(Part 2) Top products from r/notebooks

I'm going to start off with a very quick "don't buy" recommendation - Moleskine. The paper is terrible for fountain pen use.

Now, on to the good stuff.

I don't think you can go far wrong with Rhodia Webnotebooks. Some complain of feathering, though I suspect they may be using broader nibs with wetter inks. I've seen others complain about ghosting, possibly due to the same reason. Ghosting hasn't a problem for me though that may be because I prefer EF or F nibs.

Or the Leuchtturm1917 range. Another classic FP friendly notebook.

Both are readily available from stationery stores and online. They're great notebooks. And with the elastic that they each have, you have a readily available pen holder too. (Though maybe not as a permanent solution for your fanciest, most expensive pens.)

Spread your wings a little wider and you might want to think about something a little less mainstream. I really enjoy how it feels to write in a Maruman Menomosyne "Inspiration" pad. It is one of my favourite papers to write on, though a touch too spendy for me to feel comfortable using it for my daily scrawling.

Then there's Midori. The paper in their infamous Travelers Notebook refills is well regarded. However you need to watch out for getting oils from your hand on the paper and, occasionally, there are pages where the paper finish hasn't fully taken. In both cases you can see excessive feathering and ink 'burps'.

Around the midpoint of last year I tried the Midori MD Cotton Notebook in A5. That replaced the Leuchtteurm that had been with me fro four or five months and stuck with me for the rest of the year. I'd be well into my second if it hadn't been for the next, and final, recommendation.

Last, but not least, my current daily writer is the Tomoe River based Hobonichi Cousin. I believe that this is the thinnest FP friendly paper you can find. It ghosts, but with paper this thin I'm not sure what else you would expect. And it can take a little longer to dry than the other options here. It is definitely a paper that you want to consider carefully if you don't want to hang around a little waiting for ink to dry. Blotter paper, or a pencil board/writing mat, may help. (I use a pencil board and, when I'm in a rush, drop it in between the pages I was just writing on. I haven't suffered any disastrous smudges yet.)

It is a dream to write on and, being so thin, you get a serious amount of pages in a small amount of space.

The Hobonichi isn't to everyone's taste. And we're almost halfway through the year so it's a bad time to invest in one. Instead, look at the Nanami Seven Seas Tomoe River Noteook. Same paper, same writing experience. I may end up with one of these next year instead of a Hobonichi.

Hope that has helped. Whatever you end up with I hope you enjoy it.

I don't know what your price range or tastes are nor where you're located, but here's what I use: My absolute favorites are a Midori Traveler's Notebook Passport size with a pen holder and a TWSBI Diamond 580 with your choice of bottled inks. I'd recommend Sailor Souten with its beautiful blue color, lovely shading, and awesome red sheening, not to mention it being well behaved on the Midori paper.

Hmm. These flexible Five-Star brand ones have been kinda popular. I've used them once I think; thought they were pretty nice. They don't stand up on a shelf for archival like other binders though.

The flexibility may actually help with durability. They won't crack on impact or anything like that, and that Poly cover will do a good job of protecting your notes. We use a similar material on the covers of our pocket notebooks and we don't get complaints.

These things claim to be heavy-duty and have some good reviews:

If you need the paper itself to be durable, I'd definitely recommend our loose leaf. Our paper is water-resistant, so if you spill or something you'll be in the clear.

If you only use one side of the page Mnemosyne has a great a5 graph (the backs are blank though). Their notebooks have survived really well with me: Maruman Mnemosyne Inspiration 5 mm Grid 6.3 x 8.3" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001A1VB74/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_mHp9Bb7XTNWN8

Maruman also has a student-ish line of board backed graph notebooks:
Maruman A5 spiral notebook grid ruled 80 sheets N247ES 5 volume set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MMW8M7M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_3Hp9Bb1GSDT60

Rollbahn seems to be really high quality and the rings are no joke. They’re not hugely thick though so you may need a few for the year (unless you just do weeklies):
Roruban Pocket Memo A5 Dark Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007B8N2YA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_GIp9BbZ2AXW0S

I really love the nockco a5 spiral top bounds, smaller dot dash and easily landscapable. A little less sturdy: https://nockco.com/paper/dotdash-spiral-pad-2-pack

The Studioneat Panobook is supposed to be amazing. I cannot offer a personal opinion as mines still in the mail: https://www.studioneat.com/products/panobook

You could also look into a notebook case to reinforce a flimsier option you like (such as the Rhodia): KOKUYO SYSTEMIC A5 ノ−V685B−M GRAY https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S0GQS3O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_NMp9BbFNEMBQF

If you don’t need spiral bound I’d suggest:
Clairfontaine essentials book
Rhodia goalbook
Anything Life
Anything Apica CD

I personally really prefer spirals so they truly lay flat, so my day to day I tend to use my mnemosynes the most, I just dig the paper a lot.

