Today I wanted to take you through the Bellroy Notebook Cover Mini. I set out to get an attractive slim protective cover for a pocket notebook. I wanted be able to carry around a notebook without having to carry it in my hands or shuffle it from pocket to table whenever I sat down. I was trying to find the right combination of form and function. I’ve found large notebooks too large to comfortably fit in a pocket and it’s too inconvenient to carry around without a bag. I was hoping that the Bellroy would fit the bill.

First Impressions

As always, Bellroy does a really fantastic job with the presentation and the packaging.

Right away I’m noticing the leather isn’t quite the shade I was expecting. Compared to the pictures online I envisioned something a little lighter in color but overall it looks really nice. Second thing I’m noticing is the size. I should have been more careful checking the dimensions. It ends up being an almost exact match in size to my A6 Nanami Cafe. This one might be a killer. I’ve been trying to carry the Nanami as my pocket notebook which ended up being way too big. One area I was concerned about was the magnetic closers. I think this is a really interesting idea. Hopefully they prove strong enough for day to day use.

First Day

Really looking forward to giving this a try. The cover on my last notebook was getting torn up from going in and out of my pocket all day.

Trying to get my new pocket notebook into the sleeve was a pretty frustrating experience. But, this particular notebook has a really thin cover and didn’t really seem to want to slide into the sleeve. So, maybe I can’t blame that entirely on the Bellroy. And now that it’s in there it seems secure and doesn’t feel like it’s at risk of falling out.

The leather feels nice and soft and it feels really solid in my back pocket. And it seems to be doing a good job of protecting the notebook.

Only negative I see at the moment is that it’s not completely flat on the inside so you can feel the ridges as you write. Not a deal breaker but less than ideal. But, overall I would say I’m very pleased.

Long Term Thoughts

So, after using this for a while I think it’s safe to say I definitely jumped the gun buying any pocket notebook cover. When I decided I needed to try out a true pocket notebook to replace carrying around my regular sized notebook I bought this cover at the same time. I didn’t give myself a chance to try out the pocket notebook to see how it would wear or even if I would like only having a pocket notebook.

I’m not sure if this cover is worth it for me. It makes my pocket notebook exactly the same size as my A6 Nanami Café Note. Which I found to be a bit large for a pocket notebook. Although it does a great job protecting my pocket notebook where my Café Note was being damaged and had the cover start to peel.

Final Thoughts

Overall I think this is a really nice notebook cover. If I was carrying my notebook in a bag or backpack I would be using this all the time. Unfortunately, I’ve been keeping my pocket notebook in my right front pocket behind my wallet. It’s so thin that I hardly even notice it’s there. Which is exactly what I was looking for in the first place. And that didn’t cost me $80.

So, if you know you need a cover. Get this one. If you know you want a super small notebook. Skip it.