Apica Blank Twin Ring A5 Notebook Review

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

There's something to be said for the allure of a plain and simple tool when compared to the luxurious. Fine luxury items have their place, but no matter how expensive your tastes might become, it's difficult to ignore a good basic option. To me, that's exactly what the Apica Blank Twin Ring notebook line exemplifies. It's a no-nonsense, no frills, basic notebook with zero branding and good paper. The latest version I've added to the notebook collection is the Apica Blank Twin Ring A5 lined notebook. It's a spiral-bound notebook that gets the job done for a low price, and I love it for that.

This notebook is a slim spiral-bound format with 30 sheets of 70 gsm white paper with lines spaced out by 6.5mm. You have your choice of either red or blue rings, but that's where the customization ends. The plan brown cardstock covers are lightweight but also offer a fair bit of protection against everyday use. The corners of the cover and sheets are rounded off, meaning they won't snag as easily on bags and other objects. Apart from the retail SKU/barcode sticker on the back cover of the notebook, there's zero branding to be found. I like this minimalism quite a bit, and it adds to the sparse feel of this notebook.

The 70 gsm paper is thin but highly effective. I only notice writing showing through from the other side of the sheet when using a large stub nib or extremely wet nib/ink combinations. For everyday conditions and "normal" EF-B nibs, it works great. The paper feel is smooth with a small amount of feedback, and it doesn't cause any weird bleeding or feathering like other papers I've tried in cheaper notebooks. It's a great paper, and I really enjoy using it. I know that lined paper is not everyone's favorite style, but it's a fantastic notebook option if you like lines.

This notebook (and brand) is ubiquitous and utilitarian in Japan, but not in the US. I'd like to think that this notebook is similar to how someone who grew up in the US might think about standard Mead spiral notebooks. They're incredibly cheap, available at basically every store, and you go through dozens of them while in school. They're not the most robust notebooks, but you can't beat the price! It's this utilitarian and minimalist design that I really like about this notebook, and it's also whey I always have one going in some way or another around my desk. If you haven't checked these out and could use a great "throw-around" notebook, the Apica Blank Twin Ring A5 notebook is a fantastic option.

If A4 isn't your thing, you can also pick these up in semi-B5.

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

---

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!

Endless Recorder Notebook 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. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

Whenever I meet a notebook I haven't tried yet, I usually have to buy it (for science). That means, when I visit Anderson Pens, I usually leave with at least one notebook. Most recently, I left with this one: The Endless Works Recorder Notebook from Endless Works, a fairly new company based in India.

My first impression was that it wasn't thick enough. If I'm going to pay more for a premium notebook, I want to use it for a big project, like a novel or series of stories or reviews. But don't be deceived by this slim profile--the Endless Recorder uses Tomoe River paper, so it packs 187 pages into a much smaller space. 16 of those pages are perforated, at the back of the book. All the pages are numbered, and the front features a two-page spread for a table of contents. It also has a satin ribbon bookmark, an expanding pocket inside the back cover, and an elastic closure. The sewn binding also allows the notebook to lay flat when open, even without training the spine.

It seems basic. With the hard leatherette cover, rounded edges, and extra features, it is quite similar to a Leuchtturm 1917, or a Rhodia Webnotebook, or a Quo Vadis Habana… Or any of the other notebook varieties that also look just like Moleskines. So why another one?

The Tomoe River paper definitely makes a difference (though with their formula changing, that future is somewhat uncertain). This notebook uses 68gsm paper, instead of the more commonly found 52gsm, so the Tomoe super powers are even more on display. Almost nothing bleeds through this paper. Sharpie does a little--but not as much as I usually see. This paper is perfectly formulated to be an ink playground, and I think that's where it really stands out. If you're someone who likes to swatch and test inks, this is the perfect canvas for that. It would also make a great sketchbook, and would handle light washes or watercolor beautifully.

