Review: Midori Traveler's Notebook STAR Edition - Passport Size @Misc_Store

While the US market is stuck waiting for the beautiful Midori Traveler's Notebook STAR edition to arrive (delayed until June), it is available at Misc Store from The Netherlands already - they do ship worldwide! Misc Store sent this absolutely awesome parcel over for me to review, so I want to thank them greatly for this opportunity. There's lots of images ahead, just so you know.

ABOUT

Leather cover made in Thailand
Refill made in Japan
Size: 3.75" x 5.25"
Color: Camel Brown
Midori Traveler's Notebook STAR Edition: €37,11
Where to buy: Misc Store
Midori Traveler's STAR edition stickers: €5,70
Midori Traveler's STAR edition refill: €8,18
Midori Travelers STAR edition masking tape: €5,70
Browse the entire STAR range. 

For its 5th year anniversary of the passport size TRAVELER'S notebook, Midori teamed up with a Hong Kong based ferry company, called  "STAR" ferry, Limited. Midori designed a whole stationery and accessory range to personalize your STAR EDITION notebook even more within the STAR ferry theme.

PACKAGING

The Midori Traveler's STAR edition arrived quite nicely packaged, as all Midori Traveler's products usually do. The Traveler's notebook is packed in a cotton dust bag and carton box. I don't even want to recycle the carton box because it's pretty cool - it isn't sealed but all four flaps close down and are sealed with an elastic that match the elastic around the notebook. I am currently using it to store unused stickers that I want to keep organized. 

Along with the Midori STAR leather cover and refill, the pack comes with a spare elastic in maroon, a little history of the STAR ferry company, a route map of the ferry, and for those lucky enough to be near by, there is a ticket included for the ferry valid until December 31st, 2013.

APPEARANCE

The Midori Traveler's STAR edition is a small leather cover journal. The color is a gorgeous, rich, warm caramel brown. Midori describes it as camel, but it is delectably caramel. The leather is really lovely - it has very smooth in terms of its visual texture. The journal is clean and very well put together, with nicely finished edges and interesting inside covers. The elastic band, attached through the back cover, is emerald green - a perfect contrast to the camel leather.

The refill's cover is a very attractive emerald green, matching the elastic band, and is decorated with STAR Ferry details in gold. I love it. Inside, the pages are unruled.

PERFORMANCE & FEEL

The leather cover is just a little stiff, providing just the right shape and rigidity to the notebook. It is wonderful to touch, with a great smooth surface. The back of the cover is embossed with details of the Midori STAR collaboration. It's looks really cool, and it means you'll never forget what this leather cover means and where it came from. Since it will last forever, you could even pass it on to someone, so having this embossed is a great detail.

The refill notebook has 48 pages and is beyond cool. It is capable of lying flat, with some spine breaking - something I have not yet done. The paper is quite decent as well - performs well with pencils, ballpoints, roller balls, and gel pens. More importantly, it performs well with fountain pens! Neither fine/dry nor wet/broad fountain pens bled through the pages of the notebook. There was some show through but that is quite normal. Even as far as show through goes, it was quite minimal. There was no feathering, even with the Pilot Parallel 6.0mm nib, nor with the Wahl-Eversharp Doric wet noodle flex nib. Lines were all crisp and precise, drying quickly. The best part? Sailor Jentle Grenade and Jentle Sky High, both which display a sheen on the right type of paper shows of its sheen on the STAR notebook refill. How awesome is that? 

PROS

• Midori Traveler's notebook is customizable and reusable.  

•  Can be used as a day planner.
• Leather cover embossed with details of collaboration.

• Stickers show Midori's vision of authentic and vintage sign designs - some are even replicas of STAR ferry ads. 
• Masking tape measures 15mm x 15m - the coolest washi-type tape you'll ever have. 

• Very polished and put together finish. 
• Leather cover becomes distressed with use over time and will develop its own character and the color may change (though I doubt dramatically).

Bottom to top: Midori Traveler's Regular Edition, Pelle Burnt Cognac Leather Journal, Davis Leatherworks Journal, Midori STAR Traveler's Notebook.

Bottom to top: Midori Traveler's Regular Edition, Midori STAR Traveler's Notebook.

CONS  

• Size is incompatible with common pocket-sized notebooks (such as Field Notes).
• Upon arrival, the leather smells pretty strongly of solvent - fades within a few days.

OVERALL 

I could not recommend this gorgeous little leather cover enough. I adore my Traveler's Notebook (regular) and I already love this tiny, adorable passport-sized one just as much, if not more. The color is rich and warm and it's perfect for carrying around with me everywhere. Better than a Filofax in my purse, any day. It is a great quality cover, it's easy to use, and it's so much fun to customize to your own liking and tastes. Something about customizable leather journals makes me feel romantic and rustic at the same time. I feel like an adventurer, brave and awesome. I have no idea if I can take this great STAR edition to its full potential, but I am going to keep it with me at all times and fill it with whatever strikes my fancy. We'll see!

Plus, Misc Store got this to me in a week. That's pretty awesome, coming from The Netherlands. Browse the entire range of accessories for the STAR edition they carry here.  

These Midori Traveler's STAR edition products were sent for review by Misc Store free of charge. I was not compensated monetarily for this ravingly passionate review - all opinions you have read are 150% my own - I swear on Tyco's innocent life. 

Top to bottom: Midori Traveler's Regular Edition, Pelle Burnt Cognac Leather Journal, Davis Leatherworks Journal, Midori STAR Traveler's Notebook.