Galen Leather Traveler's Notebook Cover: Sizes & Fit
Galen Leather's Traveler's Notebook Leather Cover is a refillable, Traveler's-style cowhide cover handmade in Turkey. It comes in Passport, Pocket, Regular, Large, A5 and B5 sizes; the Regular measures 12.1 × 22.2 cm (4.76 × 8.74 in) closed. Four inner elastics hold 4 to 6 notebooks, and the cover sits in our $$$ band ($20–75).
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Product facts
- Product
- Galen Leather Traveler's Notebook Leather Cover (Passport, Pocket, Regular, Large, A5 and B5 sizes)
- Brand
- Galen Leather
- Brand origin
- Turkey
- Made in
- Turkey*
- Material
- 100% vegetable-tanned cow leather; cotton elastics; optional solid brass charm and waxed polyamide hand stitching
- Price range
- $$$$20–75 for the cover or binder with its starter insert
- Colors
BrownPlain leather, semi-matte
- Rate it
Notes on these facts
- Made by Galen Leather Co. (Istanbul). Made in Turkey: Galen Leather's US listing says "100% HANDMADE IN TURKEY" and "Handmade in Turkey. The leather is vegetable-tanned in Turkey." Its Turkish listing calls it an "El Yapımı Deri Traveler’s Notebook Kılıfı" (handmade leather Traveler's Notebook cover). It isn't made by Traveler's Company, which makes the original TRAVELER'S notebook. Source. Price: example listing.
- Colors: names per Galen Leather, checked October 27, 2026. Galen Leather sells each color of its Traveler's Notebook Leather Cover on its own product page; these twelve are the colors its store lists for the cover (read through the store's public product feed on October 27, 2026), named as its pages name them, with its finish wording in each tile. Tints are hand-picked from Galen's product photos, not measured; Galen says Crazy Horse leather ages and softens faster than regular leather. Tints are representative, not measured. Shops stock different colors.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
- Galen makes six sizes; its guide gives closed sizes from 10 × 13.7 cm (Passport) to 20 × 26.2 cm (B5), with the Regular at 12.1 × 22.2 cm.
- Four standard elastic bands inside hold 4 to 6 notebooks, depending on size, per Galen.
- It's 100% vegetable-tanned cow leather; Galen uses 2 mm leather for its Traveler's covers and says the leather is tanned in Turkey.
- Galen's Turkish store listed it at ₺1,427 (about US$29) on October 22, 2026; US prices fall in our $$$ band ($20–75).
- Options include hand stitching, elastic colour, a brass charm, a leather tag, a 3-letter monogram, a Tomoe River refill and a wallet insert.
What is Galen Leather’s Traveler’s Notebook Leather Cover?
It’s a plain leather wrap with elastic bands inside, made in the style of the TRAVELER’S notebook, so you can slip in your own notebooks and refills. Galen Leather, a family company in Istanbul, sells it in six sizes and many leathers; its US listing dates from August 2015.
It’s not a Traveler’s Company product. Galen uses “Traveler’s Notebook” to describe the format, and its covers take the original’s Regular and Passport refills as well as Field Notes, A5 and B5 notebooks. On October 22, 2026 the Forest Green cover was 13th in Galen’s own best-selling sort.
What sizes does Galen make?
Six: Passport, Pocket, Regular, Large, A5 and B5. Galen’s size guide gives these sizes and fits.
| Size | Closed | Open | What fits, per Galen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport | 10 × 13.7 cm (3.93 × 5.39 in) | 21.5 × 13.7 cm (8.46 × 5.39 in) | A passport or 3.5 × 5 in inserts |
| 10.1 × 15.2 cm (3.97 × 5.98 in) | 21.7 × 15.2 cm (8.54 × 5.98 in) | 3–4 Field Notes or Moleskine Pocket notebooks | |
| Regular | 12.1 × 22.2 cm (4.76 × 8.74 in) | 25.7 × 22.2 cm (10.11 × 8.74 in) | 1–5 Traveler’s Regular inserts, 4.5 in wide |
| Large | Not given | Not given | 4 Moleskine Cahier Large; A5 height, 2 cm narrower |
| A5 | 16 × 22.2 cm (6.29 × 8.74 in) | 33.7 × 22.2 cm (13.26 × 8.74 in) | 2 Leuchtturm1917 A5 or 4 Moleskine Cahier Large |
| B5 | 20 × 26.2 cm (7.87 × 10.31 in) | 41.7 × 26.2 cm (16.41 × 10.31 in) | 2 Leuchtturm1917 B5 or 2 composition notebooks |
How does it compare with the TRAVELER’S notebook Regular?
