Posts filed under Word

Word Notebooks Orange Cover Review

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

It’s been a couple of years since I last reviewed a notebook from Word Notebooks, but I’ve always kept one of their notebooks close by for different uses. One of the more recent versions I’ve picked up is the standard orange covers. With a cover like that, do I really need to explain why I picked them up? The orange covers are unmistakably orange, but they also aren’t the fluorescent orange that pops out and demands attention. Apart from the simple Word logo branding, the notebooks are just plain, beautiful orange.

Word Notebooks come in a three-pack and all feature Word’s own lined ruling with a signature circle check mark on the left side of the page. I’m a fan of the check mark system because it’s there when you need it, but doesn’t stand out if you just want to use the notebook to jot down unordered ideas or notes. There are 48 pages in each notebook, and they’re staple bound with rounded corners. Standard specs for the pocket notebook realm, but it’s really the ruling (and check mark circles) and wide variety of cover colors and designs that set Word apart.

When you get into the notebook, you find a standard middle-of-the-road paper inside. It performs beautifully with gel pens, pencils, and ballpoints, but shows some feathering and major show-through for wet rollerballs and fountain pens. This is also pretty normal for the pocket notebook category. After all, these notebooks are about convenience and portability over paper quality. The paper can certainly handle most inks, but just remember that the ink will bleed and feather, and you might not be able to use the back of the page. It’s a smooth, white paper that is pleasant to use.

Another thing that we all expect in a new notebook is the area at the front of the notebook to write down our name, contact information, etc. in case we lose the notebook or just for archival purposes. This seems so normal now, but I’m curious if people actually use these pages as intended. Regardless of how you use the front page of your notebooks, Word provides a familiar template with which to start.

Conveniently, the inside of the front cover also includes a quick legend (or suggestions) for using their check mark circles. If you’re familiar with the Bullet Journal system, this will look very familiar.

In all, not much has changed in the past two years in regards to Word notebooks, and that’s a good thing. I always enjoy using these books, and always keep some in stock. If you haven’t tried Word notebooks yet, find a design that speaks to you and give them a try! If orange isn’t your think, there are numerous other delightful options. Word Notebooks come in at around $10 for a three-pack.

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

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Posted on April 18, 2018 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Word, Notebook Reviews.

Word Intergalactic 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.)

Word makes some of the prettiest pocket notebooks out there. I've found myself accidentally collecting these lovely books, and this new Intergalactic design is one of my favorites yet.

They're a standard-size pocket notebook at 3.5" x 5.5". They have a cardstock cover with rounded front corners and are staple bound with 48 pages of white 89 gsm paper. The pages have 6mm line spacing with a unique bullet-list margin.

There's a key for suggested uses for the list format inside the cover. I've found it to be really handy for list-making, but it's unobtrusive enough that it's easy to ignore the bullet points and use the page as a regular lined notebook page.

All 3 notebooks in the pack have identical covers. So while it lacks the pack variety and design excitement of Field Notes, that makes them (at least for me) easier to dive in and use. I don't have that nagging inner-notebook-collector warning me that if I use it, it'll be gone. There are two more just like it! And by the time I've used two, there's usually a new pack out for me to enjoy.

The paper quality, like many pocket notebooks, isn't wonderful. It does very well with pencil, ballpoint, gel pens, or extra-fine and dry fountain pens. But wet rollerballs and medium or broader fountain pens bleed through quite a bit. That hasn't interfered with my enjoyment of the books. Because I'm using them for quick notes and lists, I'm usually grabbing the nearest writing instrument--which is often my oldest son's school pencil, my youngest son's crayons, or the Fisher Space Pen in my pocket.

I do wish, given the bullet list format, that at least a few pages were perforated. I don't just make lists for myself, so sometimes I need to hand over a page to a partner-in-crime.

If you love pocket notebooks and lists (are there people who don't?), I definitely recommend giving these a try. There are lots of pretty designs to choose from, and I can't wait to see what the next one is. Designs are usually limited editions, so grab the ones you like while you can!

