Category Archives: Notebooks

No, I Don’t Have Too Many Notebooks!

Adventures in Notebooking, Nerd Misadventures, Notebooks, Reviews

Unless you’re very new to Notebooking, you probably have a stash of empty notebooks somewhere.  Don’t feel bad about it, we all have them.  In fact, it’s very practical.  It simply wouldn’t do to finish a notebook and have to wait for the next one to come in the mail.

But, how about a few of them?  Maybe you have a shoe box or a shelf full of them.  Is this bad?

Of course not.

Because of our Notebooking Method I never have to worry that I won’t get to a notebook in my collection1.  In fact, having a collection is a bit encouraging, empowering even.  I find great comfort in knowing that I can finish a notebook with reckless abandon because as soon as I’m done I get to choose a new one.

Comfort isn’t the only reason for keeping a collection, however.  There are practical reasons as well.  The most important, as I see it, is the notebook dud.  A notebook dud is when you go to your collection, pull out a notebook you were excited about only to realize after a bit of writing that the notebook is bad.  Maybe the paper quality isn’t what you thought it would be.  Maybe it doesn’t play nice with your current favorite pen.  What if you’re a quarter of the way through a notebook only to have the binding fall apart on you (Moleskine!)?  If that’s your only notebook or only brand of notebook then, buddy, you’re out of luck.

Another reason to have a variety of notebooks in your collection is to help you better discover what you like.  There was a time when I insisted that any notebook I had must be Pocket size (A6).  This made sense since I carried my notebooks in my back pocket.  Then I changed jobs.  All of a sudden I couldn’t jot down notes at work and I ended up only Notebooking at home.  Eventually, a company I really like (Blackwing) started making notebooks but only in Steno size (A5).  Thanks to a gift card, I finally caved and bought their A5 offering (Blackwing Slate).  I’m glad I did.  Steno size (A5) is my new favorite format for Notebooking!  I would have never tried them if it wasn’t for having a collection2.

While we’re on the subject of having a lot of different notebooks, let’s talk about filling out your collection (as if any Notebooker needs a reason to buy more notebooks!)

As far as size is concerned, it simply makes sense to have notebooks in every size you use.  For me, that means passport size, Pocket size (A6), and Steno size (A5).  I have tried a few Letter size (A4) but they haven’t “grabbed me” yet3 but someday they might be just the thing.  Having a wide range of sizes means more situations where you can Notebook, and that’s almost always good.

Speaking of variety, let’s talk about binding.  The most common binding by far is sewn hard-cover.  That makes sense because it tends to be most durable.  That said, if you are someone who likes to keep your Notebook in your back pocket then hardcover can become uncomfortable.  This is where soft cover Pocket size and passport style really shine.

Another consideration when building your collection is ruling.  This is especially true if you’re new to Notebooking and are not yet sure what works best for you.  That said, I’ve been Notebooking for years and I still like to mix it up every now and then.  In addition to ruling style (ruled, grid, dot or blank), size might play into it as well.  For example, I have small handwriting so I could use almost any size but I’ve found that any ruling sub-5mm to be so small that it stifles my writing flow.

Then there’s paper quality.  It’s true that you could only collect notebooks that have good paper and never worry about it.  The difficulty here is that while there ARE grading systems for paper thickness (or “weight” to be more exact), there are no such systems to measure things like tooth (the comparative roughness of a paper) nor how fast a paper absorbs ink.  My only advice here is to find a ballpoint pen you like since I have yet to find a paper that a good ballpoint pen won’t work well on (the best being the Fisher Space Pen).

If all these options feel a bit paralyzing, don’t worry.  Let me assure you, no matter how many notebooks you have tried there will always be the one that piques your curiosity.  Might as well enjoy the ride!  Enjoy building your collection, enjoy trying them out, and especially enjoy perusing your collection every once in a while.  You’re not a hoarder but a connoisseur.

Why I want to love Moleskine, but can’t

Adventures in Notebooking, Nerd Misadventures, Notebooks, Reviews

Like many people, I first discovered Moleskine notebooks years ago in a bookstore.  After reading the propaganda on the back, I believed that buying the notebook would turn me into the next Hemingway.  It didn’t, but I won’t begrudge a company for having good marketing.