I'm not sure how big your pages are, but a good sturdy notebook with nice paper that I really love would be the Leuchtturm Master: https://www.amazon.com/Kikkerland-Leuchtturm-Master-Ruled-Notebook/dp/B002BWDKQQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469827744&sr=8-1&keywords=leuchtturm+master

Unfortunately it may not be enough paper depending on what you're looking for, but it will certainly hold up if you decide to get two or three and copy your text in volumes. Hope this helps!

Thank you for your response and advice! I found it on amazon here : https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002BWDKQQ/ref=pd_aw_sbs_229_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=7NSW7S4S5CJQ03XF68YE&dpPl=1&dpID=81%2B02VwtBKL

I am LOVING that it has a table of contents and is numbered. I usually have to create my own table of contents and number the pages manually, this is awesome.

Question: if I bent the notebook in half so I am only looking at the page I am working on, like is usual for spiralbound, will it break or otherwise be affected?

That is my only concern, and I’d be ready to buy it!

I don't know its availability in Australia, but I would say Stalogy 365 notebooks are pretty close. Their paper is thin like Tomoe River paper and fountain pen friendly, with pages more than 365 (it's designed to be able to function as a daily diary, hence the name.) I use their B5 size for school but they also come in A5. Here in US, I can order them from Amazon and JetPens. See if it's available there.

I second Global Art Materials! I actually have one from their "Travelogue" line (which has their "drawing" paper instead of watercolor paper--but it's still sturdy paper and it takes lots of mediums and materials very well, including watercolor. And you'd definitely be fine with putting washi tape and other things in there.) And they definitely have A5-ish sized ones on Amazon, too.

I also love the texture of their covers. Sort of fabric-y.

As many have said, there's no one-size-fits-all method. Here's mine.

1. My main journal is a dotted Leuchtturn1917 because it comes with pages prenumbered. Before I found the Leuchtturn1917 I used to use chemistry notebooks. I also use Field Notes pocket journals which I can easily carry in my bag or pocket when I'm out and about.
   
2. I use the Content page to keep track of reading/quotes/notes from books, magazines, poems, podcasts, movies, etc. For example, a line will read: "Pg 2 ⎯ Sir Gawain and the Green Knight ⎯ Jessie Weston" and then page 2 of the journal will be quotes or notes from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
   
3. All left-side pages (even numbers) are devoted to these comments/quotes of books, magazines, poems, podcasts, movies, etc. I usually take these notes in blue ballpoint pen. I tried pencil, but it smears too much.
   
4. Right-side pages (odd numbers) are devoted to a running journal. I usually write in green fountain point. I've found that Leuchtturn paper doesn't prevent my S.T. Dupont inked in Mont Blanc Irish Green from bleeding through. It's not a terrible bleed, but it's enough that using the pen on both sides of the paper makes for legibility issues (hence the ballpoint for quotes & notes on the left-side).
   
5. Intermixed in my right-side journalling is my attempt at a Ben Franklin-esque tracking system for behaviors I'm trying to monitor/improve. It's just a wee grid of the 6 behaviors I'm concerned with (exercise, taking vitamins, not drinking to excess, etc).
   
6. I also dedicate the last page of the book to a tracking system just like the one u/revivizi described. In my case, I only have one tag at the moment and it ticks all the pages that have a Franklin grid so I can glance through and see that I'm losing weight or exercising more, or whatever.
   
7. I use the Field Notes when I'm out and about for shopping lists, doctor's notes, quick jottings. Every Saturday or Sunday, I'll flip through the pocket journal for anything that I feel needs to be transferred to the main journal. Usually there's nothing vital, but sometimes there's a quote or comment that I think needs to be saved. Or a health note I want to include as a comment to a Franklin grid.
   
   I've been keeping a journal since I was 10 (I'm 43 now). This system evolved over time and I expect it will continue to evolve. But my memory is pretty problematic because of PTSD, so journalling is really worth the effort for me.

Did a quick pen test for you just in case you wanted to compare a little bit between the Kokuyo (first 2 pictures) and the Muji (last 2 pictures): https://imgur.com/a/8ru8tT3

Overall I think the Kokuyo has the edge.

I know you said you wanted to keep it to Amazon, but I just bought an Apica from a local stationery store and I really like it. You can get them from JetPens (shipping has never taken long for me, personally). They come in grid/ruled/etc. Link to the graph here: https://www.jetpens.com/Apica-Blank-Cover-Twin-Ring-Notebook-Semi-B5-Graph/pd/13868

I've also heard great things about Clairefontaine notebooks, looks like Amazon has 2 for $10, though these are A4 size. Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005YF476O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_yR1wDbPSGZ9CX

Apologies if it's a bit messy, I'm on mobile!

