Stationery Spotlight: Robrasim Leather A5 6-Ring Planner
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Recently, I’ve found myself in need of an A5 6-ring binder, which isn’t something I’ve had much experience with. I wasn’t sure what to look for at first and I needed it quickly, so I asked around and landed on a leather cover by Robrasim. This isn’t my first experience with Robrasim, and previous impressions have been positive, so I went ahead and ordered it.
Packaging/Presentation
Right out of the gate, the cover was very neatly packed and presented! It’s a beautiful package; however, I think the barcode ruins it and would have been placed elsewhere on the box. The good news is that it can easily be peeled off without damaging the box underneath, which is excellent if you plan on gifting this to someone.
The presentation continues once you get it out of the box. The cover was wrapped in a cloth drawstring bag and came packaged with a postcard and a bookmark.
First Impressions | Build | Layout
I ordered the cover in the coffee color (although it was difficult not to choose the red one). It’s beautiful! The leather is soft to the touch but feels sturdy enough. I especially like the stitching: it’s thick, neat, and consistent. It stands out, and it’s my favorite part about the look of the cover. Out of the box, the tuck closure is a little tight, but I expect it to loosen up over prolonged use, and it’s probably better that it’s tighter to begin with.
Inside the cover, there’s a lot to take in! On the left side, there’s a zipper pocket fitted with metal hardware by YKK, a card pocket, a bill pocket/tab, and another more general pocket that’s roughly the size of a pocket notebook (and it will fit one comfortably). It also came with a plastic card holder insert, which is nice. On the right side, there’s a pen loop and another general storage pocket built into the backing of the cover. Similar to the plastic card holder, there’s also a plastic zip pouch. The rings are sturdy and easy to operate.
I especially like the perfectly pocket-notebook-sized pocket on the inside cover.
The Paper
The notebook comes with what they describe as 100 gsm archival paper. There’s a generous amount in there too, in both lined and blank sheets. Sadly, it doesn’t look like they sell exact refills for this paper, so you’ll have to find your own inserts eventually, but I’ll put the paper through it’s tests anyway.
From my tests, it’s a decent paper. It’s slightly textured, and it handles most pens nicely. The only thing that bled through the paper was the two Sharpie markers (that bleed through just about everything). The rollerball almost bled through in one spot, but not quite.
Ferris Wheel Press Steeped Umber | Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-peki
For fountain pen inks in particular, the paper handles it nicely without bleeding or feathering, but it doesn’t necessarily bring out all the unique qualities of individual inks. It works well enough, but the overall look is more muted compared to other fountain pen-friendly papers.
A Minor Quirk and an Easy Solution
Ironically, one of my favorite aspects of the cover’s design is also a cause of minor annoyance. Because the zipper is a hard, raised protrusion, it can make the paper uncomfortable to write on the backside. This is a regular problem with most covers filled with pockets, but it’s especially uncomfortable here.
Thankfully, the solution is as simple as some acrylic dividers (I got these). They’re solid enough to sit between the paper and the rest of the cover to make it comfortable to write anywhere! (Or I suppose you could just pull the sheet out). Of course, they’re great for dividing up your inserts, too.
The Verdict
There’s not a lot else to say. The cover looks and feels great, and it’s perfect if you’re looking for something a little nicer and want the extra organization from all the extra pockets. Personally, I don’t mind having to get a hard divider to block the zipper, because that’s something I’d be getting anyway, as it’s simply a better surface to write on. I’m looking forward to getting plenty of use out of it!
Links!
Robrasim Leather A5 6-Ring Planner (Amazon)
Acrylic Dividers (Amazon)
Text used for writing samples: Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery (Amazon)