The A5 notebook is available in lined, graph, dot grid, or blank pages; and in red, green, blue, or black covers. All have the turquoise satin ribbon and closure band. They come in a cotton bag, with a card that allows you to register your notebook (to receive their newsletter) and a cute sticker that says "ideas are endless." I like these cute touches, even if they don't directly relate to the quality of the product.

I still prefer more pages in a notebook in that price range, so my current favorite (the Seven Seas Writer, with 480 pages) still holds its spot. But this Endless Recorder is definitely more than just another look-alike notebook with the same features as its cousins. It holds its own in the field, and does some things better than similar notebooks. They all have their own strengths and weaknesses, and I can see this notebook becoming a favorite for many.

(This produced was purchased at full retail price.)

---

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!

Kunisawa Find Smart Note Notebook Review

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

A couple years ago, I reviewed a collection of Kunisawa Find Smart notebooks. I wasn't terribly impressed by these notebooks in 2018, but it's curious what a difference two years can make. I don't think anything changed regarding the notebook materials, but after a second try I've decided I like these notebooks a lot more than I did originally.

The Kunisawa Find Smart Note Notebook is a small hardcover notebook that's slightly taller and less wide than a standard A6 notebook (the Hobonichi Techo is a popular A6 notebook for comparison). The size makes it easy to slip into most pockets, but the top will certainly stick out of the top of most pockets and bag dividers. At 5.9 inches tall and 4.1 inches wide, it's a bit awkward. Shorter than the regular Traveler's notebook, but a little wider than your standard pocket notebook (Field Notes), it took my brain a few minutes to determine if the paper size worked for me or not. In the end, I decided that I really like the additional height and width over the standard pocket notebook. Sadly, it still doesn't fit in any cases or pockets that are specifically designed for pocket notebooks (5.5x3.5 inches).

The hard cover is wrapped in a tough fabric-like material that has a pleasing texture and tactile feel. The only branding on the exterior of the notebook is an embossed Kunisawa logo with gold foil. The cover feels durable and sturdy without losing any elegance. The gold edging on the paper also adds to the elegant aesthetic of this notebook, which pairs well with the black cover. Inside the notebook, the front inside cover features a quote, "I do not seek, I find." This doesn't mean much to me, and I have to wonder if the meaning is somewhat lost in translation. Either way, it's subtle and doesn't detract from the overall aesthetic. The back interior cover features the same Kunisawa logo in a dark ink. Branding is minimal with this notebook, which just adds to the sleek elegance.

Inside the covers, you're greeted with a smooth ivory/cream-colored paper with a 2.5mm grid pattern. I'm not a fan of the paper color or the grid size, but I will say it's grown on me. I don't mind it as much after using the notebook for a while, but my eyes are glad to see a generous 7 or 8mm graph or dot grid after a while. The small grid just seems too busy. I appreciate it can be extremely helpful with architectural and design sketches that require a lot of precision, but it's still too much for normal use. Once you get comfortable with how small or large to make your writing in order to fit the grid properly, you quickly get into the swing. After a while, this became a convenient and stylish way to keep quick notes and lists during the day.

The paper is 81.4 gsm (precise!) and does a fair job of handing all the inks I threw at it. I haven't noticed any bleeding or feathering, but the ink shows through to the back of the page quite a lot. If you're using anything besides a wet fountain pen, water colors, or other really wet ink, the show-through isn't bad at all. But, if you like wide and wet nibs, this paper is really only good on the front page of each sheet. Speaking of sheets, this notebook only has 40 of them. Not a lot to work with by any means.

At almost $15, the Kunisawa Find Smart Note Notebook is hard to recommend. The materials and build quality more than justify the price, but the simple fact is that you can find lots of notebooks that provide more utility and value than this one. This is one of those cases where the aesthetic or form factor needs to grab you before you consider purchasing it. The paper size really is an interesting experiment in seeing how big a pocket-able notebook can be, and the durable covers just feel great in the hand. Despite all that, money is money and there are many other notebooks to recommend at the 10-15 dollar mark.

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

---

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!