(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
For all the A5 notebooks I already have in my stash, I'm sometimes a little confused as to why I still have the desire to purchase more of what is essentially the same notebook. Despite having the same size and similar specs, they all feel and act different! That's part of the joy that stationery provides. But just because a notebook uses the tried-and-true A5 dimensions, doesn't mean it will be a great notebook in practice.
The Endless Recorder A5 notebook is a sleek looking book that borrows from the aesthetic language that Moleskine made famous decades ago. It's a simple hardcover notebook with a pocket on the inside back cover, an elastic strap to keep it closed, and a couple of bookmark ribbons for keeping your place. It even has a couple of index pages at the front, and every page is clearly numbered in the bottom outside corner of each page. So far, I could be describing any number of notebooks you could buy today. What sets the Recorder apart from the rest?
Like so many notebooks, the answer to that question is: the paper. The Recorder uses an 80gsm paper that Endless have coined "Regalia." It's a smooth, white paper that feels great to write on. It's a little on the "too smooth" side for me, which means the paper doesn't provide as much grit or tactile feedback on the writing instrument I'm using. It's not bad, and I get used to the unique smoothness the more I use it. The dot grid pattern on my unit is exactly what I expect — it's a light gray ink and spaced well.
With the fountain pens I used on this paper, they all behaved well when writing. The colors were bright and the ink was sharp, with no feathering in sight. This is great since the marketing tout this paper as one that won't bleed or feather. Show through on the back of the page is also minimal, which isn't always the case with paper that has an 80gsm density.
On top of all that, this paper is acid free, which means your writings and doodles should last as long as the paper. In my first few writing sessions, I was happy with how the paper was performing. But then I started noticing something — it was really easy to smudge if I wasn't careful about where I put my fingers or hands while writing.
As I started noticing more and more smudges, I became more curious. Once I was focused on it, I realized that every fountain pen ink I used on this paper took a really long time to dry to a point that it resisted smudging. Even then, some inks seem to smudge even after they look completely dry. Interesting.
After a little more testing, I discovered that other pens produced similar results. Gel ink, rollerball ink, and some ballpoint inks all smudged slightly if you rubbed over them with your finger or hand. Not great! Whatever coating they use to make the paper ultra smooth has a terrible side effect: super long dry times.
This was a bummer because I realized that my writing style is the best case scenario. If you're left handed, this paper is a non-starter. I was even more bummed when I came back to a page that I had written 24 hours before and confirmed that it was still extremely easy to smudge if I lightly dragged a finger over it. Wow.
To add insult to injury, the marketing on the packaging for this notebook states "World's most ink-friendly notebook." I get that marketing materials have a certain level of hyperbole — that's just how the industry works. But in this case, it's not even in the best tier of ink-friendly papers. With the way it prevents ink from fully drying, this notebook goes straight to bottom of the list for me. I'd pick up a Moleskine before this one because at least the Moleskine would let my ink dry in a reasonable amount of time (albeit with lots of feathering and show-through!).
The Recorder is available in several colors and paper ruling styles for $23.50. That's a pretty average price for the hardcover A5 notebook category, so that makes it incredibly easy to say you shouldn't consider this notebook. Look at Leuchtturm1917, Rhodia, Lamy, Clairefontaine, or any number of more established paper brands before you consider this notebook. I wanted to like the Endless Recorder because of its sleek design and cool color options, but the paper was ultimately a deal-breaker for me.
(Goldspot provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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