Review: Constellations88 48 Pen Folder 4D - Black

This pen case was sent over from Constellations88 for review. I have a few cases, ranging from some inexpensive ones off eBay, to Visconti, Castelijn & Beerens, FPRevolution, Delta, and others. The pens that are not in use need a place to be stored, so that's where a case like this comes in for me.

ABOUT

Color: Black
Price: $54.00USD - regular price $60.00USD
Shipping: $10.00USD (up to two items)
Where To Buy: Constellations88
Constellations88 has kindly offered 10% off to all GourmetPens readers if you use the Where To Buy link! I do not receive any commission.
Follow Constellations88: Facebook | Instagram

PACKAGING

No packaging.

APPEARANCE

This 48 Pen Folder 4D is a fairly large case, which is quite thick even when it's empty. It has slightly rounded corners, and the Constellations88 star logo is on the front. The black material is dark and a little shiny, It is fairly smooth and doesn't have much visible texture. The stitching and zipper is a matching black, which looks pretty nice. Although the covers and spine are quite stiff, the lower corner of the front cover was quite beaten up when it arrived.

The inside of the case is black and velvety, with black stitching. The four pillows are cut to cover the elastics, leaving no area exposed. The elastics themselves are tan, with tan stitching. I'm not sure why they selected tan elastics! I would have preferred a black color scheme entirely.

I like the overall look of this case but once again, it needs some attention to detail. The pillows inside are a little uneven and it's not my favorite design as you have to flip back one pillow at a time to access your pens. The velvet at the back was rubbed off in some places, so it looks a little messy.

PERFORMANCE & FEEL

Like Constellations88's other cases, this case feels pretty decent in hand - it's firm because the covers are stiff, and the material has a soft touch to it. Although the cover's edge is beaten up, it hasn't affected the inside or its performance as a pen case. As far as how it feels, I do think it's pretty nice. It holds its shape well, so it does a good job of protecting pens from each other.

I really like the idea of the foamy, padded pillows inside the case, except that they're a bit of a nuisance to move aside all the time. One pillow that could flip out would have been more convenient for me. However, they do protect the tops and bottoms of the pens, and when the case is closed, the pillows come into contact with each other, and protect the pens from touching. As with the 12 Pen Case, if you put large pens in here, once you close it, the pillows take up a lot of space, and the case is so full that it becomes really stuffed. There should just be more space to allow for expansion as the case gets bulgy.

The double elastic set up prevents pens from moving around under the pillows. This has pros and cons. The good thing is just that: everything is protected. The downside is that they're really, really snug and I found it pretty tough to get wider pens into the elastics. In doing so, quite a bit of pressure is applied against the velvet base and I ended up wearing down some of the material on the back. I am hesitant to put delicate pens in such snug elastics, and of course, this is not unique just to this case - I am hesitant to put delicate pens in any case with really snug elastics. In addition to this, I found it difficult to get pens into the bottom rows when the top rows were full.

Large, long pens fit in this case well, once you get past the struggling with elastics. After a few months, the elastics did loosen up a little but have not become overstretched, fortunately. Although wide pens fit, I think the elastics and this case is better suited for thinner to normal-sized pens. Of course, you could always alternate slots and not use every single one, but I wanted to see how it would work out with every single slot full. It's much easier to use and access when every other slot is empty.

Like the other cases I have used from Constellations88, the material doesn't hold up well to scuffing. Where animal leather develops character, picking up scuffs and marks, this one doesn't show anything, unless you nick it, in which case it just looks cut. This one seems to be in better condition after weeks of use than the others, but perhaps it's the nature of use it sees.

PROS

• Foam leather - ideal for vegans or those who don't want an animal leather case.
• Soft finish feels nice.
• Minimal branding. 
• Padded inside to protect pens.
• Firm covers provide extra protection.

CONS

• Cannot hold many large pens - becomes too thick and strains when closed.
• Finishing needs some refining. 
• Double elastics are really hard to work with if you have larger pens - they're really snug.
• The struggle to get pens into and out of the elastics wears down the velvet underneath.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

This is a good case for those who have small to medium pens, or who do not intend to fill the case up completely with larger pens. Also a great option for those who observe a vegan lifestyle.

OVERALL

Once again, this is a decent looking pen case at a reasonable price. Although it's not inexpensive, it's also not so bad either. It looks like leather, it sure does protect your pens, and although the finish is not immaculate, it's not a bad deal. Best for smaller, thinner pens rather than larger, wider pens, as the elastics are a bit of a struggle - but that is often the case with elastics, isn't it? So far, they haven't stretched out too much. And vegan!

