Posts filed under Notebook Reviews

Apica CD Grid 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!)

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.)

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Posted on March 26, 2020 by Sarah Read and filed under Apica, 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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