Posts filed under Apica

Apica Blank Twin Ring A5 Notebook Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

There's something to be said for the allure of a plain and simple tool when compared to the luxurious. Fine luxury items have their place, but no matter how expensive your tastes might become, it's difficult to ignore a good basic option. To me, that's exactly what the Apica Blank Twin Ring notebook line exemplifies. It's a no-nonsense, no frills, basic notebook with zero branding and good paper. The latest version I've added to the notebook collection is the Apica Blank Twin Ring A5 lined notebook. It's a spiral-bound notebook that gets the job done for a low price, and I love it for that.

This notebook is a slim spiral-bound format with 30 sheets of 70 gsm white paper with lines spaced out by 6.5mm. You have your choice of either red or blue rings, but that's where the customization ends. The plan brown cardstock covers are lightweight but also offer a fair bit of protection against everyday use. The corners of the cover and sheets are rounded off, meaning they won't snag as easily on bags and other objects. Apart from the retail SKU/barcode sticker on the back cover of the notebook, there's zero branding to be found. I like this minimalism quite a bit, and it adds to the sparse feel of this notebook.

Apica Blank Twin Ring A5 Notebook Writing

The 70 gsm paper is thin but highly effective. I only notice writing showing through from the other side of the sheet when using a large stub nib or extremely wet nib/ink combinations. For everyday conditions and "normal" EF-B nibs, it works great. The paper feel is smooth with a small amount of feedback, and it doesn't cause any weird bleeding or feathering like other papers I've tried in cheaper notebooks. It's a great paper, and I really enjoy using it. I know that lined paper is not everyone's favorite style, but it's a fantastic notebook option if you like lines.

This notebook (and brand) is ubiquitous and utilitarian in Japan, but not in the US. I'd like to think that this notebook is similar to how someone who grew up in the US might think about standard Mead spiral notebooks. They're incredibly cheap, available at basically every store, and you go through dozens of them while in school. They're not the most robust notebooks, but you can't beat the price! It's this utilitarian and minimalist design that I really like about this notebook, and it's also whey I always have one going in some way or another around my desk. If you haven't checked these out and could use a great "throw-around" notebook, the Apica Blank Twin Ring A5 notebook is a fantastic option.

If A4 isn't your thing, you can also pick these up in semi-B5.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Apica Blank Twin Ring A5 Notebook Back Cover

Posted on July 22, 2020 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Apica, Notebook Reviews.

Apica CD Premium Notebook Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

Last week I reviewed the Apica CD Grid Notebook, a thrifty gem with a quality that far outpaces its price. Today I'm reviewing its elegant cousin, the Apica CD Premium Notebook. The word "premium" gives us the first clue as to the difference between this notebook and the CD Grid. This one costs a bit more. But it's still a very good price at $13.75. Considering the book's excellent quality, it's still a bargain.

This notebook is much thicker than the CD Grid, with 96 pages that can be used on both sides. The paper itself is heftier, too, at 86.5 gsm. The primary thing that this paper is known for is its silky smoothness. There is almost no texture to the paper at all, so your pens will glide over it like butter on hot glass. And pick any pen you want, because this paper can handle just about any of them, even watercolor. The Sharpie dotted through a bit, but it wasn't even a full bleed-through. That smooth surface does mean a longer dry-time, however.

The cover on the Premium is a thick cardstock. This cover isn't textured at all, but has a lovely metallic print scrollwork, with the handy advice, "Choose the paper like you would a good pen." This whole notebook was specifically designed for picky users. I mean, of course, discerning paper connoisseurs like ourselves. The binding is thread and glue, reinforced with fabric tape. The signatures are very small, making for crisp, even binding, and they're joined with thread that matches the red color of the cover. The thoughtful binding also allows this notebook to lay flat on any page.

It comes in ruled, grid, and blank pages, with blue, red, or black covers. This red version has 5mm grid with a lovely faint grey print that won't distract or fence you in, if you choose to disregard it.

This is probably more notebook than one would need for school notes, and a bit too small for a novel, but it's perfect for a journal, bullet or otherwise, and it would make an excellent commonplace book. The paper also makes it a great ink and pen testing book. The A5 size will fit perfectly into most notebook covers, though it's sturdy enough that it doesn't necessarily require one.

I'm always impressed with the Apica line, and this fancy CD Premium Notebook is another gem in their lineup. I highly recommend it.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Posted on April 2, 2020 by Sarah Read and filed under Apica, Notebook Reviews.

Apica CD Grid Notebook Review

The Apica CD notebooks are among my favorites for affordable quality. Bear in mind, throughout this review, that this product costs under $3. Yes, it's cheaper than a cup of coffee. But don't let the cost fool you into thinking it's flimsy. These books are nicely constructed with good durability. I've even chosen them as my official class notebooks for when I start school in the fall.

The covers are a thin, textured cardstock with a pretty printed frame design. They feel good and look elegant. The slim cardstock keeps the notebook lightweight while still providing some structure to it, which makes it perfect for school. There are enough pages for all my course notes, and I don't have to worry about it weighing down my bag or falling apart halfway through the semester. There are blank lines on the cover where you can record the contents of the book.

The notebook is thread-bound, with a sturdy sewn binding that is reinforced by cloth tape. The pages are bound in two signatures fastened together. The center of the book, where the signatures meet, lays flat. The other pages require a bit of training in order to lay flat, but they do once the spine is broken in. There are 52 sheets in the book, for a generous 104 writing pages.

The pages in this version are in 5mm grid, 81.4 gsm white paper. The paper is acid-free and can handle just about any kind of ink you throw at it. I emptied my pen cup at it, and the only thing that showed through at all was Sharpie. Even if you're writing in double-broad fountain pens and highlighting over that, you'll be able to use both sides of these pages for your writing.

I can't think of any other brand where you can get 100 A5 pages of impervious paper for under $3. Kokuyo comes close, and I love them, too--but Apica's books have slightly more pages, for slightly cheaper, with a better looking cover.

You would think, with all the notebooks I get to play with, that I would know immediately what ones I wanted to use for school, but it actually just made the decision harder. I'm satisfied with my decision, though. This notebook fits all my criteria of quality and cost.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!