Since the majority of my pens are large, and since it stays at home, this case does work out for me. The fact that it bulges and isn't in pristine condition can be more easily overlooked because it's more of a storage case than a portable case. I still hate having to battle with the elastics, though.

I received this item free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated monetarily for my review. Everything you've read here is my own opinion. I do not receive a commission if you purchase through the link here.

Review: Constellations88 Single Pen Sleeves - Set of Four

These pen sleeves were sent over from Constellations88 for review. I've had them for a few months now and have toted them around to give them a go.

ABOUT

Color: Executive Black, Minion Yellow, Toffee Brown, and Jade Blue.
Price for 4: $9.00USD - regular price $10.00USD
Shipping: $10.00USD (up to two items)
Where To Buy: Constellations88
Constellations88 has kindly offered 10% off to all GourmetPens readers if you use the Where To Buy link! I do not receive any commission.
Follow Constellations88: Facebook | Instagram

PACKAGING

No packaging for these sleeves.

APPEARANCE

These sleeves are quite simple. They are a flat piece of material at the back, cut into a long rectangle. There is a pouchy part in the front that is a little shorter, and is attached at the ends by a color-matched stitching all around the ends. The Constellations88 logo is printed into the space at the top. Inside the pouch, there is a somewhat soft, felt-like material. The exposed edges are painted to match the pouch and threading.

I found the finishing on these hit or miss. The painted edges on some of the sleeves appears better than others - in some spots, it was incomplete. The brown in particular had black edges that were incomplete, exposing the brown underneath, and some of the paint had actually gotten on the sleeve itself. Of course, at $10.00 for four, one doesn't expect immaculate work, but it is something to be aware of.

The four colors are: blue, black, yellow, and brown. The material is foam leather, so although it's smooth and looks a little like finished leather, it isn't. It looks fairly stiff, as the pouch sticks out rigidly. Even with use, the appearance and shape does not really change.

PERFORMANCE & FEEL

The sleeves are very light, which is not a bad thing. They're simply made, and the material is light. The cut of foam leather is also very thin, so they are not bulky. I think these kinds of sleeves are quite nice to take to a pen show if you plan to buy some pens - light to carry there and will hold your pens on the way back.

I was surprised by which pens I could fit into these sleeves. They are designed to fit pens around the size of the Montblanc Meisterstück 146, and they also hold longer pens (although not desk pens). I found they held large pens like the Pelikan Souverän M1000, Montblanc 149, Sailor King of Pen Professional Gear, Visconti Opera Master, Pelikan Souverän M800, but also other sizes: Pelikan M101N, Namiki Yukari, and the OMAS Ogiva Cocktail. The Delta Dolcevita Oversize and Gama Jumbo Acrylic are too wide. My issue with the sleeves and large pens is that because the material is so stiff, if you put a really wide pen in there, it's a bit of a struggle to get it out. Small pens without clips fall to the bottom, so it's best if it's a clipped pen. Pens that fit with space around them work best as they slide out the easiest.

The material doesn't hold up well to scuffing, though. Where animal leather develops character, picking up scuffs and marks, this one doesn't show anything, unless you nick it, in which case it just looks cut.

Not bad for popping a pen in your bag if you want to protect it from other items - they don't provide much protection, but they do cover the majority of the pen. Clips are exposed, tops are exposed.

PROS

• Foam leather - ideal for vegans or those who don't want an animal leather case.
• Minimal branding. 
• Affordable.
• Accommodates quite a few pen sizes.

CONS

• If you put a wide pen or clipless pen in there, the material is not supple so it's not easy to squeeze it out from the bottom.
• Finishing needs some refining. 

WHO IS THIS FOR?

This is a good case for someone who wants a few affordable pen sleeves to store and/or tote small to medium sized pens in - but not necessarily for serious protection of those pens. Also ideal if you are vegan!

OVERALL

I don't have much need for pen sleeves like these, and I wasn't too thrilled by the colors or finish of them. Although they work and I do prefer to store a pen in something like this rather than just have it sitting around in a bag, it's not the kind of item I frequently need. However, it's a great add-on gift and of course, can be used with pens other than fountain pens!

I received this item free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated monetarily for my review. Everything you've read here is my own opinion. I do not receive a commission if you purchase through the link here.