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

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Posted on May 4, 2017 by Sarah Read and filed under Word, Notebook Reviews.

Word Notebooks Leather Notebook Jacket Review

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

In the world of pocket notebooks, I've always recognized the Word brand as the one that has the nifty bullet point checkbox system. There are many options in the 3.5" x 5.5" pocket notebook realm, you have to stand out, right? Their cover designs help with that. They look like works of art, and there's something about that aesthetic that really draws me to these notebooks. It took me a while to try them simply because I already have so many pocket notebooks. Luckily, I've had an opportunity to try them out, and I'm glad I have.

Word Notebooks - Green Terrain

As far as pocket notebooks are concerned, the Word. Notebooks Green Terrain notebooks are pretty standard. Rounded corners, staple-bound, and 48-pages, and made in the USA. The way Word notebooks differ are the paper line format. Yes, there's only one choice as far as the paper goes, and it's lined with the addition of the "unique organizational system" that makes it easy to make bullet points, or mark things as important, in progress, or complete. While this system may not be for everyone (or for using all the time), it's easy to ignore since they're in the far left margin.

The pages aren't numbered, but I can't think of any pocket notebook examples (besides Leuchtturm) that have numbered pages. The ruling in these notebooks are similar to a "college" ruling instead of "wide." The front cover has the standard name, contact info, and dates, as well as some info on the organizational system. The back inside cover features some "Take Better Notes" tips for abbreviations and other shorthand symbols.

The covers are solid and will hold up to a lot of abuse. Compared to other pocket notebook brands that we all know and love, these are the strongest I've ever used. This is a nice, thick cardstock that Word is using in their notebooks. The cover for this edition is a lovely terrain pattern that reminds me of maps that show topographical information so you can tell how steep a hike will be. I love the green color as well. Like I said before, I love the Word notebook covers and I would collect them just because of the unique and fresh covers. The branding is simple...there's a "Word." logo, and the back has a "Made in the USA" slogan followed by the Word Notebooks website.

Now, the paper. In my testing, non-fountain pens work like a dream on this paper. If you're using a fountain pen, you'll notice plenty of feathering on the paper and lots of show-through. Of course, this will vary depending on the nib and ink you're using. Even my finer nibs exhibited feathering. I would only use fountain pens in this notebook if I was in a pinch and didn't have anything else. It works, but it's not ideal. But, any other pens look great on this paper. Gel, pigment, ballpoint inks are all crisp and smooth. The paper quality is in-line with most pocket notebooks, and I prefer it over most.

The Word notebooks are fantastic. After using these, I'll definitely keep them high on my list of pocket notebooks that stay in the rotation. The unique bullet system is novel and useful, but subtle enough to disappear if you aren't using them. Any Bullet Journal fans out there that have used these notebooks?

Word Notebook Leather Jacket (Chestnut/Red)

Along with the Green Terrain notebooks, I picked up the Word Notebooks Leather Notebook Jacket. I've never pulled the trigger on a leather notebook cover, so this was a new experience for me. First off, I'd recommend doing this just so you can smell the intense leather smell that comes out of the box when you open it. Wow. Aside from that, it just looks awesome.

The leather jacket is a 4" x 6" full grain leather cover that includes a couple of elastic cords to either hold the notebooks or keep the cover closed. The leather is called "chestnut," and I'd describe it as a caramel color leather (or a saddleback color). The cords are red, which add a nice pop of color to the cover. The cover is unbranded on the front and side, and there's a tasteful 1/2" Word. logo stamped into the lower back.

In use, the jacket does a great job of holding two notebooks and keeping them protected from wear and tear. For me, the whole kit is too big to fit in any pockets, but it works great when throwing it into a bag.

The best part of the jacket is how it looks. It adds a nice touch of character to your notebooks, and also allows you to easily carry two notebooks securely. Also, with this being real leather, the jacket will develop a nice look of its own over time.

For just under 30 bucks, it's an easy way to class up your pocket notebook game. The design is minimal, and the leather is the real star here. It also comes in Olive/Orange and Black/Blue if you are looking for other options.

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

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