Posts filed under Notebook Reviews

Yamamoto Ro-Biki Reticle Notebook Review

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

The Yamamoto Ro-Biki notebook is a non-standard notebook in terms of size and materials, but it really pays off in the end. When I first saw the Ro-Biki, I was pessimistic about the weird size and assumed I would never be able to find a use for a notebook of that size. But, after looking at the months and months of notes I take for work, I realized that my notes naturally fit the tall and slender shape of the Ro-Biki even though the page was wider. So, I decided to purchase one of the Ro-Biki notebooks to see if the size would work for me.

At 3.6 x 8.3 inches, the notebook has a similar size to the Traveler's brand notebooks. Tall and skinny, it works great for jotting down quick notes but also still fits into most pockets as long as vertical space isn't an issue. Since the size is basically a Field Notes with three extra inches on top, it was really easy to become comfortable with the size.

The Ro-Biki only contains 30 sheets (60 pages), but that's still a few more than you find in a standard Field Notes book. Yamamoto explains that the paper is from recycled materials, but I honestly can't tell a difference from other papers of the same thickness. What I can tell you, though, is that the Ro-Biki recycled paper is a stellar performer with any pen and ink combo you throw at it. This paper is exceptional!

The paper feel is smooth with the slightest amount of texture that you can feel when writing. The version I chose has a 5mm reticle grid pattern that has really grown on me. They make a standard graph paper, but only in 2mm or 4.5mm sizes. Like dot-grid, the reticle pattern provides a lot of structure on the page if you need it, but it also easily melts away if you don't need the lines and intersections.

The cover is made of an interesting "wax-infused kraft paper" that is delightful to touch and handle. Even though it is wax infused, I don't get a sense of waxy fingers after I've touched it. This has happened to me with some waxed canvas goods I've used in the past, and I can't say I enjoyed that experience. I'm glad that the Ro-Biki notebook cover has the protection of wax without the waxy feel. Another positive of the wax is that it gives the cover a nice sheen, and it will also develop over time as it picks up oils, dirt, and other particles from your journey.

The notebook is held together with a great-looking stitch, and I've had no issues with the notebook staying open and also feeling well-constructed. This book will hold up to back pocket and bag use, and the additional strength that the wax gives the cover will ensure it stays intact until you finish filling the pages.

The Yamamoto Ro-Biki was a notebook I quickly overlooked when it was introduced on JetPens, but I'm glad I took the time to look again. This is a notebook format that I have quickly become a fan of, and the paper quality will keep me coming back for more.

If reticle grid isn't your thing, Yamamoto has several other options that range in paper style and cover art. The Ro-Biki notebooks cost $9 a piece, which is a bit pricy compared to other small pocket notebooks. But, given the extra sheets, the taller size, the materials, and the superb paper quality, I think this is a fantastic price for what you get. These have easily shot to the top of my favorite notebooks, and I can't recommend them enough!

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

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Posted on January 23, 2019 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Yamamoto, Notebook Reviews.

Midori MD Notebook Light A5 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.)

The Midori MD notebooks easily make it into my top three at every incarnation, and these Light versions are no different. I mean, as far as awesomeness. They're different from the other MD notebooks in that they are lighter, as you might have guessed. These books come in a 3-pack of 48-page, staple-bound goodness. They're great if you need something light to carry, but with more work space than a pocket notebook. They make great planning books, or overflow books for when you run out of pages in your main notebook but still need a bit of space to finish a project.

The construction is simple, but good. Plain cream cardstock with an embossed logo, triple-staple-bound with gorgeous ivory Midori paper. The staples appear to be brass, though I haven't found confirmation of this. The cardstock cover is meant to be covered in some way (though mine hasn't been--the pale cardstock does show dirt and wear quickly) and you can fit two of these slim books into a Midori cover (or probably any A5 cover). They'd make amazing inserts for a traveler's notebook.

The light versions come in all the Midori sizes: A6, B6 slim, A5, and A4 variant; they all come in blank, 5 mm grid, and lined. The grid is a bit small for handwriting, unless you have wee letters and a very fine pen. The print is very fair, though, so when you need space, it fades into the background. They all come with a sheet of labeling and indexing stickers.

The paper, like all Midori paper I've used, is phenomenal. It's thick, crisp, has just the right amount of tooth, and hosts liquid inks like a boss. It doesn't feather, it shows off beautiful sheening and shading, and doesn't allow bleed-through. There is a faint ghosty show-through, but I actually love that (and it's not prominent). The only thing it couldn't handle was Sharpie, the lightsaber of inks. With all this ink imperviousness, though, comes a long dry time. About 30 seconds for a wet line of fountain pen ink. But that's what blotting paper is for.

