Posts filed under Notebook Reviews

Tsubame Fools University Notebook Review

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

I've always been a fan of the B5 notebook size, as it's smaller than the standard A4 but still larger than the ubiquitous A5. Plenty of space to stretch out and write, but still small enough to easily carry around.

There are plenty of Life and Apica notebooks in my stationery closet, but I'm always interested in new players that enter the scene. That's exactly why I picked up a Tsubame Fools University Notebook to try out. They style and price is similar to Apica and Life, so I had to find out if this notebook performs as well as the former examples.

Let's start with the specs. The Tsubame Fools University Notebook contains 30 sheets of acid-free white paper that weighs in at just over 80 gsm. There are plenty of style options, but I went with the lined version. You can also get these notebooks with plain or graph paper. The marketing description on JetPens' site includes some information about traditional lattice work patterns in the paper that can be seen when holding it up to the light, but I have really struggled to see anything outside of regular paper. Who knows — maybe it makes a difference, or maybe it's just a fancy checkmark for their marketing materials!

The cover is made of a heavier grade of paper and bends easily. It won't stand up to a lot of abuse, but it does a good job of protecting the insides of the notebook under normal circumstances. The notebook is bound with thread, and seems like a well-done job that will hold up through the life of the notebook. The exterior spine has some additional tape to provide extra durability and some aesthetic contrast. Inside the notebook, there's some marketing and the company logo on the front inside cover, while the back inside cover is empty. All in all, the notebook has a very simple look without any distracting colors or extraneous text.

Now, the real star of this notebook: the paper. I rarely find a Japanese paper that I don't like, and the Tsubame Fools paper is no different. It's a delight to use. The feel of the page is a little toothy, but only enough to give the perfect amount of feedback while writing. I've used several types of pens and inks with the paper, and it performs admirably. I haven't seen any bleeding, feathering, or other odd quirks (like longer dry times, etc.) with this paper, and it also does a fantastic job of preventing show-through on the back of the sheet. With this paper, you can definitely use the back side of the sheet without any worries.

On top of all that, the paper is acid-free, which means your marks won't discolor or fade over time. Great for referencing old notes or musings!

The quality of the Tsubame Fools University Notebook is on par with the competition, and I can easily recommend this notebook to anyone looking for a great lightweight notebook for notes, journaling, and anything in between. At just under $4, it's a great deal. Pick up a couple on your next order!

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

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Posted on March 25, 2020 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Tsubame Fools, Notebook Reviews.

Mark's HiBi Weekly Notebook Review

Did your schedule just become insanely complicated? Or are you, perhaps, having to rely on a deeply buried reserve of self-discipline as you begin working from a home office? Or are you suddenly planning to catch up on some long-neglected tasks around the house? Are you suddenly a teacher? You may find yourself needing a new format for your to-do list, in any case, as plans and planners fly out the window.

This Mark's HiBi Weekly Notebook works as a slim book, or can be unfolded into a tent-style standup calendar. Each page shows a weekly spread with room for memos on the bottom of the page. There are 45 sheets and both sides of each page are usable, for a whopping 90 weeks of tasks in this small book. The twin spiral binding makes it easy to flip pages and use both sides--though the paper is not very friendly to wet inks. Pencil, ballpoint, and gel pens work well, but rollerball, fountain pens, and markers all had some bleed-through.

I like the simple format and layout of this. There's just enough room for a reasonable list of tasks, and the empty date boxes mean you can start it on any day. Its small size, about 4.5 by 8.25 inches, makes it great for placing somewhere where the whole family can reference it, or it can perch on a small corner of your desk to help you stay productive.

If your abrupt change of plans leads to an abrupt change of planners, no one will blame you. While this wee book isn't enough to replace a planner altogether, I think it's a great week-at-a-glance to help get an overview of the tasks we're all tackling together, but separately.

(This notebook was purchased at Goods for the Study at full price.)

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Posted on March 19, 2020 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Mark's, 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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