It was, however, a very nice notebook.  By the end, it was still in good shape so I bought another.  That next one was terrible.  The binding split in a week and the cover began to de-laminate in a month.  The paper would bleed and show through with a G2 1

I tried to hang on to that thing 2 but eventually gave up in disgust.  What’s worse, they were the only game in town so to speak.  I wanted to give up notebooking.  In fact, I kind of did for a while.  Some time later the same thing happened only this time with their passport-style notebooks.

After some research I discovered the problem.  Inconsistent sourcing.  You never know what you’re going to get.  I suspect they don’t care since their marketing is good enough to get their notebooks sold anyway.

At this point every name brand notebook I’ve tried is at least as good as Moleskine at their best and often has better features to boot!

All this to say, I want to like Moleskine.  I want them to be high quality.  I, even, want their “history” to be factual.  I want all these things but to paraphrase a rock star with scary lips, “I can’t always get what I want.”

 

If it’s better, I WANT IT!

Adventures in Notebooking, Notebooks, Reviews, Tips & Tricks

A common sentiment among people, Notebookers included.  I think it’s natural but I’m not so sure it’s always helpful or even sane.

I often fall into this exact sentiment when looking at notebooks.  When I look at a notebook like the Sigel Conceptum I get so excited about all the features1 that I just about break my wrist reaching for my wallet so fast.

But should I?  Should you?  What follows is a list of features that are common to notebooks that you might want to ignore:

  • Elastic closing strap For as much as I wish they weren’t, Harry Potter books are fiction.  Never have I had a book that, when left to its own devices, pops open and begins wreaking havoc all over the place.  When you throw a notebook into a bag or pocket it won’t usually open of it’s own accord.  I suppose if you throw it into a very loose bag some other things in the bag may make their way into the pages but most of the time, I find, the elastic closure is simply decorative.  A nice decoration no doubt, but a decoration none the less.
  • Ribbon bookmark  Some notebooks even come with 2!  Pretty cool, huh?  Honestly, I often forget to put them in the page before I close my notebooks.  Then, of course, when I see the ribbon dangling like a tassel I decide to open back up the notebook and replace it.  I never have had a hard time finding my place.  Don’t get me wrong, I do like the bookmarks.  Especially when they add a bit of color to an otherwise monochromatic landscape.  I must admit this though, more than once I have filled or nearly filled a notebook before noticing it was ribbon-less.
  • The pocket  Whoa there cowboy!  The pocket is as much a part of the identity of the notebook as the paper, you say.  Well, sure.  And I like a nice pocket in my notebook.  I even use mine.  That said, you can’t put too much in there without straining the binding and making your tome hard to close (at least your elastic closure will be useful until the spine cracks).  But not everyone uses these pockets.  Do you?  According to a recent survey I found, most people don’t use the pocket.  Some don’t even know it’s there.  If you don’t use it then there’s no reason to obsess over how it’s constructed or even whether it’s there.
  • Paper  OK.  Obviously a notebook has to have paper.  Even I know that!  But… A lot of fuss is made over paper quality.  Of course, if you use a fussy pen like a roller ball or its fussier older sibling, the fountain pen, then paper quality can definitely matter.  To be sure, I LOVE the small but kind luxury writing on good paper affords even when using a pencil (my weapon of choice).  Make no mistake, however, I don’t use fussy pens so I don’t HAVE to be fussy about paper quality.  I still am sometimes.
  • Lay flat construction  Now here is one feature that is VERY important to me.  I hope, for your sake, it doesn’t matter to you.  There are so many notebooks I get then immediately hate because they won’t lay flat.  If this happens to you and it doesn’t ruin your day then I’m very jealous of you.
  • Pen/Pencil loop  More and more notebooks are coming with little elastic loops to hold your pen or pencil2.  This is, presumably, because pens and pencils are historically so huge and heavy that they’re hard to carry around on their own!  I don’t mind a place for a pen or pencil but a lack of a loop is far from a deal breaker for me.

