Filofax Heritage A5 organiser review

Review: Filofax Heritage A5 - a great minimalist organiser but with a poorly designed flyleaf
Details of the Filofax Heritage A5 at uk.filofax.com/heritage-a5-co...
Apologies for the occasional autofocus failures. If I get more subscribers, I promise I'll buy a better camera!
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[@henningandreassen4140]

6:32 I have this Filofax and the pen holder is for the clip of the pen - not the whole pen. That is why it is placed high. Perfect fit.

[@greggraham8532]

Graham, thank you for an excellent review. I bought one of these Heritage Compact binders when they came out. Since it is thin and light, I TAKE THE HERITAGE EVERYWHERE, and so use it consistently. More details below. But the Heritage Compact is a great binder that is much easier and lighter to fit into a briefcase or bag than thicker A5 Filofaxes. I find it easy to write on, especially the left page, because the small rings don't get in the way as much, and your hand doesn't feel like it is floating in the air (fewer pages underneath). It holds about 90 pages, so you do have to be careful about what you keep int it. I use it in conjunction with an A5 Stratford. The Heritage has daily diary pages for this and next week, this quarter's monthly calendars, a year planner, To Do pages for lists, Meeting Planners for upcoming meetings, and a dozen yellow pages for notes. The rest of the year is stored in the Stratford. I groom and replenish the Heritage every Monday morning. But the advantages is that I take it everywhere, and so use it consistently. BTW, you are absolutely correct about the useless flyleaf. The flyleaf doesn't fit well, and takes up a lot of space in the small-diameter 15mm rings. I discarded it. Surprising that Filofax released such a poorly-designed flyleaf!

[@GrahamRhind]

Thanks Greg. I don't have a Heritage Personal Compact (yet!) but I do have other Filofax compact organisers and they are, indeed, a good size for daily carry and the small rings help with writing on both sides of the paper.

[@mike_qbik]

Heriatge is closest to my heart from Filofax lineup. I ended up using Plotter. For its superb paper and thinnest and …. flatability. Only wish it has a bit more shinnier leather. From the outside the leather is in TN territory (its the s@me company). The minimalist approach is just excellent. Still might try Heritage with Plotters paper.

[@AliceFromCloser]

I love this organiser but agree about the fly leaf I also wish filofax did covers or pouches as I worry about a filofax as lovely as this being damaged in my handbag if I carry it around

[@greggraham8532]

TIP -- keep a small plastic bag folded up flat inside the rear cover. Put the Heritage in the plastic bag if it starts raining, or to protect it inside your bag.

[@tjoebatjoep]

Thank you for this review. I really would like to have an A5 with smaller rings and after watching this I know this isn't really an option. Not only the pen loop but it also would annoy me the flaps aren't that sturdy/stiff. I guess I'll still have to look out for a vintage A5 Boston or Luxe with it's 20 mm rings. By the way, that design error of the pen loop folding the leather is exactly the same problem the Holborn has. The Holborns are a great design but their pen loop folds the leather and bulks it. (and will make the pocket beneath it unreachable too) You're right: Filofax is great but it really has its flaws with some of their products.

[@basicdose.9872]

Filofax heritage. That's what I am looking for.

[@waggermama]

That’s really useful. I’m also surprised that the leather doesn’t look as though it matches the leather of the binder (which would really bug me)

[@GrahamRhind]

That's a good point, which I hadn't thought about before - it looks like the leather from which the flyleaf is made comes from another batch. The texture is rougher, and it is very slightly darker in hue.

[@thomasaushauser1940]

To the left and right of the ring mechanism, the outer and inner leather is sewn through. The leather often tears here, right in the seam. Why? Because, especially the Personal, it does not lie flat. So people press down the leather on the left and right and put pressure on the seam. And the seam is the weakest part of the leather because it is perforated there. Occasionally these Heritage are offered for sale on these classified ad portals. You see a lot of them with destroyed leather. Even without manual pressure, there is pressure on the seam because the upper and lower leather are glued together and the bending radii are naturally different. That's why cars have a differential; otherwise the car would bump around the bend. I think the Heritage is a bad design.

[@GrahamRhind]

Thanks Thomas, that's a very interesting point. I haven't noticed extra wear and tear on those seams myself, but I do see that, where the covers bow upwards from the desk surface, one might be inclined to keep pressing it down to flatten it. It's certainly an extra point to think about before purchasing.

[@helitae7464]

I confirm this. Just bought an used personal size and the leather is cracking in the seam. It’s a pity. I love this organiser for its leather feel, the compact rings and the fact that it does not have a clasp annoying me while writing.

[@mike_qbik]

Just ordered one but to my surprise the rings are now 20mm and the pins which the rings are attached to the leather with are visible. Visually so ugly. The mechanism is square and not rounded like in your version or like it is in Personal Heritage which I own. Very sad about this and will be sending this back. Even on Filofax very own website all photos are with 15mm ring mechanism like yours is, yet they do ship 20mm which makes this very expansive Filofax very bulky and not minimal I wanted.

[@GrahamRhind]

That doesn't sound good at all. Did you order directly from Filofax? There are a large number of fake Filofax store fronts on platforms such as Amazon at the moment, selling lower quality fake items. That said, Filofax itself is seeing a clear decline in manufacturing quality at the moment.

[@mike_qbik]

@@GrahamRhind Thank you Graham for your reply. Yes of course, this is from original Filofax reseller in Czech rep. The same photos of 15mm A5 are on all Filofax websites = UK included. The mechanism was ugly as hell, square like with visible pin perforation and also some discolouration of the leather. Truly shocking. But on second inspection the web page does say Heritage A5 comes with 20mm ring. I saw your review, also the one from philofaxy blog and all have 15mm rings same as Personal Heritage. Well, I am sticking with my Plotter for A5 for now . . .yet 15mm would fit me better. I have to say the Personal Heritage is superb.