Posts filed under Pen Case

Rickshaw Leigh Reyes Limited Sinclair R with Shoulder Strap 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 Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

The eternal conundrum: I want a pen and notebook on me at all times, everywhere I go, BUT I am often without pockets. Or if I have pockets, they are tiny. I run into this problem the most at work, where I frequently need to write things down on the go, and I also need to carry a set of keys, a chapstick, my phone, etc.

I have, over the years, tried several solutions. Overburdened lanyards (heavy on the neck and jingly). Folios with pockets (too easy to set down somewhere and walk off), cardigans with pockets (the classic librarian accessory, but sometimes it's too hot). The best solution that I and a few other coworkers have found is to carry a small work purse. I've tried a few, from store-bought mini purses to hand-sewn zipper bags. They are functional. But this Rickshaw Sinclair with a Shoulder Strap is purpose-built to carry exactly what I need, and now it is a workplace essential.

First of all, the obvious: The Limited Edition Leigh Reyes fabric is divinely beautiful. It's artsy, writerly, and the splashes of rainbow colors will match whatever I'm wearing. The fabric comes in a variety of Rickshaw designs, and I suggest checking them all out, but this Sinclair shows just enough surface area to let the design show itself off.

The nylon canvas is durable and decently weatherproof. The edging and zipper are in black. The zipper is a hardy YKK double-sided zipper, so it can be opened from either side, which isn't really necessary for a bag of this size, but is still indulgently convenient. It has black paracord zipper pulls woven through the zipper tabs to minimize the jingle. The strap is a 1" black nylon webbing and it attaches with metal swivel hooks to paracord loops that are securely sewn into the bag's seam. The strap adjusts generously from a short over-the-shoulder length to a crossbody length. The crossbody length may be a bit short for taller or bigger bodies, but the loops make it easy to attach a strap of your choice to the bag.

The outside front of the bag has a slip pocket large enough for a pocket notebook or a phone. Inside the main zipper compartment, the bag is lined with Rickshaw's fabulous plush lining in bright blue. It's the perfect soft protection for your pens. There are three pen slots and one notebook slot inside the bag. My favorite setup is to put one gel pen, one pencil, and one fountain pen in the slots. A pocket notebook in the slip pocket inside. My phone in the center of the bag. And my keys in the outside slip pocket. A ballpoint pen and my lip gloss usually end up in the outside slip pocket as well. If I were to carry this as a regular purse, I'd put my wallet inside and my phone in the outside slip pocket, then clip my keys to the strap. Either way, it's a great setup for carrying just the essentials with you. Because we all know that "the essentials" include at least three pens.

Inside the bag, you'll also see a nod to the Sinclair's design origins. Nock Co! I miss the old Nock days, but I'm delighted their designs live on through Rickshaw.

Even if you are someone who has been blessed with an abundance of functional pockets in your daily life, this is still a great bag for carrying even more pens, and for keeping them a little safer than they would be in a pants pocket. Rickshaw's sturdy construction and soft lining are the Cadillac of pen transportation.

This Sinclair R with a strap sells for $75 at Vanness Pen Shop, which does feel a little high, considering it's just a few dollars less than the Rickshaw A5 Field Bag, but the Field Bag doesn't have the plush lining like the Sinclair R. Some of the other pouches have the plush lining, but no strap attachment. This one really has all of the best features combined into one utilitarian and beautiful package. I highly recommend it. And if the fabric isn't speaking to you, check out their other designs--or even design your own version on the Rickshaw website.

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on April 23, 2026 by Sarah Read and filed under Rickshaw, Pen Case.

Luddite Patchwork Bendy Pen Case 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 Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

Pens on the go need proper conveyance, so I'm always up for trying out a new pen case. It seems there's no end to the new ways designers will configure a simple pen case, but this Luddite Bendy Pen Case is yet another fun, fresh take on the idea.

This case answers the question no one has ever asked: What if my pen case was like a taco and a pita at the same time? The answer: Awesome, that's what. The square-ish case is lined with five pen pockets, and it folds in half lengthwise and snaps closed over the pens. But also! Each side of the case is a zipper pouch. So much storage!

The case is made from a soft woven Kurashiki canvas, this version in a patchwork of denim colored textures. The stitching is a yellow thread, and the zippers are gold colored YKK zippers. The designers opted for quality at every decision on this one.

The only issue I encountered with this case is that if you put bulky items in the zipper pouches, they interact with the pens in the pen slots. The volume is shared, so your ability to use those zipper pouches is somewhat limited. But for smaller items like a notepad or ink swatch cards, stickers, etc., it's a fantastic way to assemble a small writing kit. The fabric isn't as protective as a more robust case would be, but the two layers of canvas provide enough padding to keep the contents reasonably safe.

The case sells for $35 at Dromgoole’s, where it's available in a variety of colors. That's a great price for the quality of the case. It's been perfect for taking my writing supplies to the November write-ins happening at libraries everywhere this month. I've been attending one or two a week and really enjoying this kit in the process. I could also see this working well for a sketch artist kit, or even a case for knitters or crocheters to store hooks, needles, and notions. It's a great design made very well, so there are endless uses. When November writing is finished, this one is likely headed for my knitting bag.

(This product was purchased at Dromgoole’s at regular price.)

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Posted on November 13, 2025 by Sarah Read and filed under Luddite, Pen Case, Accessories Review.

Hightide Nahe Soft Gadget Pouch 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 Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

These days, we are plagued by a scatter of gadgets. Doodads, thingamaobs, the detritus of modern life, where every device has a charger, an adapter, a widget. And to contain all this madness, we need pouches! Clever ones.

The Hightide Nahe Soft Gadget Pouch in the small size surprised me, because when it arrived, my first thought was "oh no--that's way too small" and then it wasn't. It just looks like it is. Very sneaky.

The pouch is made from a nylon canvas and is available in several colors. All have a black zipper with a single zipper pull that has a rubber grip that fits a hooked finger perfectly. The pouch is triangular in profile, with a wide base. The top is narrower when zipped shut, but it opens wide as a whale's mouth, so it's easy to see inside and access your tools. The opening is reinforced with metal bars to help it keep its shape, and they also act like a roll-cage in your bag, protecting the contents of the pouch from your notebooks and water bottle.

Inside the pouch, there is a soft black lining with a velvety texture. There are mesh slip pockets on the inside of each wall, and the center of the case has a separator that sticks down with Velcro, so it can be removed or adjusted as needed.

The mesh pockets are perfect for small accessories you need to keep track of, and the main compartment is perfect for larger gadgets. It fits a typical phone perfectly, or a smaller digital camera. It's just long enough to fit a handful of gel pens also, though longer pens would not fit. While the case is somewhat reinforced by its structure, it is still a soft case, so not ideal for extremely delicate things. My small digital camera fits on one side of the divider, the flash attachment on the other side, and the memory cards and spare battery go well in the mesh pockets.

The Hightide Nahe Soft Gadget Pouch Small size sells for $32 on Jetpens. The larger size, which can fit a small notebook, sells for $43. I do feel like these are on the pricey side. There are pouches of similar quality with more features that cost less than this one. I do think it's a good pouch, though, and its deceptively large capacity and wide mouth are strong points in its favor.

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