Like their heftier cousins, these are notebooks I want to stockpile. Stacked like firewood for rainy days, when the ink is flowing and the nibs are rolling. This three-pack is only $13 at JetPens, or just under $4.50 a book. That is crazy good value. Let the stockpiling commence.

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

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Posted on January 3, 2019 by Sarah Read and filed under Midori, Notebook Reviews.

William Hannah Intentions Pages Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

Early in September, I began thinking about what planner I wanted to use in 2019. I’ve been using the Hobonichi A5 Cousin (review here) for several years now, and although I love it, I wanted to use my William Hannah A5 notebook more (review here). I thought about replacing my Hobonichi with the William Hannah notebook, so I ordered a set of calendar pages and something new called “Intentions Pages.”

William Hannah paper is amazing. It’s super thick (100gsm) and luxurious. There’s almost no show through, even with the wettest inks.

However, when my calendar and Intentions Pages arrived, I immediately discovered a problem. I couldn’t fit even one month of daily calendar pages and Intentions Pages in my notebook. The paper is just too thick! I like to have an entire semester’s worth of daily and monthly pages in one calendar for work, and my William Hannah couldn’t hold that much. So, I ordered another Hobonichi to use at work.

But, I immediately fell in love with the William Hannah Intentions Pages. What are Intentions Pages, you ask? Well, the Monthly Intentions Pages help you think through your goals for each month and to reflect upon them when the month is over.

The front page asks you to consider the following things:

This month’s goals (what and why?) - There’s plenty of room to write five substantive goals in the spaces provided.
What will I do more of this month? - Here you can write down a list or a paragraph of things you’d like to do more, which I think is an excellent thing to contemplate at the beginning of each month.
What will I do less of this month? - This is also a helpful question. I always find that I waste too much time doing things that don’t contribute to my goals or that take away from my happiness.

The next two pages provide a monthly grid where you can write important dates. There’s also a daily tracker at the bottom of the pages.

The back page asks the following reflection questions:

How would I summarise the month? - A large portion of the page is devoted to this question so you can write out your thoughts in paragraph form.
What will I do differently in the future? - The rest of the page challenges you to think about what needs to change in the coming days and months.

Daily Intentions Pages provide a guide for thinking through your goals, evaluating your mood, and contemplating other questions each day.

The front page has the following items:

A box where you can record the day’s “Happiness Level.” - You can either write down your mood or draw something to represent your happiness level in this box. I do this at the end of the day.
Check boxes to record meditation, exercise, and reading or learning (daily practices that all of us could benefit from, though I’ve been terrible at finding time to exercise or meditate this fall).
The remainder of the page lists the following items to consider at the beginning of each day:

I am grateful for
A positive from yesterday
Yesterday I learned
A creative or positive idea
A thought around one of my goals
Today’s critical action
Two further key actions
A stretch target for today
My intention for today

The back page provides a checklist for your critical action, key actions, and stretch target. There’s also room for the following:

Random Thoughts
What did I learn today?
A thought for tomorrow

I put my Monthly Intentions Pages at the beginning of the month followed by a month’s worth of Daily Intentions Pages. This much fits perfectly into my William Hannah notebook.

I’ve been doing Intentions Pages since September, and they’ve helped me to track my mood, record what I am grateful for, contemplate creative and positive ideas, record what I’ve been learning, and analyze how I’m progressing on my monthly and daily goals.

This fall has been one of the worst semesters I’ve ever experienced. We had major cuts at my university, and many of my friends and colleagues lost their jobs. In addition, my mentor of many years died. So, I had to deal with more grief and stress than normal. The Intentions Pages helped me work through my rollercoaster thoughts and emotions and also reminded me to record grateful, creative, and positive thoughts each day. This was really good for me because many days I didn’t feel positive or grateful, but when I dug down deep, I could find things that brought me a tiny bit of cheer.

I recorded my mood in terms of weather, because I discovered using a weather metaphor was easier for me than trying to come up with words to describe my mood each day. I have to admit that most days this fall were gloomy, often with thunder and rain. But, there were some sunny days as well.

Even though I was disappointed that my William Hannah notebook didn’t work out as my daily calendar, the Intentions Pages were a wonderful surprise. I journal regularly, but the Intentions Pages provide me with a structured set of questions and prompts that I work through every day. My William Hannah notebook sits next to me on the side table in the living room where I drink my coffee each morning and cuddle my kitties in the evening. I’ve been pretty faithful recording my intentions each day, and I think it’s benefitted me greatly.

You can purchase William Hannah A5 notebooks at William Hannah. Intentions Pages come in monthly (£8.00=$10.00 for 2019) and daily format (£10.00=$12.70 per 50-day pack).

(I purchased my William Hannah notebook and Intentions Pages with my own funds.)

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