Review: Constellations88 12 Pen Folder - Brown

This pen case was sent over from Constellations88 for review. I really like some things about it, but there are a few things that can be improved to make it completely ideal for me, but I do find it very useful and convenient.

ABOUT

Color: Brown
Size: 8.5" x 6.5"
Price: $27.00USD - regular price $30.00USD
Shipping: $10.00USD (up to two items)
Where To Buy: Constellations88
Constellations88 has kindly offered 10% off to all GourmetPens readers if you use the Where To Buy link! I do not receive any commission.
Follow Constellations88: Facebook | Instagram

PACKAGING

No packaging.

APPEARANCE

This 12 Pen Folder is one of my favorites of the four cases/sleeves Constellations88 sent over for review. It's not a huge case, but it is quite thick even when it's empty. It has slightly rounded corners, and the Constellations88 star logo is on the front. The brown material is warm with just a bit of gloss to it. It is fairly smooth and doesn't have much visible texture. The stitching and zipper is a matching brown, which looks pretty nice. The inside of the case is black and velvety, with black stitching. The pillows are cut to cover the elastics, with four in total.

I like the overall look of this case but once again, as with the other cases I have been using, it needs some attention to detail. The edges could use some touching up so they don't bunch up and the material that is folded over and stitched down is not entirely straight - yes, yes, I'm being nit picky, but it adds up when it's quite a few little things. The pillows inside are a little uneven and it's not my favorite design because a little bit of the pens show in the middle. The stitching shows white underneath in some parts.

PERFORMANCE & FEEL

This case feels pretty decent in hand - it's firm because the covers are stiff, and the material has a soft touch to it. As far as how it feels, I do think it's pretty nice. It holds its shape well, so it does a good job of protecting pens from each other or from other things in your bag. It can hold up pretty well to some banging around, because obviously that's what happens in bags.

I really like the idea of the foamy, padded pillows inside the case. They certainly protect the tops and bottoms of the pens, and when the case is closed, the pillows come into contact with each other, and protect the pens from touching. The double elastic set up prevents pens from moving around under the pillows. This has pros and cons, though. The good thing is just that: everything is protected. The downside is that they're really, really snug and I found it pretty tough to get wider pens into the elastics. In doing so, quite a bit of pressure is applied against the velvet base and I ended up wearing down some of the material on the back. I am hesitant to put delicate pens in such snug elastics, and of course, this is not unique just to this case - I am hesitant to put delicate pens in any case with really snug elastics.

The other downside is, especially if you put large pens in here, once you close it, the pillows take up a lot of space, and the case is so full that it becomes really stuffed. It can close but it pulls on the zipper a bit. That's not so much the issue because it isn't too stretched for the zipper to handle it, but it looks silly. Although the spine is wide, it should be wider if you want to put thicker pens in, and there should just be more space to allow for expansion. It gets a bulgy.

Large, long pens fit in this case well, once you get past the struggling with elastics. After a few months, the elastics did loosen up a little but have not become overstretched, fortunately. Although wide pens fit, I think the elastics and this case is better suited for thinner to normal-sized pens.

I wish the elastics were adjustable, or there were slots so I could carry 12 pens. I'm still searching for the perfect case, but this one has definitely gotten close. When I use 12 pens that are a suitable size, then this case is great!

Like the other cases I have used from Constellations88, the material doesn't hold up well to scuffing. Where animal leather develops character, picking up scuffs and marks, this one doesn't show anything, unless you nick it, in which case it just looks cut. This one seems to be in better condition after weeks of use than the others, but perhaps it's the nature of use it sees.

PROS

• Foam leather - ideal for vegans or those who don't want an animal leather case.
• Soft finish feels nice.
• Portable size.
• Twelve is a reasonable amount of pens to carry, isn't it?
• Minimal branding. 
• Padded inside to protect pens.
• Firm covers provide extra protection.

CONS

• Cannot hold many large pens - becomes too thick and strains when closed.
• Finishing needs some refining. 
• Double elastics are really hard to work with if you have larger pens - they're really snug.
• The struggle to get pens into and out of the elastics wears down the velvet underneath.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

This is a good case for those who have small to medium pens and who want to carry twelve at a time! Also a great choice if you observe a vegan lifestyle.

