(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!)
Last week I reviewed the Apica CD Grid Notebook, a thrifty gem with a quality that far outpaces its price. Today I'm reviewing its elegant cousin, the Apica CD Premium Notebook. The word "premium" gives us the first clue as to the difference between this notebook and the CD Grid. This one costs a bit more. But it's still a very good price at $13.75. Considering the book's excellent quality, it's still a bargain.
This notebook is much thicker than the CD Grid, with 96 pages that can be used on both sides. The paper itself is heftier, too, at 86.5 gsm. The primary thing that this paper is known for is its silky smoothness. There is almost no texture to the paper at all, so your pens will glide over it like butter on hot glass. And pick any pen you want, because this paper can handle just about any of them, even watercolor. The Sharpie dotted through a bit, but it wasn't even a full bleed-through. That smooth surface does mean a longer dry-time, however.
The cover on the Premium is a thick cardstock. This cover isn't textured at all, but has a lovely metallic print scrollwork, with the handy advice, "Choose the paper like you would a good pen." This whole notebook was specifically designed for picky users. I mean, of course, discerning paper connoisseurs like ourselves. The binding is thread and glue, reinforced with fabric tape. The signatures are very small, making for crisp, even binding, and they're joined with thread that matches the red color of the cover. The thoughtful binding also allows this notebook to lay flat on any page.
It comes in ruled, grid, and blank pages, with blue, red, or black covers. This red version has 5mm grid with a lovely faint grey print that won't distract or fence you in, if you choose to disregard it.
This is probably more notebook than one would need for school notes, and a bit too small for a novel, but it's perfect for a journal, bullet or otherwise, and it would make an excellent commonplace book. The paper also makes it a great ink and pen testing book. The A5 size will fit perfectly into most notebook covers, though it's sturdy enough that it doesn't necessarily require one.
I'm always impressed with the Apica line, and this fancy CD Premium Notebook is another gem in their lineup. I highly recommend it.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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