Posts filed under Notebook Reviews

Clairefontaine Triomphe A5 Notepad Review

The Clairefontaine Triomphe notepads are one of those products that had a really difficult time getting my attention. They're incredibly well-designed and clean-looking, but that can also work to their detriment, getting passed over by more colorful and novel notebooks and notepads.

I'm glad I finally remembered to get these notepads out and try them out. They deliver everything I already loved about Clairefontaine paper in a handy notepad form. You can buy these notepads in other sizes, but the A5 is just so perfect for my needs. I haven't even tried the larger A4 version.

If you've never used Clairefontaine paper before, do yourself a favor and add some to your next stationery order. It's smooth, delicious paper that handles different types of pens with aplomb. The main downside to Clairefontaine's paper offerings always come down to the line formats they offer: lined and (less commonly) blank. No grid lines in sight with this brand! This is something that can immediately turn someone off of an entire line of paper products, and I don't blame them. I wish that Clairefontaine offered some more variety in their line formats. It's a shame they don't. But, if you can fight through the cringe-y experience of using lined paper, you'll be rewarded with a great writing experience.

I personally like using lined paper sometimes, and Clairefontaine is my go-to when I want to write long form stuff on lines. In the past, I've used various notebooks that they offer, but this was my first time to try out a notepad from the company.

At 50 sheets of 90 gsm acid-free paper, these notebooks are not large, but they're also fairly priced at just $6. The paper handles ink well enough that you can normally use the back side of the page if you want.

In my years of using this paper, I've had very little issues with bleeding and show-through. It really is a great paper and such a shame that it's not more prevalent, again due to the lack of line options.

The binding at the top of the pad is an adhesive layer that easily allows you to tear out a single page with little effort. The pages aren't perforated, so there aren't any tiny teeth at the top of the page after you tear it out. This makes the paper an ideal candidate for letters and clean notes. I'm also really content with how easy and clean these pages tear out. I've never had an issue with the sheet ripping when tearing it out of the adhesive binding.

These notebooks are very simple; they don't have any front or back matter, and the covers are very plain. If you order a lined version, you start at page 1 with normal paper. The blank version of the notepad comes with a removable line guide on page 1 that helps keep your lines straight when needed.

When writing, the front cover folds back onto the back cover easily to give you plenty of space to move the pad around on your work surface. The folding lines on the front cover are pre-folded for additional convenience. Even when these notepads are closed, they look really clean and professional. I love the white softcovers.

At $6, these Triomphe notepads are a really great deal as long as you like either blank or lined paper. They're infinitely useful due to their small form factor, and the paper can handle anything you throw at it. These are some of my favorite under-rated notebooks.

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


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Posted on March 18, 2020 and filed under Clairefontaine, Notebook Reviews.

Franklin-Christoph 5.3 Notebook Cover: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

Franklin-Christoph’s 5.3 Notebook Cover is a versatile cover that can be used with FC Bamboo notebooks, Field Notes, and other pocket-sized (3.5 x 5.5) notebooks. It measures 3 and 11/16 inches x 5 and 15/16 inches (=94mm x 151mm) and it is about 5mm thick.

The cover comes in various materials and colors: Ashen and Umber waxed canvas; Napa black and boot brown leather; Suit gray and dark blue; and Linen brown and blue. My cover is Suit gray. The material is soft to the touch with light texture and the edges are stitched. The diagonal-shaped corners are an elegant and unique touch.

The cover is adorned with the Franklin-Christoph “F” logo in contrasting fabric. A smaller logo appears on the back.

The inside cover is also nicely stitched and has a cut-out shape. Attention to detail and design is a characteristic of the Franklin-Christoph brand.

One Franklin-Christoph 5.3 ruled notebook comes with the cover. The paper is white bamboo with 6mm spacing. Each notebook has 32 pages. You can get 3-pack refills in ruled, dot grid, or grid for $10.00 or a 4-pack medley for $12.00.

The paper is definitely fountain-pen friendly. I tested it with all my currently-inked fountain pens. None of the inks feathered or bled through.

I also did ink swabs from various brands. None of the swabs bled through. Although the shimmer in Diamine Purple Pazzazz was visible, this paper doesn’t show off the sheen in Lamy Dark Lilac or Sailor Yama Dori. Sailor 123’s unique characteristics were visible, however.

I tested a variety of regular pens--gel, rollerball, Sharpie, and brush pens. All performed well, but the Sharpie did bleed through the paper (as Sharpie pens usually do).

I am genuinely impressed with Franklin-Christoph’s 5.3 notebook. It is super thin and light, weighing only 69 grams with a notebook inside. Pocket notebooks shouldn’t be bulky or heavy, and this one will slip neatly into a purse or a jacket pocket. Keep in mind that there’s no closure and the notebook doesn’t lay completely flat after you’ve opened it. Still, this is a classy little notebook that will fit right in at the office.

The Franklin-Christoph 5.3 Notebook Cover is $20.00. Leather versions are $22.50.

(Franklin-Christoph 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.

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Posted on February 28, 2020 and filed under Franklin-Christoph, Notebook Reviews.

Mark's Velessera A5 Notebook Cover 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!)

Even though I am a very dedicated notebook user, I still accumulate an alarming number of small scraps of paper of extreme importance, and various other detritus that I need to keep track of for weeks or even months. A notebook cover with lots of compartments is probably my most essential stationery item, and I'm never more than a few feet from my kit. I'm always excited to try new designs, and this is one that caught my eye right away.

The best thing about the Mark's Velessera A5 Notebook Cover is all the pockets. It can hold an A5 notebook OR a notepad, with slots for either style of cover. Or both, if they're not too bulky! It also has a folder slot on the other side for loose papers...or, you know, another notebook. There are also two small card slots that hold a decent stack of cards, and one pocket on the outside that can hold additional items (or, you guessed it, another notebook). There's also a generously sized pen loop inside the spine, which I think is a much better position than on the edge. It's wide enough to hold just about any clipped pen, but it is not elastic, so pens without clips will not stay in the loop.

The case closes with a zipper that has a good-sized pull tab. The zipper fabric is not as hardy as the synthetic leather of the case itself. The inside of the case is lined with textured fabric.

It's a well-made case, and a good design, but there are a few things I didn't like about it. There isn't much extra space at the edges, so my notebooks that have tabs or ribbon bookmarks interfered with the zipper closure. The zipper even shredded the ribbon for my planner. That lack of space also affects my ability to really use all of the pockets. I know this case isn't meant to hold three notebooks, but even with one medium thickness notebook (my planner), if I put things in the other pockets, I felt like I was straining the zipper when closing it, and the soft fabric around the zipper doesn't feel like it would weather much strain. Overall, I would say that the case is great for light use, but it doesn't suit my needs, as far as being a rugged carry-all that gets dragged everywhere.

For what it is, though, it's a good case and is very reasonably priced at $32. It comes in navy, gray, blue, and pink—all in muted, marbled tones. I think if all you're carrying is a (one) notebook, a pen, some business cards, and a few stray papers, this is a product you'd enjoy.

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


Posted on February 27, 2020 and filed under Mark's, Notebook Reviews.