Behance Action Cards Review

I am huge fan of index cards or note cards as an idea capture tool. We have all used basic index cards from the office supply store, and recently I have started to test out some of the premium brands like Levenger and Moleskine. The 3x5 Behance Action Cards are the latest to hit my desk - are they the best of the bunch?

The Behance Action Method was designed to be a productivity and project management tool, and while I am not a practitioner of the method, I can appreciate the thought and creativity put into it. The main difference between the Behance cards and all of the other cards I have tested out is that one side of the Behance card is dedicated to Action Method input. The colored side of the card has eight defined sections to add Action Steps, along with a date/title header strip across the top.

Flipping the card over gives you the open index card format you are probably used to in the form of a dot grid pattern. Behance uses the dot grid across all of their product lines, so if you are familiar with any of their other products, this is the same.

From an ink standpoint, the Action Cards held up very well to everything I threw at it - including a TUL Ultra Fine Permanent Marker. The cards are made out of 80lb. cover stock, and while that isn't the smoothest paper, I had no issue with any pen I used. The gel and ballpoint inks really popped off the card, and the ink in my Lamy Safari EF didn't bleed at all.

When I compared the Levenger and the Moleskine note cards, there were things I liked and disliked about both. I can't say there was anything I disliked about the Behance Action Cards, but I am not sure about the Action Method side yet. I see the usefulness, I just have to see if it fits me.

You can pick up 30 cards packs of Action Cards directly from Behance for $5.00. I grabbed mine from Amazon for $5.95 since I was shopping for other goods and took advantage of the free shipping. No matter where you buy yours, I think you will enjoy them.

Ink Links

-- July Carnival of Pen, Pencil and Paper (Notebook loves Pen)

-- Environmentally Friendly Pens From Pilot (JetPens Blog)

-- ‘Nothing Doesn’t Go In Here’ (Forkbombr)

-- Monsieur Notebook (Bleistift)

-- For the love of pen and paper (Notes of Chris)

-- Pilot Pentopia T2300-P 2 + 1 (Multi Pen Dimensions)

-- The analog renaissance? (Strikethru)

-- My pen … My PEN!!! (Filofax Fixation)

-- Noodler's Baystate Blue (Penned House)

-- Fountain Pen Users: Piston, Converter, Cartridge or Other? (Rhodia Drive)

-- Pilot Varsity - Nib Grinding Update (Economy Pens)

-- Levenger's Junior Rhodia Circa Notebook (Pocket Blonde)

-- Pen Review – Pilot Petit 3 (Dog Eat Doug)

-- Uni-Ball Signo RT 0.7 black and 0.38 blue (I am Alexis Brille)

-- Show Me Your Stationery (Letters & Journals)

-- Sheaffer Sentinel Ballpoint Pen Review (Derek's Pens and Pencils)

-- Pentel EnerGel RT 0.7mm Red (A Penchant for Paper)

-- Scripto Liquid Lead Pencil (My Supply Room)

-- A First (Tommy Kane)

-- Pantone Pencil and Notepad (Dave's Mechanical Pencils)

-- A. W. Faber’s Polygrade Lead Pencils (Pencil Talk)

-- Èccolo World Traveler Journal (Holly Wendt)

Pentel Vicuna Super Smooth Multi Pen + Pencil

I'll cut right to the chase: The Pentel Vicuna Super Smooth Multi Pen + Pencil is an excellent pen.

I want to make that point early on, because I didn't have high expectations of this pen going into it, but I was pleasantly surprised. In fact, I have had a hard time putting it down.

My experience with the single cartridge Vicuna was completely fine, but not exceptional. I say not exceptional, but only in the fact that I would put it behind several of the Jetstreams and Acroballs I use so frequently. I'm not sure if it was the grip, or if the ink wasn't just right, but whatever it was, none of it bothers me in the multi pen version.

I cannot find my original Vicuna to compare this one too directly, but first of all, the grip seems better on the multi pen. It is a little softer, more comfortable, and overall allows for a better gripping experience. The ink performance was better than I remembered as well. The lines were much cleaner and tighter, and there was no mess to speak of. And look how vibrant that red ink is!

The Vicuna Multi Pen may never be a Top Fiver, but this is a pen I highly recommend. In fact, I have done so several times already.