Galen’s Regular is a little bigger, holds more refills out of the box and costs less, but comes without paper.
| Galen Regular | TRAVELER’S notebook Regular | |
|---|---|---|
| Closed size | 12.1 × 22.2 cm (4.8 × 8.7 in) | 12 × 22 cm (4.7 × 8.7 in) |
| Inner elastics | 4 | 1, plus connecting bands |
| Refill included | No (Tomoe River refill optional) | One 64-page MD Paper refill |
| Made in | Turkey | Thailand (cover), Japan (refill) |
| Price band | $20–75 | $20–75 |
The Traveler’s Company figures come from our guide to the original. The Gentleman Stationer made the same point in June 2016: Galen’s cover came set up for four refills, where the original holds one or two before you buy more bands.
What options can you choose?
Hand stitching, elastic colour, a leather tag, a brass charm, a monogram, a refill and a wallet insert. Galen lists each as optional on the product page.
- Hand stitching: a decorative stitch round the edges, in waxed polyamide thread.
- Charm or tag: a solid brass charm or a leather tag on the closure elastic.
- Monogram: up to 3 embossed characters.
- Refill: a Tomoe River paper notebook in the matching size.
- Wallet insert: a long leather travel wallet that fits inside, only in Passport and Regular sizes.
The Pocket size suits a Field Notes Original Kraft memo book, which our guide measures at 89 × 140 mm.
What is the cover made of?
Vegetable-tanned cow leather, 2 mm thick, with cotton elastics. Galen’s “Our Leather” page says it uses 2 mm leather for journals and traveler’s notebooks, from hides mainly sourced in Europe and tanned and dyed in Turkey.
Galen describes its Crazy Horse leathers as distressed, with a suede feel, and says they age and soften faster than its plain leathers. The edges are beveled, waxed and burnished, and Galen says it gives the cover a strong spine so it doesn’t buckle when filled with refills.
What are the downsides?
You buy paper separately, and options add to the price. On October 22, 2026 Galen’s US store listed the cover at US$34 before options, and it arrives empty unless you add a refill.
A thick stack of refills strains any elastic-band cover. Galen’s lead-time page says handmade orders typically ship in one to two weeks; for zippered protection, look at Galen’s Zippered A5 Notebook Folio instead, and for pens, its Zippered 10 Slots case.
Where is the Galen Traveler’s Notebook cover made?
In Turkey. Galen’s US listing says the cover is handmade in Turkey and its leather vegetable-tanned there. Our Galen Leather history explains that a simple journal cover was the first thing Galen ever made.
Frequently asked questions
Do TRAVELER'S notebook refills fit Galen's Regular cover?
They should: Galen says the Regular takes Traveler's standard 4.5 in wide inserts, and Traveler's Company's Regular refills are 110 × 210 mm, inside Galen's 12.1 × 22.2 cm cover. We haven't tested the fit yet.
Which Galen Traveler's Notebook size fits Field Notes?
The Pocket size. Galen says it takes 3 to 4 Field Notes or Moleskine Pocket notebooks, or any 3.5 × 5.5 in insert, and measures 10.1 × 15.2 cm closed.
How many notebooks can a Galen Traveler's Notebook cover hold?
Galen says its four elastics hold 4 to 6 notebooks, depending on size. Its size guide says the A5 takes two Leuchtturm1917 A5 notebooks or four Moleskine Cahier Large.
Is Galen Leather's cover cheaper than a TRAVELER'S notebook?
Both sit in our $20–75 band. The original Regular starter kit includes a refill, while Galen's cover is sold empty unless you add one, so compare like for like.
Does the Galen Traveler's Notebook cover come with a refill?
No, the cover is sold on its own. Galen offers a Tomoe River refill in the matching size as an option.
Is the Galen Traveler's Notebook cover made in Turkey?
Yes. Galen says it's handmade in Turkey from leather vegetable-tanned in Turkey, at its family company in Istanbul.
Sources
- Galen Leather Türkiye: Traveler's Notebook Deri Kılıf - Crazy Horse Forest Green (handmade; 4 elastics, 4–6 notebooks; sizes; ₺1,427)
- Galen Leather: Traveler's Notebook Leather Cover, Crazy Horse Forest Green (sizes, options, materials, origin, US$34)
- Galen Leather: Traveler's Notebook Size Guide (closed and open sizes; what fits)
- Galen Leather: Our Leather (vegetable-tanned full-grain; 2 mm for journals and traveler's notebooks; Turkish tanneries)
- Galen Leather: Traveler's Notebook Leather Cover, Crazy Horse Tan
- Galen Leather: all products sorted by best selling (read October 22, 2026)
- Galen Leather: Lead time (typically 1–2 weeks)
- The Gentleman Stationer: Galen Leather, A New Source for Custom Leather Goods (June 15, 2016)
- Galen Leather: Traveler's Notebook Leather Cover color pages (Crazy Horse Tan, Smoky, Navy Blue, Ocean Blue; Black, Navy Blue, Dark Brown, Purple, Brown; Undyed Leather)