DESIGNPHIL Traveler's Notebook, Regular Size, Camel 15193006

The media could not be loaded. Amazing product! I was worried because I couldn’t see the logo of the company in the notebook in the description, but it’s there. The leather is soft and great quality! So, travelers and notebooks lovers I recommend this product!

For the price I was initially reluctant given I can find these in San Francisco for double the price and could guarantee authenticity but I was very pleased with my purchase. I received an authentic Midori Traveler's Notebook in camel. I noticed straight from the box/shipping warehouse that it came from, the immediate leather was very light in color and slightly scuffed from transport but the texture of the leather indicated this was because the leather was dry. I quickly remedied this with rub-down with a leather moisturizer (use an unscented body or hand lotion if this isn't available) and the color deepened into its camel caramel shade once the lotion had fully absorbed and dried into the material and the scuffs were gone.The charm with a Midori Traveler's Notebook is when you get it it's pretty plain and straight-forward but with its simplicity comes a myriad of customization and no two Midori Traveler's Notebooks age the same way based on care and daily use. Over time the leather will soften, the color may darken or lighten with use if camel or brown and will develop a natural glossy patina through daily handling and use. My brown is my oldest and has become a glossy shine with few character-growing scuffs from rough handling as my travel journal. My black Midori is is younger by several months but in the short time I've had it, it has slowly taken on its own patina from more daily use as a schedule planner for work and is less prone to visual scratches like my brown. I'm sure the camel will take on its own patina in time, a slow process that will be a pleasure to observe over the years.I love the camel shade and I know the camel tends to be more sensitive to scuffing which may be a plus for those who want a notebook cover to reflect an Indiana Jones-like level of daily use quickly. If this is a determent then I recommend the Traveler's Notebook in either black or brown. Brown is darker in shade than camel and is less prone to getting scuffed about but will still age in time. The black I've had for a while as my daily planner for work and it shows scuffs and scratches the least of all the Midori colors but as a result won't share the aging characteristics that lovers of brown and camel may prefer. You have to be pretty rough with the black to make it look like it's been around the world.Just note if you order either black or brown then you will get either the updated "Traveler's Notebook/Traveler's Company, Japan/Made in Thailand" stamping like the camel or the outdated "Midori/Made in Thailand" stamping on the back. Same product, the stamping was changed in early 2016 the same year of the camel color became part of the main line. Don't fret. Like, seriously, don't fret...it's the same notebook product. I've noticed folks freaking out that they got a fake for the brown or black when ordering from Amazon when really they got the updated stamping from 2016 onwards or the older stock from pre-2016. I own both versions in different colors and the leather has been consistent. Just do a quick google image lookup on branding and you'll know which you have but know you won't get the camel with the outdated Midori stamping. :)

Whew! I was a little worried after reading reviews, but what I received is exactly what is shown in the photos above with all the Midori / Traveler's Notebook packing details exactly as I've come to expect them with other Midori and Traveler's Company products. The notebook that arrived is exactly the color and texture shown in the photos with one exception: Amazon's photos above of the inside interior surface look like it is fabric lined or perhaps fabric bonded to the leather but what I received is just plain leather surface inside. No fabric or any other material in the cover except a very thick leather. No scratches or marks on mine, although it does mark fairly easily which is the point of choosing a vegetable tanned natural leather like this--to show marks and use.Three reasons I chose the Traveler's Notebook before I learned it is a popular item with a cult following:1) Was using a Moleskine Classic and needed to separate the planner from other writing books so I can track projects, vs tasks, vs calendar vs journal and sketching in separate books without having to put it all in one bound planner. The bound Moleskine has a lot of pages but I have to search week by week to find where I recorded that one task or project. The TN system lets your three "books" be chosen and changed separately, and keep tasks and project notes listed sequentially where I can find them.2) Needed something about half an inch narrower than the Moleskine Classic (with OLPR leather cover) so it can drop in a sport jacket / blazer hip pocket, and this size is perfect. Pages almost the size of Moleskine. They are both 19mm thick, though in the photo the TN looks thicker because it's on top and because it's new and doesn't lay as flat.3) Was tired of the absorbent paper used by Moleskine. It's nice paper but not if you write with a fountain pen or even a gel pen which lays a wet line. All the various paper use for TN products (not just from Midori) are finished in a way that is right for fountain pen use.Moleskine Classic has mastered the binding to have a planner lay open flat, so I'll have to get used to the TN which needs to be held open, so I'll see how much I miss that. Also I'll have to trust Midori or someone will continue to make a good weekly planner for this size notebook. The TN cult makes it strong enough in the market to be likely to continue.

Awesome item

I have been looking at the Traveler's Notebook cover for a while. I originally wasn't sure if I want to use a hand writing notebook when many of us are using electronic calendar like smartphones, online calendars etc. But I tried spreading out the monthly calendar pages for planning and I felt it compliment the searchable items with alarm reminders. The notebook system is great with flexibility and the right size to use at home or on the go. The texture is great. It feels like suede a little bit. The color is class tan. I can fold letter size pages in third and fit them in the notebook. So far I love touching it, carrying it, and continue to explore more ways to use it.