Thanks so much for the suggestion!!

Just to be sure, is

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002BWDKQQ/ref=pd_aw_sim_229_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=41sauwmw48L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL130_SR130%2C130_&refRID=1SPS4RT2TVWKH9MRJZR0

the right one? (I'm on mobile and I don't remember how to hyperlink) my apologies.

Is the price okay too or do you have a site that you shop from that you would like to recommend?

Maybe Clairfontaine? I love my Rhodia notebooks and they use Clairfontaine paper. I use them with my brush pens and I became hooked. Excellent paper, I wish I found it when I was in school.

Now this is interesting:

> The international standard for "permanent" paper is ISO 9706 and for "archival" paper, the standard is ISO 11108.

It sounds like what you're wanting to do would be best suited with cotton rag paper(a smaller subset of the ISO 11108 paper?), which I would think is even harder to find than the already difficult ISO 9706 paper.

But all this raises another question for me: What medium are you using to write on these pages? Pencil ranging from 9H to H so the graphite doesn't smear over time? Or a pen like the Pigma Micron, which claims to have Archival Ink? A fountain pen with specialized pigment-ink from a reliable/honest distributor?

Are you planning on replicating the Journal so there are multiple copies in the hands of your children/grandchild to further prevent it from being lost to the future Family?

Any specific plans on storage for the book? A dehumidifier, a small dry cooler, or just on a shelf out of the sunlight?

You have hit my interest and curiosity dead-center on the bulls-eye, as I have been slowly looking into the idea of putting together a Family History tome (encompassing the names of family members, past residences, life accomplishments, traditions, generational reflections, etc) that could be passed on for several generations.

What your project is reminding me of the most is a Silva Rerum, especially if you had a couple hundred pages (like your 500 page idea) for future generations.

You've now offered more of a temptation for me to register a MassDrop account than anything previously in /r/MassDrop...I guess I need to break down and register.

I personally use Clairefontaine with a Uni-ball Kuru Toga. I'm not normally a fan of 0.5mm led (prefer 0.7) but these two have been a perfect combination for me for both work and school. If you're looking for full size notebooks, I recommend anything that is Dotted/Grid.

Kokuyo also makes these smart ring binders that are refillable! The paper is pretty much the same (plus holes) and as an added bonus, you get to rearrange the pages!

I got a Rhodia spiral bound grid ruled notebook recently and it has nice margin/header format too. The paper is smooth (not too smooth though) and bright. Bleed through hasnt happened yet. Using medium Pilot Varsity disposable fountain pens.

For the poor college student:

There are kukuyo campus notebook knockoffs at Daiso for 1.50. the Quality isn't bad and for most notes: pencil, pen, etc it's fine. I don't rec if you're going to use fountain pen for your notes.

pencils: rOtring goes on sale on Massdrop quite often. You should be able to pick up 2 for $30ish.

pens: Uniball signo all the way if you are ok with caps. If not the standard G2 are great all around pens.

Since I don't like actual bound notebooks and prefer looseleaf, I bought this thing called a "notebook binder" and just buy refills for it.

I tried these ["spiral notebook binders"](https://www.amazon.com/Kokuyo-Campus-Smart-Ring-Binder/dp/B0066LZLEC/ref=pd_sim_229_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=41zklYlfOiL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=ZRDHP6SVGYA3R9J207G8) and I honestly hate them because it's twist to open and they kept opening >(

Perhaps this might work? Fusion Sketch Folio. Its a little pricey and I don't know if it's college ruled, but it's as close as I could get in spiralbound.

There are some that are hardbound and some that are alternating lined and graph(search engineering notebooks). There are half lined and half blank: Bienfang Vertical or Horizontal

Hope this helps!

Unfortunately, several companies sell the comp pads with no on-page branding. I'm guessing from the first image that you're looking for a green pad but some companies offer a buff pad using the same paper, tan with a brown grid. Might be an alternate option to use while searching.