I’m not saying these features aren’t important or worth seeking out.  When push comes to shove, it’s your notebook and it should have the features and aesthetic you want.  But don’t be trapped by an assumption about what you “need.”  Don’t let yourself forget that your writing is what makes a notebook special and not some goofy feature that you don’t use.

Are there any features you love but never use?  Let us know in the comments!

5 readily available notebooks worth mentioning

Notebooks, Reviews

Moleskine

Let’s get this one out of the way.  Here’s the pocket sized ruled Moleskine.  You can find them in all sorts of brick and mortar stores but, if I’m being honest, you shouldn’t.  It’s not that these are that bad 1but that there are so many better options that are cheaper and seem to have quality control standards.

Does it lay flat?  Of course not2.  How’s the paper?  Thin as a legal pad’s and too smooth to reliably get a roller ball writing.  Also, it’s worth noting that after opening it this far for the picture, it didn’t want to close completely even with the help of the elastic band.

 

Leuchtturm1917 A6 Softcover Grid

Next, we have the Leuchtturm1917 (pronounced LOYCH-turm) soft cover in pocket size (A6).  This is a good notebook with great features such as:  Lay flat design3, numbered pages, perforated pages in the rear, archival stickers in the pocket4, and a table of contents in the beginning.

As you might be able to see, this is their grid orientation.  Unfortunately, the grid is sub 5mm making it a bit too small for my enjoyment.

 

FIELD NOTES

I don’t remember where I got this Field Notes notebook.  Just in case you’ve been living under a rock 5 this is a passport style notebook.  If you followed our method for getting started, you’ve probably seen these.  I like them, they’re nice.  But, I like thicker notebooks better.  If you’ve only used these you owe it to yourself to try a “big boy/girl” notebook.

 

Conceptum A5 by Sigel

Speaking of which,  here’s my current favorite.  The Conceptum by Sigel in Steno-size (A5).  This thing has too many features to list here but let’s just say it has ALL THE FEATURES6!  My only complaint is that faux stitching around the cover.  It looks okay from afar but up close it reminds me of those “nice” editions of classic literature found at Barnes and Noble.  Nice from afar but SUPER cheesy up close.

As you can see it lays “mostly” flat and in fact it lays completely flat when using.  With great paper and generous ruling, writing in this notebook is a pleasure.  Who cares about a little fake stitching!?

 

Blackwing Slate

Finally, we come to the Blackwing Slate.  You may have noticed something odd about these pictures.  Yes, they all have the same pencil.  That’s a Blackwing 602 and it came with this notebook.  It’s an amazing pencil (yes, pencils can be amazing too).

This thing has great paper and thanks to it’s unique binding 7it lays completely flat making it a pleasure to write in.  Unfortunately, it isn’t available in pocket sized (A6)…yet.

I hope this was helpful.  As of the time of writing, these were all available online.  Enjoy and write well!

 

Notebook Review: Lemome Thick Classic with Pen Loop

Notebooks, Reviews

This notebook caught me a bit off guard.  While searching Amazon for notebooks (something I do too often), I found this notebook.  It seemed to have pretty good reviews but, as I’m sure you know, Amazon reviews are often suspect.  The number of times 5-star reviews are something along the lines of, “Arrived on time, 5-stars!” or “All the pages fell out, 5-stars!” are so numerous that I don’t really bother with reading them.  A quick google yielded very little information, although apparently they make some sort of bullet journal which means that any review will be heavily skewed in favor and probably on Pinterest1.

On a whim, I bought it.  I’m glad I did.  This thing is pretty great, though not perfect.  Let’s take a look.

While the cover is probably some sort of fake leather it feels nice and seems like it would be quite durable.  It has the standard elastic closure in black and a ribbon bookmark in dark brown.  I thought that these being a different color would bother me, but it turns out I don’t care.  Not even a little bit.  The Lemome sports a binding that is almost identical to the Palomino Blackwing Slate.  This is what caught my eye originally since it the Slate is one of the greatest notebooks of all time with an incredible binding that easily lays flat without any strain to the binding.  It also has a pen/pencil loop on the spine much like my beloved Slate.  While I love that it’s there I don’t often use it.  I guess, in that respect, it’s kinda like the ice cream shop at the end of my street.

