Maruman Utöka Pocket Notebook Review

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

My philosophy when it comes to notebooks is that there's always room for one more. This philosophy is in direct conflict the lack of adequate storage for the notebooks or enough time to fill them all. But, for better or worse, the philosophy of never turning down a new notebook always wins.

The Maruman Utöka Pocket notebook is the latest notebook to find a home in my collection. This is a small spiral-bound notebook with 80 sheets of 4mm graph paper, and 10 sheets of lined "list" paper at the back. All 90 sheets are perforated, making them easy and clean to tear out. And, these sheets are made of 70gsm paper that works really well with all types of writing instruments. Fun fact about the name: Utöka means "expand" or "extend" in Swedish.

Despite this notebook looking like a top-bound steno-style book, it's laid out to be used with the binding on the side. In practice, it's like using a standard A5 notebook that's been sliced in half. I actually like having the extra horizontal space instead of the typical vertical space you get with most notebook orientations.

Since "pocket" is part of the name for this notebook, you might assume that it can fit in something like, say, a pocket, but you'd be wrong! It is a small notebook, but there aren't many pockets that will hold it. At a total size of 107 x 163mm (4.2 x 6.4 inches), it's very portable, but not pocketable. For most people, a pocket notebook is something around 3.5 x 5.5 inches. It's just barely too big to work well with pockets.

The usable sheet dimensions are close the A6 size (105 x 148mm) at 107 x 142mm, meaning there's plenty of space to let your ideas and sketches breathe. The 4mm grid also provides lots of structure while also disappearing if you want to freeform.

Maruman paper is always a delight to use, but most of my experience with their paper is in their Mnemosyne line. With the Utöka notebook, they use a little lighter paper, but it still performs well. It's done great with all the pens and inks I've thrown at it. There's a small amount of show-through when using some inks, but it's not enough to make the back of the page unusable. There's no feathering or bleeding or other weird ink behaviors to speak of. It's a consistent paper that works really well.

The covers of this notebook are a sturdy cardstock material with a glossy coating on the exterior faces. The covers should stand up to minor wear and tear, but I'd expect to see plenty of bends and deterioration with lots of use. Likewise, the double-wire binding is really sturdy, and I love that they've colored the wire a nice gray to complement the color of the cover.

At $7.75, the Maruman Utöka Pocket notebook is a good value. It's perfect for jotting down notes, sketching out ideas, and throwing into a bag to carry along. While it's not a true pocket notebook, it's still very portable and up to the challenge of being a notebook you carry frequently. Plus, if the yellow isn't quite your thing, there are four other accent colors available! You can pick from yellow, red, navy, light green, and light blue.

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

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Leuchtturm1917 x Monocle B6 Accordion Notebook Giveaway

I ran across the Leuchtturm1917 x Monocle B6 Accordion Notebook during last years trip to London and had to have it. You know what happens next right? Yep, I haven’t used it, despite it being a super interesting concept for a notebook. Will one of you put it to good use? I hope so! To win this notebook, read the rules below and enter away!

Leuchtturm1917 x Monocle B6 Accordion Notebook Giveaway

What’s in my Stationery Bag?

It’s pen show season early for me this year, so I’m thinking about packing. Not just clothes, but stationery. That’s the most important stuff, right?

Despite over a decade of experience wandering aisles and navigating crowds, I’ve never been fully content with what I’ve carried and how I’ve carried it. The key is to be agile, considerate to your needs, and aware of others. Hitting that Goldilocks spot is a challenge.

I’ll be the first to admit that completely hands and bag free is the best situation. No bag to wrangle, free hands to inspect products, and all else that comes with being unencumbered. That’s not my reality, though, as there is “stuff” I want with me when I might be on the go for a few hours at a time.

Let’s start with the biggest part of my kit: the bag itself. I’ve used them all - backpacks, messenger bags, totes, slings - you name it, I’ve carried it. They all have their pros and cons.

When I first started attending pen shows, I followed the “bigger is better” concept, primarily using a traditional backpack. Backpacks are generally large capacity, and offer hands-free operation - both good choices for shows. But size can be a backpacks downfall, one, for filling too much, and two, for general getting in the way.

The Rickshaw Banzai on top of a 22 liter backpack (left,) and large messenger bag.

Over the years I’ve gradually gone smaller and smaller with what I carry, and have benefitted with each transition. Two years ago, at the Orlando Pen Show, I stumbled upon what has been my show bag for all events since: the Rickshaw Banzai bag.

The last thing I’m usually in the market for at a pen show is another bag, and even seeing this one for sale at the show I was hesitant. But, as with pens I like, I kept coming back to it, and eventually made the purchase.

Why does it work for me? The size. At 8 x 10 x 3.5 inches internal dimension, it reminds me of a classic lunchbox. That boxy shape is a good thing for the type of products I’ll be putting in it, as you will see momentarily. The internal organization is just enough to sort and separate, and the two carry options - handles, or single strap - are befitting a bag of this size. The only downside could be carry style. When slung on the shoulder like a purse it can slide off, so I generally throw it over my head and wear it cross-body like a sling or small messenger bag when I don’t want to worry about it.

L to R: A5 Hobonichi notebook under a small Nock Co. pouch, Bungubox pen roll (empty), Rickshaw Sinclair-R.

Filling this bag is a breeze, and I’ve never overstuffed it to begin the day (don’t ask me about the end of the day!) I’ll carry one Sinclair with my inked pens, have one small empty case ready for something new, an A5 notebook for testing or sharing, and other small ephemera like stickers and washi. Add in my 20 oz. Hydroflask for beverages (coffee or water,) and I’m taken care of for the day, with room to spare.

So much room for activities!

This small setup works particularly well for me since I usually stay at the show hotel for a couple of nights. Any large or heavy purchases can be run back to the room, keeping my bag light and agile. If I was visiting for the day I would consider a bigger backpack, simply for storage reasons.

I’ll carry my bottle in hand when wandering, but it fits easily in the bag - even zipped - when I need a hands-free moment.

The great thing about the Rickshaw Banzai bag is that it is an excellent stationery storage and carry option when at home. It may not fit a laptop, but if you simply want your stationery collected together and portable, this is a great choice.

When full looks the same as empty you have a winner! I toss this in my suitcase (minus the inked pens, which I carry on,) to and from the show.

I’m always looking for carry solutions, especially as it relates to stationery. Small, loose, oddly-shaped, and sometimes heavy items can be difficult to manage. I’m glad to be settled in this area for the time being, and I wonder if you are, as well. Let me know your carry solutions, or carry challenges, and let’s see what other options are out there.

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!