If Ampad isn't to your liking, you might also look into

• TOPS pads (https://www.amazon.com/TOPS-Engineering-Computation-Punched-35500/dp/B001J87JTM/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3KOPVWX11NN3R)
  
• National Brand pads (https://www.amazon.com/NATIONAL-Brand-Computation-Sheets-42389/dp/B0007LTJO0/ref=sr_1_7?crid=3KOPVWX11NN3R)
  
• Roaring Spring pads (https://www.amazon.com/Roaring-Spring-Engineering-Green-sheets/dp/B005UOGBKO/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3KOPVWX11NN3R)
  
• Staedtler pads (https://www.amazon.com/Staedtler-Engineering-Computation-Grid-Sheets/dp/B0006OM7RE/ref=sr_1_1?)
  
  edit: formatting

Three. A small lined journal that I use as a personal diary which I write about my pregnancy/son. A blank midori a5 that I was using as a bullet journal/sketchbook but I'll be using it now as more of a personal diary/sketchbook/thing. I just bought a moleskine dotted notebook that I'll use as a bullet journal :)

This fits all your requirements. This is grid square. It's A4 wirebound, perforated and paper is superb quality ( fountain pen friendly) 80 gsm paper. Has 80 sheets so 160 pages. It's within your budget too.
Rhodia Wirebound Notebook 8.8 X11.75 Inches Black Grid, Satin https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DCBMQK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_uC.ZBb2WSAXAT

Leuchtturm1917 has a pen loop that works great with my Jinhao x750.

Pretty sure this is the National Brand Rediform Chemistry Lab Notebook, narrow rule. Only confusion is the page count, as DFW's notebook seemed to go to 70-80 pages rather than 60. Maybe the company downsized the page count recently?

https://www.staples.com/National-Brand-Chemistry-Notebook-9-1-4-x-7-1-2-60-Green-Tint-Sheets/product_507991

Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/National-43571-Chemistry-Notebook-Narrow/dp/B0016OT7P8

Maruman Mnemosyne Inspiration 5 mm Grid 6.3 x 8.3" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001A1VB74/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_v.qfAb5FQFHAJ

Yeah its a 5mm grid, and 367 pages. They have it in B5 as well, which is what I tend to use as my workhorse.

I use this one! https://www.amazon.com/Kokuyo-notebook-systemic-sheets-655A-4/dp/B002JB56MU/

Room in the pockets on the front and back for small notebooks (like Field Notes) plus a pen or two. :)

yes! i have one! it's a bienfang notesketch book.

These Stalogies very nice. I have an A5 size. the paper is very similar to TR...a tiny bit crisper. There are dots instead of crosses.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LFEBUZY/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=MDPUZTN33OPH&coliid=I374GENRSPWWIA

I like Kokuyo notebook covers. This one is the better model (and cheaper) but I found it a bit too snug for the Crossfield, especially with a 60pp Muji book in it, too. So, I bought this other one which takes the Crossfield and the Muji just fine but is a bit more awkward to use, with the trifold structure.

When you say ledger, do you mean accounting books like this? If so, you can buy those at office supply stores. Companies like Adams, National, Boorum & Pease make them. Here is an example.

Confusingly, one type of financial accounting record book is called a journal

The smart ring binder is like a thin notebook and the pages can be rearranged.

how about this? Global Art Materials
It is plain, has VERY good paper, A5 size, hard cover. it doesn't lay perfectly flat, but relatively.

Engineering Paper stored in a binder. Use the top fields to hold course number, date, and page N of M.

I have been looking at these on Amazon.

Kokuyo cover notebook systemic A5 navy blue A ruled 40 sheets Bruno -655A-4 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002JB56MU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_hR2Dzb8GQZEPV

BF has a Confidant cover, but it has no pen loop or band. If all you're looking for is a way to hold your pen on your notebook, you could get a penloop meant for Leuchtterm1917 notebooks or get band/penholder combo from etsy. Some of them are just a band with 2 holes out out that you slip the pen through, some have a full pen case attachment, and some have an additional loop sewn onto the band rather than two holes cut out. If you're handy at all you could easily replicate some of the etsy products on your own with a trip to JoAnn Fabrics.

Here ya go. Personally, I prefer blank, but there's also lined and graph. The graph is a bit too dark, imo.

I use Rhodia Webnotebooks and haven't turned back.

I use Lego branded gel pens, these Sharpies, these Sharpies too, Pentel Energel, Kikkerland pens, Paperchase pens, and lastly these Sakura fineliners.

Amazoooooooooooon

Edit: oh hey look, someone else posted this too...

https://www.amazon.com/Hybrid-NoteBinder-Binder-Notebook-72011/dp/B003O3H2G0 - this is what im talking about.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002TEADOS/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0016OT7P8/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00007LV4B

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000R80QCW/

From what research I've done, this may be the solution to your particular problem:
https://www.amazon.com/Midori-Travelers-Notebook-Journal-Passport/dp/B003SNV0YQ

Here's a video of it being used so you can see what I mean:
https://youtu.be/JEds4O-RLWg?t=513

Tops makes a giant ledger book at 12.25" x 7.75"

Also check out National Brand, Adams Account Ledger, and Wilson Jones. You should note that these brands (and other brands) offer multiple notebooks with different numbers of columns.

If none of these interest you, try searching for notebooks using the words 'account,' 'bookkeeping,' or 'columnar.'