The 7 Best Leather Journals To Keep Your Thoughts in One Place This Year

A leather journal, more than just a collection of blank pages, can become a sanctuary for your thoughts–not to mention your mental well-being. Studies have found that regular journaling boosts mental health, helps you work through emotions and achieve goals, boosts memory, and inspires creativity. While you don’t need the fanciest pens and nicest paper to get these effects, putting your thoughts down in a sleek leather journal certainly makes it feel like an elevated time with your ideas and reflections.

Types of Leather Journals

Leather journals are frequently customizable when ordered online, offering something for every taste and need. Here’s a peek at some key types and features to look for when making a purchasing decision.

By Leather Type

• Full-grain: Top-of-the-line, showcasing natural markings and developing a beautiful patina over time. These are the most durable and expensive.
• Top-grain: Similar to full-grain, but the top layer has been buffed to remove imperfections, creating a smoother feel. Still very durable and aesthetically pleasing.
• Genuine leather: A thinner, more processed leather made from the leftover layers of the hide. More affordable, but not as durable.
• Bonded leather: Made from scraps of leather bonded together with a synthetic material. Least expensive, but not as durable or natural-looking.

By Closure and Binding

• Bound: Traditional hardcover with sewn pages, offering excellent durability and a classic look.
• Spiral-bound: Lies flat for ease of writing and allows for page removal.
• Wrap-around: Secured with a strap or tie, offering a rustic and flexible feel.
• Refillable: Inserts can be swapped out, extending the life of the journal and catering to different paper types.

By Paper Type

• Lined: Classic format for structured writing.
• Unlined: Ideal for sketching, mind mapping, and creative expression.
• Dotted: Combines order with flexibility, great for bullet journaling and mixed-media use.

Additional Features

• Pockets: Handy for storing notes, cards, or keepsakes.
• Bookmarks: Keep your place easily.
• Pen loops: Always have your writing tool close at hand.
• Personalized engravings: Make your journal truly unique.

The Best Leather Journals For Men

Ox and Pine Personalized Leather Journals

Handcrafted from premium full-grain leather, Ox and Pine’s personalized and lined journals boast exquisite covers with unparalleled texture and visual appeal. Each journal is meticulously handmade, embodying superior craftsmanship and attention to detail. The option for customization, including embossing and personalized inscriptions, allows customers to create a cherished item. For those seeking a bespoke and high-quality paper journal or sketchbook that’s nearly always in stock (and affordable, to boot), Ox and Pine’s personalized leather journals are a must-checkout.

SETTINI Compass Vegan Leather Journal Gift Set

This curated set includes a hardcover vegan leather journal that’s lined, a pen, and a gift box, perfect for gifts to others or yourself. Admire the elegant closure and embossed compass design, evoking a sense of adventure. With rich, earthy colors to choose from (and other designs if the compass isn’t your style), these meticulously crafted journals appeal to diverse tastes, embodying style and sustainability. It’s 6” by 8” and comes with an ink refill for the pen. The journal itself contains 192 pages.

Albero Refillable Leather Journal

Featuring full-grain leather, this handmade refillable leather journal exudes an antique and vintage feel with its closure. Available lined in A5 format with 200 pages for sketching or writing. Customers on Amazon rave about its quality and craftsmanship, making it a standout choice in the realm of personalized journals and paper products.

Jenni Bick Custom Journals – Santa Fe Leather Wrap Journal

The Santa Fe Leather Wrap Journal by Jenni Bick looks like something you might find in the captain’s quarters of a pirate ship. Handcrafted in Martha’s Vineyard–one at a time, according to the brand–with 240 pages, this journal reflects superior craftsmanship and attention to detail. With various closure options and a range of leather cover choices, it’s among the more customizable lined journals available. The journal is a testament to handmade leather products at their finest. Choose from 18- to 36-point font for customizable initials or wording on the cover. At this price point, you won’t find a better-made or better-looking leather journal.

Oberon Design Refillable Leather Journals

Oberon Design offers a classy collection of refillable leather journals, seamlessly blending artistic flair with practical functionality. Each lined journal features stunning cover designs inspired by nature, mythology, or historical motifs. Colors range from vibrant reds, blues, and greens, to more subtle browns and grays. Handmade in the U.S., these leather journals showcase meticulous embossing, reflecting the brand’s commitment to artistic expression. With refillable options, they easily adapt to evolving writing needs and personal preferences, making them a must-have for any dedicated writer – and you never have to worry about running out of space.

Royce Leather Bound Journal

The Royce Leather Bound Journal is a luxurious lined notebook handcrafted with full-grain American leather. It is designed to age beautifully, developing a unique patina that reflects your own story. The journal features 160 pages of premium ivory paper that is acid-free and fountain pen friendly. It also has gilt-edged pages, a satin ribbon bookmark, a pen loop, and a lay-flat design. Monogram personalization is available with gold foil, silver foil, or embossing options.

Colonel Littleton No. 28 Leather Pocket Journal – Vintage Brown

Crafted from premium full-grain leather, the Colonel Littleton No. 28 Leather Pocket Journal comes with three 60-page ruled journal registers, making it ideal for undertaking different styles of writing or projects without having to lug around more than one journal. There are also separate notecards for side-scribbling and insertion at various points in the journal. Its 8.75″ x 5.25″ dimensions offer ample space for note-taking, drawing, or journaling while remaining pocket-sized for portability. With 96 acid-free pages, this journal ensures long-term organization for avid writers and travelers alike. It arrives in an “archive box” that you can customize to your liking, for example, if you write through one per year, have the year emblazoned on the box and keep your journals in perfect order.