Blog · Everyday Carry
Galen Leather TwinFlip Review: Is the $85 Pen Case Worth It?
$85 is a lot of money, but there's a benefit to just having a high quality piece of leather that you're going to enjoy using and that is going to care for your pens.
The Galen Leather Legacy TwinFlip is a handmade leather case for five pens. I have used it for about a week, and in this review I compare it to my all-time favorite pen case, the Lochby Quattro.
Galen Leather sent me the TwinFlip and an A5 notebook cover to review.
They sent both products for free, but they are not paying me to say anything. All the opinions here are my own.
What you actually get
The TwinFlip is designed for five pens, one per slot. Right now mine holds four fountain pens and a multi pen, which is a little thicker than the others. I loaded it with as much of what I usually carry in my Lochby Quattro as it would take.
When you open the case, the five pen slots are generous enough to hold even my thicker pens.
Below the pen slots are a couple of card slots and a bigger slot for something larger.
I use those slots for cards or sticky notes.
My first impression was how soft the leather is.
I really wanted a leather case for my pens, and the TwinFlip delivers that. The leather arrived fairly soft rather than stiff, and it is softening even more with use.
I am not worried about scratching the leather. I like to use my things, and wear does not bother me.
If wear does bother you, know that pen clips may leave marks on the leather. I see that as part of using the case the way I enjoy.
The Deep Cognac color costs about $85 at the moment. The case ships from overseas, so shipping may add a little to the cost.
The quality is obvious. The case is handmade, and the leather feels great and soft in the hand.
The stitching is excellent, with no signs of coming apart. The case looks like it was made with care from the first stitch to the last.
Overall, the quality of Galen Leather's products is very high.
Tall pens vs regular size
Tall pens are the TwinFlip's one fit problem. My Midori dot markers fit inside the Lochby Quattro, but in the TwinFlip they are too tall to sit comfortably.
If you carry a tall pen, check its length before you buy, because it may not fit.
Regular-size pens fit well. My TWSBI Eco and my Monteverde Innova Ti both sit comfortably in the slots.
Because each pen gets its own slot, the pens never touch each other. They stay separated, so nothing gets scratched.
So far, the TwinFlip has been my daily driver.
I have especially enjoyed the high-quality leather.
The leather even sounds and smells beautiful, and I have really been enjoying the case.
The A5 cover they sent with it
Galen Leather also sent me their slim A5 notebook cover in Crazy Horse leather, in forest green.
It is very soft to the touch, and I am excited to watch it develop a patina. Green is also my favorite color.
It is a deep green, close to the olive and vintage colors of the Sarasa gel pens.
The cover feels great in the hand. The Crazy Horse leather feels rough but premium at the same time, which is a hard balance to achieve.
The notebook attaches with a couple of flaps, and there is a slot that fits a card or something longer.
The cover costs about $54, which I think is a great price for this quality of leather.
Some other covers cost north of $100, so $54 is a good deal. Because it is slim, the cover adds very little bulk to the notebook.
TwinFlip vs the Lochby Quattro
The TwinFlip and the A5 cover both cost real money, and $85 for a pen case is a lot for many people.
If I am carrying high-quality pens and want to keep them from getting scratched, it is a small price to pay. There are definitely cheaper alternatives out there.
For me, the leather and the way it feels are worth it. When I enjoy the things I use, I use them a lot more.
If you want to store up to five pens, the TwinFlip is a great product. It holds them securely and keeps them from scratching.
It has earned a spot in my lineup so far.
If you prefer something more rugged, the waxed canvas Lochby Quattro can carry maybe twice as many pens when you really load it up.
And if you just drop a pen in your pocket and call it good, you may not need a case at all.
| Galen Leather TwinFlip | Lochby Quattro | |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Leather (Deep Cognac) | Wax canvas |
| Rated capacity | 5 pens | 4 protected, up to 8 doubled up |
| Pen separation | Five separate slots | Sleeves; pens double up when full |
| Best for | The leather and the feeling | Rugged, more pens |
I will be doing a more in-depth review that compares the TwinFlip and the Quattro feature by feature. Until then, the TwinFlip is part of my full carry, and the full video shows the case up close.
The gear worth a look
- Galen Leather TwinFlip: handmade leather in Deep Cognac, with five separate pen slots, for about $85.
- A5 cover by Galen Leather: Crazy Horse leather in forest green, for about $54.
- Lochby Quattro: the waxed canvas case I compared it against. It can carry maybe twice as many pens if you really load it up.
- TWSBI Eco: a regular-size pen that fits the TwinFlip's slots.
- Midori dot markers: they fit the Quattro but are too tall to sit comfortably in the TwinFlip.
- Monteverde Innova Ti: another regular-size pen that fits the TwinFlip's slots.
- Zebra Sarasa: the olive and vintage colors are the closest match to the A5 cover's deep green.
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Related reading
- My Everyday Carry Setup: Aer Day Sling 4 Max Review
- The 10 Pens I Actually Reach for Every Day (Ranked by Use)
- Best Pocket Notebook for Everyday Carry? I Carry Three Instead
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pens does the Galen Leather TwinFlip actually hold?
The Galen Leather TwinFlip is designed for five pens, one per slot. I carry four fountain pens and a thicker multi pen in mine.
Will a Midori pen fit in the Galen Leather TwinFlip?
Midori dot markers are too tall to sit comfortably in the Galen Leather TwinFlip, although they fit in the Lochby Quattro. Regular-size pens like the TWSBI Eco fit well.
Is the Galen Leather TwinFlip better than the Lochby Quattro?
The Galen Leather TwinFlip is better if you want soft leather and separate slots for up to five pens. The waxed canvas Lochby Quattro is better if you want something more rugged that can carry maybe twice as many pens.
Is $85 too much for a pen case?
$85 is a lot of money for a pen case, but for me the Galen Leather TwinFlip is worth it, because it is high-quality leather I enjoy using and it keeps my pens from getting scratched.