Pen/Pencil Pouch Question

[OnMyWay]

I want to get a pen/pencil pouch to use in my Western Flyer when I use it as a briefcase. I am trying to decide between the clear organizer pouch (maybe in linen or plum) and the new ballistic nylon one in steel. Colors aside, I like the visibility of the clear but does the plastic get stretched out of shape eventually from lumpy objects stored inside? On the other hand that wouldn't happen with the ballistic nylon version, but is it hard to see and access the contents in that one?

Which one do you guys recommend?

[TXGirl]

Hi OnMyWay

I can't comment on the ballistic pen/pencil pouch, but I do have one in the clear Indigo color. I've only had mine for approx. 1-2 months; I have approx 15 pens in mine & still have plenty of room to spare. I do like being able to see in the pouch, but which ever material you choose I'm sure it will be great.

[Janine]

I had the same question and if I remember correctly from other forum posts, the clear plastic is very durable and won't stretch if you put a lot of lumpy items in the pouch. I'm waiting on my first order of clear pouches and positive reviews of the plastic used in them wooed me away from the all-fabric versions.

You might contact the TB folks to see what their return policy will be if a clear pouch doesn't perform as you expect. That might help make the decision easier for you.

[dorayme]

My clear pouches, aquifer since fall 2010 through may have not become deformed. They do however stick on other smooth surfaces like other clear pouches, my iPhone jelly cover, my laptop case, my Swift pockets, etc. Clever placement makes this a non issue, but when I try to toss and go it is not easy to settle or remove things fwiw.

[moriond]

Hi OnMyWay,

I have two of the pen/pencil pouches, with an order for a third on the way. All of my pen/pencil cases are Dyneema with clear fronts: Sapphire (from very early on), Solar, and Iberian (currently on order). The first two are over 2 years old, and they haven't been stretched out of shape. I can't comment on the current clear plastic used with the pen/pencil pouch since the material used for the clear pouches has changed twice since my first two pouches were ordered (at different times, since solar Dyneema was not available at the time of the first order). I have a wallet (mini-size pouch) from after the first clear switch-over, and it hasn't deformed while carrying coins. Although I have a few of the recent clear Dyneema pouches, I haven't used them extensively with lumpy objects.

The reason I like Dyneema for the pen/pencil pouches is that occasionally a pen gets placed into the pouch with the point still extended, and the Dyneema fabric won't show up a blot of ink the way a cordura pouch might. Also, the Iberian color is awesome (and is more stunning in person than in the photos.) I got one of the large shop bags in Iberian at the time I placed my order for the small size Ultraviolet shop bags. After the shop bags arrived, I added more Dyneema pouches to my then pending order. Up till then most of my organizer pouches were Cordura. Incidentally, I think that linen is another color that doesn't display its full impact in the web site pictures, so if you like it, go for it!

moriond

[OnMyWay]

Thanks for the input everyone! (Still deciding of course, but that is half the fun)

@moriond - I didn't even think of getting the pouch in Clear/Dyneema, I'll have to check into that since I really like the weight of the small Dyneema pouch I already have. Thanks for the tip.

[backpack]

Dorayme is referring to the material that was used prior to this year's production.

The new clear front is made of .015" Clear Urethane. Smooth and non stick, I don't know how they do that!

I have several Clear Organizer Pouches in the old material including a Pen and Pencil in Dyneema which hold my everyday fountain pens and I have no issues with the Pouch being deformed by them.


The stickiness was remedied by smart placement in the holding bag.

[Tzporah]

I've actually found the clear part of the pouch to be the most durable. I've had needles pierce through the fabric side but never the clear side.

[dorayme]

Dorayme is referring to the material that was used prior to this year production.

The new clear front is made of .015" Clear Urethane. Smooth and non stick, I don't know how they do that!

I have several Clear Organizer Pouches in the old material including a Pen and Pencil one and I have no issues with the Pouch being deformed by my pens.
The stickiness was remedied by smart placement in the holding bag.

I have the cloudy Urethane from before this year's production on some of my clear items, and also the non cloudy clear Urethane that is being used in current production on the others. The cloudy doesn't stick or cling, the new clear however clings to things from my experiences. If yours isn't clinging, please tell me what I am doing wrong.
And neither has deformed after placing in bulky contents.

[backpack]

Dorayme, I just got my a batch of new Urethane; just playing with it, it seems less sticky than the older one. I don't have any of the cloudy one.

Many people complained about the stickiness of the first smooth Urethane batch but I only noticed it twice, when an heavy library book with a plastic cover was well stuck in the side of one of Swifts and another time when a Stuff Sack did just the same.


I just realized that I put a Small Clear Organizer Pouch in my Clear Quarter Cube all the time, as well as other plastic things in it.
I don't know why but they don't seem to be sticking to each other that much.
I think I have found a system of alternating sticky and non sticky stuff that has pretty much became automatic when I pack my Clear Quarter Cube, it is in Steel and I got it quite awhile ago.

[dorayme]

backpack, I also alternate fabric and urethane to prevent stickiness, but if I'm not careful and just toss the pouches in, it's either more difficult to settle them in or later retrieve them without also having some other urethane surface grab against them. The same thing happens with my clear bottom stuff sacks. I love the clear items because I often need to see where things are to find them.

I was wondering if TB could use a mesh for their clear like the mesh on the Namaste Oh Snap cases. I LOVE that fabric. It's breathable, and you can find exactly where your contents are. I haven't had anything puncture through or lost anything. I usually carry very pointed items like a needle inside of a case anyway. I think it would be a great alternative to Urethane.



fwiw the cloudy was my favorite of the Urethane because it wasn't sticky and though I could see what was inside, it was a little more private for my contents. The new Urethane is the prettiest though. So shiny!!!!

[Revolver]

Go with the clear. It's very handy to know whats in the pouch without having to open it.

[marbenais]

fwiw the cloudy was my favorite of the Urethane because it wasn't sticky and though I could see what was inside, it was a little more private for my contents.

Me, too! Katy or Darcy, do you know if there are any products made with the cloudy Urethane still floating around the factory? It makes such a difference -- I have an older Swift with the original Urethane & the two sides stick together (which, as someone pointed out long ago, is good for security but difficult for easy access) and the Cork Little Swift with the cloudy Urethane, and the two Swifts have very different feels.

For the Pen/Pencil pouches, I only have the clear ones, but I haven't had trouble with anything poking through. Right now, I use one for my bamboo cutlery, and it's a little pushed out of shape from shoving the chopsticks in diagonally & pushing the Urethane over them to close, but that's because the chopsticks are too big for the pouch but there isn't another pouch to fit them well. With pens, even with many of them, there was no deformity of the Urethane.

[Foggy Morn]

Can't speak to the newest clear pouch, but the earlier one (clear, not cloudy) I have (in plum) is still working splendidly for my Livescribe Pulse pen. They've been paired (pen and pouch) for quite a while now and the pouch still looks like new.