Of course, one of the things that makes the Slate great is that it’s paper is so pencil friendly.  How’s the Lemome handle pencil?  Awesome!

Normally, I don’t like to include writing samples in notebook reviews.  Why?  It’s not because I’m embarrassed of my handwriting (although I probably should be).  I don’t like putting writing samples in a review because I’ve talked to other reviewers that do this and they tell me they get inundated with requests of this pen or that marker.  Ugh.

But, the Lemome has pretty smooth 125gsm paper.  I was curious about what it could do and I figured I’d post my findings.  Let’s start with pencil since I like pencil.  I wrote with the Tombow Mono 100 2B, the Kuru Toga 0.5mm in HB and the Palomino Blackwing (MMX to those in the pencil community thanks to the intrepid Johnny Gamber.)  As you can see in the “Smear Test” column, only the Blackwing smeared at all and that took some work.  I suspect that it would be fine under normal usage.  All the others wouldn’t budge even under excessive agitation (I’m really trying to avoid the term “heavy rubbing,” oops!).  The smoothness of the paper seems to be great at locking in just the right amount of graphite but it does seem to have a bit of equalizing effect on different grades of graphite e.g. different grades appear more similar than on other paper but it’s extremely smudge resistant yet erases well.  Not unlike Rhodia’s paper or Sigel’s Conceptum notebooks.

I threw a few other pens in there just because I had them close by.  The only other thing I want to mention is the fountain pen.  Readers will possibly remember that I HATE fountain pens.  Mainly because, with a combination of being left handed and having bad handwriting, I’ve got a serious case of sour grapes (but, then again, fountain pens are so fussy I’m OK with their absence).  The fountain pen in question has no branding and I received it as a freebie when ordering a Midori Travel Notebook knock-off from China.  The notebook was really good but the pen they gave me is the worst fountain pen I’ve ever tried.  It spews so much ink that just writing on the sheet left both of my hands stained somehow!

The reason I wanted to include it is to show that this torrent of ink doesn’t show through at all!  125gsm!  Believe the hype!

This picture brings up another feature that I never thought I’d see.  The thicker stock card before the first page of any notebook is usually glued to the first page as part of the binding.  All these years I’ve simply ignored the first page because of that.  It’s just annoying having the first page of a notebook be useless but there’s nothing that can be done about it…Or so I thought.

As you can see here, there is a crease right where the first page is glued to the cardstock cover.  That crease was not put there by me.  It came like that.  I know it isn’t a huge deal but it shows an attention to detail that shouldn’t be ignored.  Also, I love the minimal branding.

Now on to the binding.  Being a soft and different material than the cover, it’s supposed to be able to lay flat, completely and easily.  Does it?

Boy Howdy that’s flat!

So, are there any downsides?  Well sure.  Chief among them is the paper.

“What!? I thought you said it was great!!!!” you say.

“It is.” I reply meekly.

“Then what’s the problem, weirdo!?” you berate.

OK.  So, the paper is really great and thick enough for the naughtiest of ink fountains.  But that means that the notebook is going to be really thick too, right?  Well, it is thicker than any other A5 notebook I own but only has 180 pages.  That’s 90 sheets.  Is it worth a notebook with fewer sheets if they’re really good sheets?  That’s up to you.  For me the answer is yes.  Especially since they are still around 15$ at the time of writing this review.

Another downside is the pocket in back.  While most notebooks that have a pocket in back have the accordion folds reinforced with some sort of fabric the Lemome has only the cardstock.  This might be a deal breaker for some people but I use the pockets in my notebooks all the time and I’ve never had a pocket break on me and that includes some cardstock-only pockets.

So long as we’re here, I’d like to point your attention to the opposite page.  Yes the crease is there too.  I love the attention to detail!

When we look at the back we see that the minimal branding has gone from minimal to understated.  Classy.  And a far cry from all those bookstore notebooks that look like they’re were designed by Ed Hardy’s tee totaling,  daisy gardening grandmother.

All in all, I really like this notebook and can’t wait until I get to it.  I might pick another before word gets out and the price goes up.  You should too.  Or don’t, I’m not your boss.

