The Norfolk is a new model in Pocket, Personal and A5 sizes, with 25mm, 30mm and 35mm ring sizes respectively.
Each one is available in four colours: Almond, Sage, Lavender, Taupe (Brown, Green, Purple, Light Grey!) The leather has a small amount of padding under the surface.
Each size has a full width back pocket. The credit card slots are in the inside back cover, with a zip pocket in the front inside cover. With full height slip pockets in both front and back inside covers. The Pocket and Personal size have a single elasticated pen loop attached to the back cover, the A5 has duel pen loops on the front and back covers.
The rings are sadly riveted in. But not surprising I guess given the prices in UK:
- Pocket - £80
- Personal - £95
- A5 - £130
These prices are comparable to say Moterm. However Filofax do include a full set of inserts with 'A Week on Two Pages Diary insert' printed on 80gsm paper.
With Filofax products like these being made in China now, it's not surprising that prices are similar.
The Compact Zip Malden is a re-release of an earlier version with a few differences
The Compact Zip Malden was originally released in about 2012/3 in Ochre, Navy and Purple. It was fitted with 15mm rings and lots of pockets and an external pocket as well.
The 2023/3 version of the Compact Malden Zip has a removable 15mm rings, removable in the sense that they are mounted on a board that slips in to an inside pocket. There is also a removable 'wristlet'. It comes in either Pink or Black.
The Compact Zip Malden is released at the UK price of £113 compared to £83 back in 2012! In 2012 there was a pocket zip Malden as well. No sign of that (yet) being re-released. Never say never!!
You can read my review of the Compact Zip Malden from 2015 here.
The internal pocket layout on the 2022 version looks very similar from the photos on the Filofax website. It also has the external slip pocket as well.
I would say that these are two welcome additions to the Filofax range.
The Norfolk range and the Compact Malden Zip are available from Filofax UK and other sites around the world.
Filofax videos:
Filofax Norfolk Unboxing - StephenieSays - a full review by our friend Stephenie in Germany. Take a look.
So are all new Filofaxes made in China or India now? Wasn't the original version UK made a while back?
ReplyDeleteAs far as we are aware, the Original is the only one 'Made in UK' It should be stated the country it was made in on the packaging of all products.
DeleteThe Filofax Website still states 'Made in UK' for the Original Personal. But looking at a random selection of other models on the site, there is no mention of where they are made. Assume that it's not UK and likely to be China or India or anywhere that labour is cheap and reliable.
DeleteI've been using pocket planners for everything for a longer time, including my wallet.
ReplyDeleteAt first glance I thought: "oh, the Norfolk might be interesting and there are 25mm rings, so I guess they listened to a request from some users".
But at second glance and after watching the video, I don't like it that much anymore and I wouldn't buy it - and here in Germany it costs 102 euros.
I've tried quite a few pocket planners - starting with the Malden (ok, but not great for my wallet, sold) and the Holborn, which I still really like.
But it has small rings, a fairly short strap and the coin compartment is difficult to access.
A VdS TM Junior was for me too floppy for this width (sold).
A Classic Croc in fuchsia, that I thought would be the right one - but incomprehensibly, the inner part is so stiffened that you can hardly use the inner compartments (the leather would actually be thick enough without stiffening). In addition, the color rubs off quickly (it now costs 160 euros from us!).
And I also recognize this strong stiffening on the Norfolk, so that the pocket version is probably just as bad in use as the Croc.
Also, it doesn't even have a gusseted coin pocket.
And it costs 102 euros from us - a Moterm Pocket 2.0, on the other hand, around 55 euros (pebbled leather / crocodile embossed) or 75 euros (new veg tan leather), including taxes and shipping.
And Moterm at least includes a leather fly leaf for this price - I love them as they offer a nice cover and additional 3 card slots, or a slanted pocket and a second pen loop (Luxe 2.0).
And you can easily change/buy the rings.
I currently own a normal Pocket 2.0 and a Pocket Luxe 2.0, both of which are made from the great, veg tan leather - I like them very much.
But my favorite at the moment is a pocket planner from Smartfee made out of real leather in design of denim blue ostrich - bought 2x for 39 euros each.
Including leather fly leaf with 3 card slots, 2 vinyl-pouches, a today marker/ruler and 2x 30 sheets of paper (weekly and daily, undated).
The leather is comfortable and it has for me the best size, consistency and usability of any regular pocket planner I've mentioned.
It offers two snaps and one more long compartment than the Moterm Pocket 2.0, also 4 card slots properly sewn on top of each other (instead of simple slots), similar to the Holborn and it lays better flat than Moterm and Croc.
Photos and videos don't always help - every planner only really reveals itself when you hold it in your hands.
Sorry for my novel 😊.
I’m confused about the pricing strategy here. Unless I’ve missed something, usually each range is priced similarly/comparably across various countries/currencies. But here, for example, the Norfolk personal is 95 GBP (equivalent of approx. 112 USD) in the UK, yet a whopping 210 USD in the US. Is this a new approach?
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping they decide on 25mm rings for other existing pockets, the Malden would suffice : ) Maybe I'm fussy but each colour range leaves me wondering who decided on that out of all possibilities? Even to the point where I've thought about whether new colours are presented to Filofax for consideration by the manufacturer since moving to China instead of the other way around. Just a simple 'nice' tint of cream would be beautiful, a rich burgundy a la previous vintage shade, any natural tans, undyed option, could please bring back vintage pink! or lastly a navy with navy stitching (ok almost seems I'm the only one who doesn't appreciate that contrast stitching but looks so good when you see it).
ReplyDeleteSteve, thank you for the review of the Norfolk. I have always wondered -- what is the purpose of the full-width pocket on the back of the binder? Putting a document in it would mean that it is wrapped around the rings when the Filofax is closed. Can you provide any insight, please?
ReplyDelete