Journals are a big commitment. I’ve had this Capri Journal from Centralcrafts for a few months now, but hadn’t cracked it open until recently. Why? I wasn’t sure what I wanted to use it for.
I’ve never owned a leather-wrap style journal - the enclosure didn’t seem like my style. This journal has changed my mind from not interested, to ok I get it. In the case of the Capri Journal, I think the leather is what did it for me. The leather is is soft and smooth on the outside and suede on the inside, and feels fantastic. That translates to the wrap, which makes it two full lengths around the A5 journal, with enough to tuck the excess into the back.
The other thing I like about the leather wrap style is that there is not a lot of excess. Yes, there is the flap to ensure it is covered properly, but there is not much border around the journal, which is nice. It’s protected, but not overdone.
On the inside, the journal front and back is glued directly onto the leather. The backing sheets are thick cover stock, as are the first page in the front and last page in the back to give the journal a solid feel. It’s not a hardcover on the inside, so there is some flexibility.
One issue I had when first opening the journal was that the glue binding was not clean inside the front cover. It overran the backing and stuck the first eight pages together along the edge. Not a big deal, and I pulled them apart easily, but it was a minor annoyance.
Paper specs for this journal are lacking on the product page, but it is nice. They call it fountain pen friendly, and I say I would agree with this assessment. That said, the paper has some texture to it, so don’t expect a glassy smooth page. There was no feathering to speak of, but there was a small amount of bleed and a decent amount of ghosting with all pens and pencils.
I find the ghosting to be interesting. This is thick, cream-colored paper - I’d say 70# or greater in thickness - and I can see pencil through the back of the page. With the tooth of the paper, pencil is wonderful in this journal, I’m just somewhat surprised that I can see it through the back. I don’t write on the back of the page so it doesn’t affect me, but it did make me say “huh?”
If there is one negative about the Capri Journal is that it is not a lay-flat notebook by any stretch of the imagination. I’m not used to having to rely on my opposite hand to hold down the notebook so firmly to get a flat writing surface. I’m spoiled in the fact that I don’t think I use another notebook that requires this.
So yes, that is a frustration point. But for some reason I can’t put it down. It think it is the look and feel of it. It’s fantastic on both accounts. It’s perfect for drawing pens and pencils, which means it’s an excellent creative space for sketches, doodles, or Da Vinci formulas. That’s how I see myself using it anyway. Sketches, not formulas though.
At £25 (approx. $35) I think it is fairly priced. The quality is definitely there, and you can choose from several different colors of leather covers. Centralcrafts has dozens of other journal styles to choose from as well. My thanks to them for sending this product over for review.
(Centralcrafts provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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