I offered a seminar at last month’s Baltimore Pen Show titled “Everyday Writers: Choosing the Best Tools for Home and Office,” and I had planned to focus on pens and ink. What surprised me during the Q&A session at the end of the seminar was the extent to which everyone wanted to talk paper. This came as a pleasant surprise - while it can be more “fun” to go pen shopping, selecting the right paper and ink often makes the biggest difference in terms of how well a specific combination of tools will work in an everyday writing setup. We spent a solid twenty minutes discussing various paper options at different price points, and ever since I’ve been considering how best to frame my paper recommendations on the blog.
Different Categories of Paper for Different Purposes
You have to break paper recommendations down by format, and I don’t believe there can be a standard, generalized set of recommendations because different formats lend themselves to different use cases and needs. For example, the paper in your legal pad or desk pad probably doesn’t need to be as high quality (or expensive) as the paper in a hardcover or spiral notebook where you’ll likely need to write on both sides of the page. Today, I plan to start by discussing what I call “bound hardcover notebooks,” sometimes casually referred to as “Moleskine replacements.” There’s a reason that Moleskine notebooks took off in the early 2000s: the brand managed to package a vintage-inspired, nostalgia-driven look into a convenient form factor. While the paper was never the greatest quality, writers, journalers, and office professionals all loved the combination of a relatively durable hardcover, elastic closure, and catch-all envelope that let you carry your thoughts and ideas with you anywhere you went.
From left, the Endless Recorder, the Lamy A5 Hardcover Notebook, and the Baron Fig Confidant “Work/Play III” Limited Edition.
Today, of course, multiple companies have built on the “Moleskine” concept, and consumers have such a wide array of options that it’s begun to get confusing. My goal here is to narrow this category down to five solid recommendations for versatile hardcover notebooks that offer a balanced combination of durable construction, quality paper, and a reasonable price point.
My Five Favorite Hardcover Notebooks
Endless Recorder. The most fountain-pen friendly notebook on this list contains 192 pages of 68gsm Tomoe River paper, which not only will handle essentially any fountain pen ink you can throw at it, but has slightly more texture than the lighter-weight 52gsm version. From a functionality perspective, I love that Endless includes 16 perforated sheets at the back of the book, and if they ever made a version in which all pages were perforated, I’m not sure that I’d use anything else. I’ve been using the Endless Recorder as my work notebook for the past several months, and the green leatherette cover has held up remarkably well despite being subjected to rough handling and transport in various bags, backpacks, and suitcases. The combination of paper and price point makes the Endless Recorder hard to beat. Read my review here.
Leuchtturm 1917. The “better classic Moleskine.” If you enjoy Moleskine’s visual aesthetic - especially in all black - and simply want a basic notebook with better paper, Leuchtturm offers just that at under $20. For a while, Leuchtturm notebooks were becoming as ubiquitous as Moleskines, and you might see them at local brick and mortar book and art supply stores. Lately, however, they’ve become more difficult to find, even at pen stores, presumably due to increased competition in this segment that’s left retailers reluctant to stock up due to slower-moving inventory. Read my review here.
Lamy Hardcover Notebook. Lamy recently released their own series of hardcover notebooks, and the version pictured here contains 192 pages of 90gsm paper, which performs similarly to, if not slightly better than, the paper in Leuchtturm and Baron Fig notebooks. What I’m really enjoying about this Lamy notebook is the ruling: Lamy has developed their own version of the “grid plus lines” ruling first made famous by brands such as Doane Paper, only this time in a more fountain-pen friendly notebook.
Rhodia Webnotebook. The Rhodia “Webbie” has served as many people’s standby notebook for years, though it only comes in two colors (black and orange). If you enjoy Rhodia’s smooth paper in pad or spiral-bound form, there’s no reason you need to change. The Webbie’s leatherette cover also has a soft texture with a pleasant feel, if that’s your thing.
Baron Fig Confidant. Don’t read anything into Baron Fig’s placement in the fifth slot on this list. My Confidant notebooks are one of the most-used stationery products in my rotation. Some people report inconsistencies with Baron Fig’s paper, especially when using extremely broad or wet fountain pens, but to me this paper offers one of the most enjoyable writing experiences out there for pencils, and it works just fine with fine or medium nib fountain pens. Baron Fig’s paper has a tactile feel to it that’s difficult to describe, and it performs well enough that I have no trouble using it for nearly any purpose. Note that the Confidant is the one book on this list that does NOT have an elastic closure, if that’s important to you. Read my review here.
Lamy’s latest notebook might rapidly move up my recommendations list if I continue to enjoy this ruling as much as I have recently. I appreciate the versatility in terms of being able to write large (on the lines) or small (in the grid), depending on what exactly I need to do at the moment.
Also, if you’re tired of boring black, Lamy’s shiny covers and, yes, love of neon green, offers some variety.
Takeaways and Final Thoughts
I go through about 3-4 hardbound notebooks a year at work, and always have another two or three devoted to specific projects, so this is one area of my tool kit where it’s important for me to get things right. All things considered, the Endless Recorder is my current top choice for a general purpose, “workhorse” notebook. It contains top-notch 68gsm Tomoe River paper that works well with a range of writing instruments from fountain pens to pencils, and can be found for less than $20 (which I would typically consider a steal for a Tomoe River notebook). In general, price is less of an issue with bound notebooks than it used to be. Increased competition in this market segment has driven most brands below the $25 price point, and you can take advantage of periodic sales and coupon codes to stock up when you run low.
Further Reading
If you’d like to read further on my recommendations for “Everyday Writing” tools, please check out my posts “Choosing the Best Pens and Pencils for Life” and “The Best Fountain Pen Inks for Daily Use”. I also recently updated my “Best Pens” recommendations page, which contains multiple lists of pen recommendations for users at different price points and experience levels.
Disclaimer: The three notebooks pictured in this review were provided to me free of charge as product samples.