<p data-preserve-html-node="true">Further to my paperfull endeavour, I began carrying around a memo book six weeks ago. I am lucky enough to need a bag for school on most days, so throwing a memo book into a bag kept my books from deteriorating. Outside of that bag, however, was a different story.</p>

Then, luckily, Chris Gonzalez interviewed Patrick Rhone for his classy Artifacts series. Patrick is a well-voiced minimalist and carries around only that which he truly needs each day. And, obviously, his Field Notes cover caught my eye.

I clicked the link in Chris’ interview and ordered my Hellbrand notebook cover five minutes later. It arrived two weeks ago and hasn’t left my side since.

<p data-preserve-html-node="true">The Hellbrand cover is made of thick, durable leather that looks good, wears better and smells best. The leather measures a good 1/8" thick and is stitched with a white threading around the outside edges. The stitching adds a genuine feel to the whole cover. The leather comes slightly broken in, meaning the cover lays flat on a desk right out of its packaging. It made an immediate relation with my well worn Wilson A2K mitt from years ago.</p>

<p data-preserve-html-node="true">My Hellbrand cover comes with two pockets that are smaller than the ones found on the Hellbrand website and in Patrick Rhone’s interview. I actually prefer the small pockets. Field Notes books are sturdy enough to not bend in half due to the smaller pocket, so there is no lasting effect on the quality of the book.[1] The smaller pocket also allows for easier access to cash, credit cards and receipts if you decide to use the cover as a full-fledged wallet.</p>

The Hellbrand cover fits perfectly in the back pocket of a casual pair of jeans. The cover lays flat and doesn’t bulge easily, leading to a greater comfort when sitting on top of the cover. Sometime during my first day, the button on my backside jean pocket wore into the Hellbrand cover and left a blemish in the leather. To my surprise, that blemish has slowly worn into the rest of the wallet and I can no longer notice the problem. Hellbrand’s leather wears as well as any other leather product I own.

<p data-preserve-html-node="true">Perhaps my favourite feature of the entire Hellbrand cover is the embossed Hellbrand logo on the backside pocket. The logo screams quality, elegance and craftsmanship. The branding is small and tucked away so as not to impede the minimalism of the Hellbrand cover, but it brims with confidence when discovered. </p>

Field Notes Brand makes two very elegant memo book covers. Both covers come with embossed branding and extra pockets for carrying extra goods. However, both come at a relatively steep price. Hellbrand’s cover looks much the same, offers many of the same features and comes in at half the price. It’s hard to beat quality and durability for a mere $50.

The Hellbrand Leatherworks embossed logo on the back of their memo book cover acts as a microcosm for the entire product. The Hellbrand cover exudes Americanism, durability, quality and craftsmanship. You’d be hard pressed to find a better cover for a better price. And, to top it off, there is nothing better than the smell of a genuine piece of leather.

And this comes from my experience using a Kraft Field Notes book. I just received a pack of Expedition Edition books and I can’t imagine a better combination of style, minimalism and durability.   ↩