 

You need to know this before you buy a notebook

Adventures in Notebooking, Notebooks, Reviews, Tips & Tricks

Notebooks come in many shapes and sizes making finding the one that is perfect for you just a few google searches away.  One option that’s often overlooked is ruling.  Here’s a brief overview of the most common options.

Ruled

Ruled is simply lines going across the page allowing you to write words without the sloping up or down as you go along the page.  Pretty standard but if all you’re doing is writing it really works best.

Blank

Are you an artist? Do you write with HUGE letters?  Are you a rogue cop who can’t play by the rules?  Blank may be just the thing for you.

Grid

Often called graph as it resembles graphing paper.  This one is useful for drawing diagrams, cartography, or your oyster knife prototype.  That said, I personally like grid as it allows me to turn the notebook sideways and also have a line I can write on without my sentences taking that plunge towards the end of the line.  Also, I’m getting really close to perfecting my oyster knife design.

Dot Grid

This is the polarizing one.  Dot grid is a pattern of dots where the lines of a grid would intersect.  This ruling is kinda like Bob Dylan, either you love it or you hate it.  Very few people are indifferent although many people just ignore the dots.  I thought I would love dot grid but I kinda hate it.  So, I guess the only way to know is to try it.

 

Those are pretty much it.  That said, the spacing and darkness of rulings can make all the difference.  Try to find one that fits closely to your preferred handwriting size.  Or don’t, I’m not your boss.

Spartan Notebook Review

Adventures in Notebooking, Notebooks, Reviews, Tips & Tricks

This review is problematic.  I’m not really sure how to begin.  Ya’ see, the Spartan is one of my favorite notebooks (using that term loosely) that I’ve ever used.  Unfortunately, you can’t buy it.  Neither can I, but I made mine for free and so can you. I guess, I’ll start at the beginning.

The Spartan is eminently modular.  Pages can be added and removed at any time.  This means it can be whatever you want it to be, whenever you need it to be it.  Try that with your Moleskine!  Would you like something for your Jot Points since your chosen notebook is A5 or larger1?  A Spartan has you covered.  Making a shopping list and don’t want to fill your notebook with such banality?  The Spartan will happily serve as a sort of notebook junk filter.  Maybe you’re beginning some projects and want to be able to file your notes later.  This is where the Spartan shines.  The Spartan notebook is so effective because it is so versatile.  It will do anything you want it to.  It can be a scratch pad, a Jot Points referee, a planner or even your main notebook!  The Spartan has you covered.

 

Here it is!  As you can see, the Spartan is just note cards held together by a binder clip. This may look simple, it is.  This may look stupid, it might be.  Luckily, the Spartan is possibly the most useful “notebook” I’ve ever come across.  I personally prefer a small binder clip and 3×5 inch note cards as I keep my Spartan in my back pocket.  I prefer lined cards as they help me keep my writing legible yet compact2.  The clip I’m using is silver in color.  I bought a multi-color pack over 10 years ago and the first one I grabbed was this one.  It still works fine.

 

On the back I have a lined card turned over.  I use this for shopping lists in portrait orientation, hence using the non-lined side.  I’m not a madman3!

 

Here I’ve taken the guts of my Spartan and spread them out for you to see. (Oh the humanity!)  I like to use different color cards labeled with marker to make “folders.”  Sometimes I’ll use just 2 “folders” like “work” and “home.”  Other times I’ll use topic specific cards like “NotebookingNerds.”  Alternatively you could use colored cards to indicate different topics or projects.  Just don’t go changing them too often or it’ll get crazy.

 

I also like to keep a card with some Post-its on them.  You’d be surprised how often they come in handy when you have them on you.

Here are a few ways I use my Spartan:

I, also, have a note-card holder that I use as a miniature filing cabinet so to speak.

What I don’t do is try to use a Spartan as a more permanent notebook.  A Spartan is ephemeral, temporary and a fantastic companion to your notebook.  In fact, when used in tandem with a notebook, a Spartan can help you get the most out of your notebook.

As long as you understand a Spartan’s limitations and strengths it won’t let you down.  Give it a try.

