The Newsprint
Written by Josh Ginter.

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The Sunday Edition — 06.14.26

Tuesday, Jun 16, 2026

Happy Sunday friends! We had an exceptionally short spring — temperatures went from 2 or 3 degrees to 30 degrees in about 24 hours, and this happened close to the end of May. The result: Perhaps on steroids, like any normal Manitoban summer, we have every activity under the sun packed into the next 3 months. I neglect to use the words “I’m busy”, but boy we are not wanting for additional activities.

In a different life, I would have called myself a “product reviewer”. I never hit it like many incredible YouTubers now, but I paid for school with the earnings. It was a thing for me. And it resulted in a backlog of stuff — I reviewed everything from pens and paper to lunch bags to iPads. I have more bits and bobs than anyone should have.

You know what’s cool about that, though? I still, to this day, use a bunch of that gear. I use a 15-year-old 11-inch MacBook Air leather case to tote around this new 11-inch iPad Pro. I still use the Bellroy System Work briefcase. I still often pack this PowerCube when I head on a trip.

I thought it might be fun to revisit some of these old product reviews; to see how the products have held up over time, how the product fit into my life in the long-term, or whether I replaced the product with a new and improved option.

First up, my first ever product reviews for Tools & Toys.

The Hellbrand Leatherworks Field Notes Cover

Field Notes COLORS Editions were a thing, guys. They might actually still be a thing — I still get emails from Field Notes Brand with the latest limited edition releases. When I was first starting out, I found a niche inside the Field Notes club, and I wrote a lot about memo books, paper, and pens. This Field Notes cover was the first leather cover I ever purchased, and the first I ever reviewed.

Well, I no longer use Field Notes memo books to take notes — I now use a reMarkable Paper Pro Move. But you know who constantly find themselves drawing, writing, and sketching in the house? My daughters. I have a severe backlog of unused Field Notes memo books, and my daughters are slowly eating through them. And this Hellbrand cover continues to be practical.

How has it held up? It doesn’t look exactly the way it did when I first reviewed it in 2014, that’s for sure. Frankly, it looks better. I’ve bent it this way and that way to bring out character in the leather. It has a few nicks now, along with a few marker stains from the girls. But it looks spectacular.

Hellbrand Leatherworks doesn’t exist anymore. In fact, they seemed to disappear just a short period after I wrote this review. You can likely find an option on Etsy today, though I feel strongly you’d have a hard time finding this type of longevity. I can directly compare it now to the Bellroy Field Notes cover (the Bellroy option pales in comparison, specifically in terms of leather thickness) or the Traveller’s Notebook (which is a thicker, more beautiful leather and is the only leather I own that has held up better than the Hellbrand cover).

The lesson this Hellbrand Leatherworks Field Notes cover taught me: Buying something once can mean a 20-plus-year lifespan. Products can last a lifetime. Some purchases are literally heirloom quality. Never once has the Hellbrand cover let me down. Unfortunately, there aren’t too many options as good as the Hellbrand on the market today.

Quote of the Week

“Onetime choices—like buying a better mattress or enrolling in an automatic savings plan—are single actions that automate your future habits and deliver increasing returns over time.”

James Clear, Atomic Habits

Here were a few things I shared from the past week. If you want to stay on top of the list throughout the week, don’t be afraid to subscribe via RSS.

Happy Sunday. I hope you have a wonderful week ahead.

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