Eccolo World Traveler Journal Review "Carpe Diem"

**KrazyIvan** · April 22nd, 2013, 01:46 PM

Eccolo Journal by IvanRomero, on Flickr

The full set of pictures are available on my blog.

First of all, I would like to thank Eccolo for providing this review sample journal. Specifically, I would like to thank Ralph for contacting me about this.

This is not the first time I review an Eccolo journal. The last time was in 2011. Today, we have the "Carpe Diem" journal which is part of the Essentials line of journals. The journal is 5" x 7 " with 256 pages of lined paper. The paper is acid free and a cream color. There are 19 lines spaced roughly 8 mm apart and there is about a 14 mm header and footer. The pages are stitched and bound together with what Eccolo calls faux Italian leather. It reminds me of the Rhodia Webbie cover material. The cover is very soft to the touch and is also flexible. It is embossed with the words "Carpe Diem" on the front cover.

This has the same paper as the previous journal I reviewed. Back then, I guessed the paper to be 64 gr. Ralph told me that my guess was close. In actuality, the paper is 80 gsm. He stated that there can be up to a 7% variation in weight so, paper can range from 75-85 gsm. The thickness is about 100 microns.

There is no gusset/pocket in the back cover. Ralph explained that Eccolo wants the customer to experience the "flexi" cover and having a pocket interferes with this. Fair enough. I have found that I do not use the pocket on other notebooks as often as I thought I would but some may miss it.

How does it handle ink? Well, it seems to be very much like Moleskine in this respect. Pencil, gel pens, and ballpoint pens will do fine with this paper. Fountain pens, not so much. You will have to use a dry ink and a fine nib so your writing does not bleed through the page. The medium Asian nib on my Platinum Glamour with an unknown blue ink cartridge did fine with this paper If you like wider nibs and wet ink, you may want to use blotting paper behind the page you are writing on. Be prepared for the backside of the page to be unusable, so beware.

Taking care in your pen/ink combo choices, the journal is very usable. I like the cover and the slightly larger paper is also nice when comparing to a pocket sized notebook. The cover should last even with the rigors of every day use and carry.

Once again, thank you to Eccolo for providing this review sample and thank you for reading.

Ivan

The Fountain Pen Sith Lord.

**Bogon07** · April 22nd, 2013, 05:50 PM

KI thanks for bringing yet another stationery product to my attention. The 8mm lines are quite wide spacing but with a very generous 256 pages who cares.
By the way how thick is the journal ?

The cover looks impressive too. Eccolo oozes a sophisticated traveller style suited to lounging around grand hotel lobbies or exclusive cafes.

I'll have to remember to watch out for them on the next walk down the other end of town.

I have found that I do not use the pocket on other notebooks as often as I thought I would but some may miss it.

You know I've had the same thought too. I suppose it is nice to know you have one in the notebook but rarely used except to hold the sales recpt for the notebook or the paper band if it had one.

**KrazyIvan** · April 22nd, 2013, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by Bogon07

KI thanks for bringing yet another stationery product to my attention. The 8mm lines are quite wide spacing but with a very generous 256 pages who cares.
By the way how thick is the journal ?

The cover looks impressive too. Eccolo oozes a sophisticated traveller style suited to lounging around grand hotel lobbies or exclusive cafes.

I'll have to remember to watch out for them on the next walk down the other end of town.

I have found that I do not use the pocket on other notebooks as often as I thought I would but some may miss it.

You know I've had the same thought too. I suppose it is nice to know you have one in the notebook but rarely used except to hold the sales recpt for the notebook or the paper band if it had one.

They are a bit wide. Not as wide as Exacompta (sp?). For the nib I was using, it was fine. An odd thing, the line quantity is exactly the same as the 4x6 notebook I reviewed in 2011. I don't remember line spacing.

The pocket usually ends up torn on my notebooks because I pull it out too far sometimes. Eccolo let me choose which notebook I wanted to try out of that line. This one jumped out at me immediately.