 

Sigel Conceptum Review

Notebooks, Reviews

Conceptum by Sigel

It is ironic that the first notebook I review for NotebookingNerds.com may be the last I ever buy!

First let’s talk, I find that most reviews tend to follow a pattern of listing tech specs then finishing with whether or not the reviewer likes it.  I say, “Horse Apples!  Let’s change it up!”

 

I love this notebook!  Here’s why:  It’s chock full of features.  Like most notebooks in this style it has an elastic closure, ribbon bookmark and a pocket in back.

 

But wait! There’s more…  It has not 1 but 2 ribbon bookmarks1!  There’s also a pen/pencil loop if you’re into that sort of thing.

 

It has your standard fabric reinforced pocket in the back but this one has a little slot for cards.  I haven’t used it for cards so I can’t speak as to its efficacy but just knowing it’s there makes me happy.

 

As if almost on a dare the Conceptum continues to add features!  Like this small friction pocket in the front cover.

 

Add to all that a Table of Contents, numbered pages and perforated pages in the back and you’re looking a one great notebook.

But that’s not why I love it.  I don’t love it for the good paper 2 nor the contrasting red elastic although those are nice.

I love this notebook because it lays flat easily and has slightly wider than average ruling.  I tend to write pretty small but some notebooks have ruling so minuscule (I’m looking at you Leuchtturm 1917!) that even I have a hard time using it.  The Conceptum’s ruling is very generous in their A6.  On their A5 it’s downright wide ruled!  This is a refreshing change of pace compared to other notebooks which tend towards 5mm width ruling, grid or dots.

Now on to the downsides.  There’s only one, the covers.  Well, 2 technically since a notebook has 2 covers.  The covers on the models I have have this faux leather appearance and some cheesy faux stitching around the edge.  I’ve seen some other cover styles that don’t have this cheese though.  It doesn’t bother me too much.

Is it the perfect notebook?  No, that was the Guildhall A6 but they’re not made anymore.  Is it close enough and won’t let you down?  You betcha!

 

6 Reasons you should start with a Passport-Style notebook

Notebooks, Reviews, The System

If you have read our “Getting Started” page you’ll know that we recommend getting started with a 3 pack of Passport-Style notebooks such as Field Notes, Word., Fabriano, etc.  There’s a good reason for that.  Actually, there’s a few good reasons1:

  1. Take out the guesswork It’s all too common when starting any project to become paralyzed by options2.  This “analysis paralysis” could easily become a problem with Notebooking since there are so many notebook and writing implement options out there.  This way you start with an easy-to-find option.
  2. There’s 3 of them  Passport-Style notebooks usually come in 3 packs3.  This gives you 3 chances to get started and go through the write/assess cycle without having to buy anything else.  By the time you’ve gotten through all 3 you’re sure to be a Notebooking expert!
  3. They’re short  Being usually anywhere from 24 – 64 pages allows you fill a notebook with relative ease.  Both lending you a sense of accomplishment and more frequent chances to assess your writing.
  4. They are small  They tend to be 3″ x 5″ or very close to it.  This means that you can easily slip it into your purse or back pocket.  This allows you to carry your notebook with you.  This not only helps you build the habit of Notebooking and thinking about Notebooking but it also may help to inform your future notebook decisions like whether to carry it with you or not.
  5. They’re cheap! Most 3-packs of Passport-Style notebooks clock in at around 10$.  If we recommended a 50$ notebook to start that would place a bit too much pressure on you.  Skip Starbucks twice and you’ve got enough to get a 3-pack.  No one should have to skip Starbucks more than twice, I’m not a monster4!
  6. Good Paper  Most, if not all, Passport-Style notebooks I’ve used have had pretty decent paper.  As you probably know, I prefer pencils and ball-point pens.  I don’t, however, believe everyone should use them5.  Luckily, the paper quality on most of these is such that you could even use a fountain pen if you insist. 6

You may find that you like the form factor of a Passport-Style notebook so much that it becomes “Your” notebook.  Great!  Though, do yourself a favor and try a different style of notebook at some point.  You might be glad you did.