centimeter less tall, the slots are still spacious at 15.8 cm/6.22" by 2 cm/ 0.79", enough to accommodate very large pens - like Esterbrook's own Estie Oversized (reviewed HERE), although the elastic makes getting those in and out a bit trickier. Only the single pen case is a bit of an outlier here, being less space-efficient and thus less convenient for larger and wider pens than its larger brethren! Overall, the slots are noticeably more padded than on the old version, and the fabric for the interior feels softer to the touch too. I definitely feel more comfortable putting expensive pens in this case than in version one.

Overall, in terms of functionality, the NOOK hits a real high note, maybe with exception of the somewhat unfortunate placement of the elastic. A lot of pen cases struggle finding a good balance between offering functionality for either very large, or very small pens. The NOOK is actually one of the first cases I'ce come across that manages to accomodate substantial pens, yet pocket pens don't get lost in a sea of space either! No matter what size, the NOOK offers excellent protection for your pens.

My biggest gripe with version two of the NOOK is that it feels noticeably less premium than its predecessor, while still coming in at the same price. While the fake leather feels nice (a bit softer and more 'real' than the first version), fit and finish could definitely be better. The edges of the leather aren't always nicely trimmed and tucked in, and all parts of the case are glued (in some areas you can see the glue between two parts), with the stitching existing purely for aesthetic reasons.

Aesthetically, the Esterbrook NOOK v2 is a bit more out there compared to the more classic styling of most other pen cases, but that's down to personal preferences. While the red and blue color scheme is perhaps not my first choice, I do enjoy the NOOK from a practical point of view. It has been a staple in my daily carry for a while now, and there's no denying that it does what it's supposed to do: protect pens! My biggest gripe with the NOOK v2 Navy is the MSRP. I feel like the construction quality is subpar with what I'd expect for a case that starts at 85€/ 85$ (single), and goes all the way up to 175€/ 175$ (12-pen) (from our site sponsor La Couronne Du Comte, get 10% off with discount code 'penthusiast'!). 

Perhaps Esterbrook took advantage of Visconti doing away with the reasonably priced Dreamtouch pen cases and replacing them with the much more expensive 'VSCT' leather collection, so the NOOK doesn't really have direct competition from other brands in their price range? That being said, I hope Esterbrook can find a way to up their build quality because that's where I feel this version of the NOOK still leaves something to be desired...

NOTE: This product was provided by Esterbrook (Kenro), 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.