I now have the ultimate pleasure of owning this stunner. It is the A5 Ebony Classic Croc Filofax, and I am officially besotted. Let me tell you more...
There is no better feeling than making your dreams come true, and this has been a dream of mine for a little while now. So you can imagine how eager I am to share the love. This is Filofancy's personal product review for the A5 Ebony Classic Croc Filofax. I'm going to tell you, in great detail as usual, what I love about it, and what I love a little less about it.
Filofax Packaging & Presentation
I did purchase this beauty unused on eBay for a lovely bargain price, it has to be said. I can't imagine why whoever had it didn't want it, because I think it is simply beautiful. Mine came in all of the original packagings so I am able to fully comment on what I think about the presentation.
The first A5 Filofax I purchased for myself about 10 years ago was an Aqua Chameleon and it came in a lovely hard board sleeve. You can see my quaint unboxing HERE, I was so young and silly :) So when I received this recent planner I was very excited to find that it came in rather smart dark blue presentation box, with a cute icons pattern printed all over it, and discrete Filofax branding in gold in the centre of the lid. I'm very pleased to have a box, they are super useful. I'll probably keep it to store any inserts and paper refills that I am not using but want to swap in and out of the planner every now and then.
When I opened the box the planner was wrapped in a thin sheet of padding, which was quite exciting, giving it an expensive gifty kind of vibe. And then the planner itself had the standard clear cover wrapped around the cover to protect the leather.
First Impressions Of The A5 Classic Croc Filofax
Once I had removed all of the packagings I took a moment to appreciate the familiar leather aroma. I love that smell. It reminds me of my father who used to run a leather factory. I didn't grow up with my father, and he wasn't around very much, but the smell of leather will always take me right back to those days. Like the smell of pipe tobacco, and that wonderful smell you get of the interior of new cars.
But back to the Filofax...
The leather cover was soft and textured as I held it in my hands for the first time. That matt croc texture just makes you want to caress it a little before you move on to open it up. I noted that it seemed a little bigger than my A5 Chameleon in my hands, and a little more flexible, but not so much that it is floppy. Overall, as I held it, it felt substantial, like it was an object of significance, an understated statement piece, classy, and not too bling for me.
I think the fact that the leather is matt and not shiny gives it that understated vibe, and it is the croc pattern that then brings it back into "statement piece" territory. So far so good.
Inside Layout Of The A5 Classic Croc Filofax Planner
I opened the planner up and placed it on the table. It doesn't lay flush flat against the surface due to a slight bulge of the spine, but it lays open fine and I don't have a problem with it at all. I think this is because the A5 size has enough weight on the wide cover flaps to hold them down by themselves. I don't know if it would act the same with the personal or pocket-sized planners, as I don't have them to compare.
The inside view of the planner is beautiful. It just looks like pure luxury. The croc design continues across the whole of the inside and outside of the planner, but inside each of the pockets, there is the black lining, which I like. You can't see the black lining unless you pull the pockets apart and peek inside.
I was drawn first to the zipped pocket on the left-hand side. The embossed gold branding says: "Filofax, Classic Croc, A5 Organiser, Italian Leather" and makes the inside cover look expensive. The zip is plain black and unobtrusive, with the zip hidden neatly behind a croc leather tab at the bottom that is part of the pocket material. When the pocket unzips it becomes apparent that it has a gusset at the base, unlike the zipped pocket on my A5 Chameleon. This allows the pocket to open much wider. I like this a lot because it expands the potential of this feature. I find myself wondering how I am going to use it when I set the planner up.
Next to the zip there is a pen loop, and I note that there is also another pen loop in the same position on the other side of the planner. I like that the pen loops are higher up on the planner instead of central. They are both fully elasticated, and the extra piece of croc leather sewn separately to the elastic on the outside in order to hide it is a nice touch, adding to the luxury of the product as a whole. It is always the small details that make such a difference.
Underneath the zipped pocket, there is a full-length pocket with the opening on the inside. I like the fact that the pocket feels nice and roomy due to the flexible leather. On the other side of the planner, there are two more full-length pockets with openings on the inside. The bottom is wider, with the one on top more narrow giving the impression of steps. The narrow top pocket also has vertical card slots positioned down the full length of the pocket. There are nine card slots in total, and again, due to the flexible leather, they are fairly easy to get into, although not the easiest design I have come across. I do find myself thinking it would have been nice if the bottom slot was deeper like in my A5 Chameleon, just for some variety. I don't have nine cards, so I will be thinking about alternative ways to use these.
The extra back pocket runs along the full length of the planner cover, and it is slightly curved at the top, which I think is an attractive design feature, softening the lines. There is a lot of space in this back pocket and I am looking forward to thinking of ways to put it to good use. It is the perfect size to store A4 sheets on their side without having to fold a sharp crease down the middle.