OVERALL

This is a decent looking pen case at a reasonable price. I like the portable size of it, especially compared to the giant size of 48 pen folders. Although it's not inexpensive, it's also not so bad either. It looks like leather, it sure does protect your pens, and although the finish is not immaculate, it's not a bad deal. And vegan!

I received this item free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated monetarily for my review. Everything you've read here is my own opinion. I do not receive a commission if you purchase through the link here.

Review: Constellations88 Triple Pen Pocket Carrier

This pen case was sent over from Constellations88 for review. I've had it for a few months now and had toted it around, smelled it, used it, and tried to assess it in that time. This is my assessment after a few months with it.

ABOUT

Color: Cherry Red
Other colors: Executive Black, Pearl White
Price: $13.50USD - regular price $15.00USD
Shipping: $10.00USD (up to two items)
Where To Buy: Constellations88
Constellations88 has kindly offered 10% off to all GourmetPens readers if you use the Where To Buy link! I do not receive any commission.
Follow Constellations88: Facebook | Instagram

PACKAGING

The C88 Triple Pen Pocket Carrier is packaged in a black cardboard box that is just slightly larger than the case itself. It is branded with the Constellations88 logo and website on the top. It's very simple, and it makes the case look pretty nice - this way, it's not just a case. It's boxed nicely. I don't think the box serves much purpose, as the case is pretty firm itself, and the box doesn't serve much purpose as a pen case once you take the case out.

What? Long story short: it comes with a box that makes it look like more than just a pen case, but it's not really necessary.

APPEARANCE

This case is small, tidy, and attractive. The Cherry Red is a nice color - it's a medium red with some purple tones, and it looks just a bit metallic. The flap closure is rounded off at the end and covers half of the case. The Constellations88 star logo is on the front of the flap closure. The pouch is not all that tall or wide, but the flap closure can close higher or lower, depending how tall the pens are inside. The stitching is a dark cherry red that matches the color of the case.

The inside of the case is a strange material. The dividers are an ivory, cottony material that is somewhat firm. They are double-stitched in place, and are soft to the touch. To be honest, the material inside kind of freaked me out a bit. It reminded me of first aid gauze or something, but it works as far as keeping your pens apart.

Weak joints on the case itself are double-stitched and there is some glue as well, which has leaked out a little. That looks a little grubby, but it's only noticeable up close. I think the case could use some more attention to detail in terms of its finishing - the stitching is straight and even, but the glue is a bit messy, and there is a nick or two in the material.

PERFORMANCE & FEEL

The case feels pretty decent in hand - it's firm, and the material has a soft touch to it. As far as how it feels, I do think it's pretty nice. It holds its shape well, so it does a good job of protecting pens from each other or from other things in your bag.

It holds some pretty large pens with ease. One of the slots has been designed larger than the others, so there is space for a big pen, but all the slots are pretty big. A Montblanc 149, Delta Dolcevita Oversize, and Pelikan M1000 fit in the case with ease, with space on the sides to spare. The flap closure had no problem fitting over the top of the pens. The magnet held in place well.

It works really well for oversize pens, but not necessarily really long pens (ie. desk pens). Smaller/shorter pens can be clipped in place so they're easy to pull out. If it doesn't have a clip and it's a small pen, it may just slide right to the bottom. I hate battling with cases when this happens, and you have to shove your fingers in to try and get it out.

The material doesn't hold up well to scuffing, though. Where animal leather develops character, picking up scuffs and marks, this one doesn't show anything, unless you nick it, in which case it just looks cut.

PROS

• Foam leather - ideal for vegans or those who don't want an animal leather case.
• Soft finish feels nice.
• Minimal branding. 
• Magnetic flap closure is quick and easy to open and close. 
• Affordable.
• Nice colors.
• It doesn't really need a breaking in period.

CONS

• Smells a bit funny - I don't like the smell and it does dissipate slowly, but not fast enough! Up close, I found it rather nauseating, and I'm one of those weirdos who likes weird smells.
• Finishing needs some refining. 

WHO IS THIS FOR?

This is a good case for someone who wants a pen case that can hold some smaller and bigger pens, someone who prefers non-leather cases, and/or someone who wants an affordable case!

OVERALL

Given the price in particular, this is a pretty decent case. I like the color of this one a lot and it easily holds larger pens. I don't like the smell, but the non-leather option is great for those who observe a vegan life, or if you want to gift a case to someone who does. 

I received this item free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated monetarily for my review. Everything you've read here is my own opinion. I do not receive a commission if you purchase through the link here.