The rings are silver, and I am surprised to find that they are so much bigger than the rings in my A5 Chameleon. I think my A5 Chameleon rings must be 2.5cm from the insides, and the A5 Classic Croc is 3cm. This makes the overall size and feels of the Classic Croc bigger than my Chameleon. It is fatter due to the rings and the back pocket. The width of the cover is ever so slightly wider too. I am very happy with the overall size. The planner also has a wide snap fastening, meaning that this is a Filofax that can truly be stuffed.
Favourite Features Of The A5 Classic Croc Filofax
If I had to choose one feature that I think sets this planner apart from the others that I have owned, it would be a very difficult decision because there are quite a few. But the top thing that stands out for me, perhaps, would be the leather.
I am a big "leather lover", which was one of the reasons I disappeared off the Filofax scene for a while. I fell in love with the raw leather of the Midori Traveler's Notebooks. I did use The Filofax Original previously (a personal-sized brown one) but the leather experience of that one just didn't really do it for me. Not like my TN did.
I am very pleased to say that the leather of this Classic Croc is quite unusual. I think its the flexible nature and the texture of the croc print design that makes it extra tactile, and that is one of the things I love about certain leather products. The other thing is the smell. So good. So familiar.
Another feature that excites me about this planner is the zipped pocket because it fits my brand new Kindle Paperwhite in it perfectly. In fact it is almost as if it was made with the Kindle in mind! I am absolutely thrilled about that. The kindle also adds a little bit more structure to the front cover, although I like it both ways.
I also think the large rings look great, as well as being extra functional. The size of the rings makes them look like more of a feature in comparison to the smaller rings on my A5 Chameleon. This Ebony version is also hands down my favourite of the colour options, although I haven't seen the others in person, only online. My impression is that the matt black is discrete, classy and expensive-looking, which is exactly what I was hoping for.
What Would I Change About The A5 Classic Croc Filofax?
If given the full power of the Filofax Gods to change anything I liked about the A5 Classic croc Filofax design, there are just a few things that I might like to point out.
The first concern is regarding the pen loops. I do love the fact that the pen loops are elasticated, and the extra detail of the leather piece that conceals the elastic really is lovely. However, I am always ever so slightly nervous about elastic pen loops due to the worry that over time, and depending on what pens I put in them, that the elastic may wear or expand.
I do realise that the elastic used by Filofax is very thick and seems durable, but this is just a small concern that might put me off using them altogether, for fear of ruining them. I am sure I am just over-thinking it though, and probably being a little precious because the planner is so new and fancy, and I don't want it to ever get old. I wonder if anyone else has had the experience of the Filofax fully-elasticated pen loops? If you have, please share your experiences in the comments below, as I would love to read them.
I also wonder if the pen loop on the left-hand side will get in the way of the zipped pocket once it has a pen in it? I probably won't end up using that one. I do have a rather nice black leather pencil case, so I may not even end up using the other pen loop. We shall just have to wait and see.
Secondly, I do wonder if Filofax has gone a bit overboard on the number of card slots inside the back cover? I can understand having more in a smaller planner that might be used as a wallet. I never use the card slots for cards, especially in the A5 size, but they do come in handy for sticky notes and things like that. For this reason, if I were to adapt the design slightly I might think about adding a bit of variety to the depth of these little pockets to make them slightly more versatile.
Another thing that I am finding to be a bit annoying is trying to open the rings with the top and bottom metal tabs. I don't know if this is down to the flexibility of the leather, the size of the rings, or a fault that is specific to my planner. Or maybe I am just really weak, or I don't have the correct technique. Opening the rings has not been an easy task for me though. It is even more awkward when there is paper on both sides. I didn't have this problem with my A5 Chameleon, the rings opened very firmly and I didn't have to faff. Maybe I just need more practice with the slightly bigger rings. I hope it's not a fault. Maybe that was why the eBay seller wanted to part with it? Thankfully there is no sign of gaps in the rings, which is always a blessing.
In Summary
My overall opinion of the A5 Ebony Classic Croc Filofax Planner is that it has proudly met my expectations and earned a permanent position in my collection. I just love it, and I am thoroughly looking forward to writing another post to show you how I am putting it to work. If you are thinking of buying one yourself, I think you should go for it. It is a real treat. In fact, I am even considering purchasing a smaller one as well. Perhaps the pocket size. It would be so adorable as a wallet!
Filofax has not sponsored this review post, and I purchased the planner out of my own pocket. However, I have an affiliate link below that will take you to the Filofax website, and any purchases you make while over there will earn me a humble bit of revenue (which doesn't affect you at all). That would make me rather happy :) The other way to make me smile is to leave a comment below because I love to read and respond to them, they really do make my day.
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