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Thread: My Top 5 Pocket Notebooks

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    Default My Top 5 Pocket Notebooks

    This was my first “official” top 5 list I believe. I hope to begin making these lists in more areas soon but I have been thinking a lot about pocket notebooks over the last few months and I think I have a pretty solid list in terms of knowing a lot of what’s out there and in being confident of my favorites although I have to admit I don’t think any are perfect. For the sake of this list I want to briefly define pocket notebooks. I am including only fold over notebooks as that is a key component in making these pocket friendly. Some manufacturers consider their “perfect” binding or “squared” binding to be pocket notebooks such as Princeton Architectural Press’ Pocket Dept. 4×4 square and Moleskine’s “Plain Soft Notebook – Pocket” but those types aren’t included in this list. Moleskine’s Cahier line of pocket notebooks are eligible but didn’t make the list.


    So without further ado, Pen Paper Ink Letter’s Top 5 Pocket Notebooks:




    1. Word. Notebooks
      -One of the more fountain pen friendly pocket notebooks I have used. These books are well made and have begun to tap into the genre’s hype worthy attributes such as good cover design and limited editions. If I could change anything it would be to add a third staple.
    2. Scout Books
      -Scout Books pocket notebooks are not 3.5″ x 5.5″ but are rather passport size. For me this is a huge asset in that I can carry them in my passport wallet. These are also somewhat fountain pen friendly.
    3. Field Notes
      -These might be the king of the Pocket Notebook world in reality but they aren’t reaching the top in terms of overall paper quality with all writing instruments. Setting that aside they stay on this list because they are well made, well thought out and I love the designs, limited editions and special papers they use in some of those LEs.
    4. Hitlist Notebooks
      -Marketed as a fountain pen friendly book these do indeed succeed in being mostly FP friendly and having better paper than most pocket options. They rest a bit to much on this idea though to be at the top of the list but I do use these enough to give them a nod in the top 5.
    5. Doane Paper Grid + Lines
      -This was a bit of a dark horse making on this list but the more I’ve used this one the more I have found a benefit in the ruling setup. I also like that, like Field Notes, they have chosen to add a third staple.


    I admit none of these are perfect for fountain pens but in the pocket notebook world I think we have come to understand that there are trade-offs.

    -Heath
    @WeThePPIL

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    Senior Member writingrav's Avatar
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    Default Re: My Top 5 Pocket Notebooks

    Have you tried the tomoe river notebooks?
    To continue to diminish the place of the handwritten in our lives is to diminish, in a small but real way, our humanity. Philip Hensher

    Dunno ergo sum

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    Default Re: My Top 5 Pocket Notebooks

    Quote Originally Posted by writingrav View Post
    Have you tried the tomoe river notebooks?
    I have some but I have not tried them yet. I am afraid the dry time will just kill the point of the pocket notebook but I am hopeful.

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    Senior Member Mags's Avatar
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    Default Re: My Top 5 Pocket Notebooks

    The TR paper is wonderful and may merit a top 5 spot on your list.
    Mags or Rob Maguire MB 149, 147, 146,144, Mozart, Boehme, Sailor Realo, Aurora Optima, Churchmen Prescriptor and Parson's Essential, Parker 51 1.3 mm stub, Parker Vacumatic 1939 OB Can, TWSBI's (540,580, Mini and Vac 700), Pelikan M 1000/800 Demonstrator 600/200 demoM/200 OBB, Visconti Rembrandts (2), Lamy, Cross, Watermans, Pilots, Sheaffer's, Omas 360 LE 84/360, GvFC, Esterbrooks J and SJ, Bexley Jitterbug, Taccia, Eversharp 1952 flex, Edison Herald, Franklin Christoph Piper.

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    Default Re: My Top 5 Pocket Notebooks

    Photos of what the pages look like would be helpful -- especially with writing samples to see how much bleed through / show through there is.

    Also, a lot of notebooks are disappointing because the grids or rules are too dark or too heavy. Paper quality is important, but when my handwriting has to compete with the lining for legibility, I can't use that notebook.

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    Default Re: My Top 5 Pocket Notebooks

    Hello! I just recently started to pay attention that pocket notebooks have become popular now. They have one big plus - they do not take up much space. Therefore, I decided to buy it. I searched on the Internet, read reviews and came across one site https://onplanners.com/notebooks/best-pocket-notebooks. It contains a lot of information about pocket notebooks, besides their characteristics are described, so you can choose it to your taste.)

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    Default Re: My Top 5 Pocket Notebooks

    Clairefontaine makes some excellent pocket notebooks.
    Fountain Pen Sith Lord | Daakusaido | Everything in one spot

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    Default Re: My Top 5 Pocket Notebooks

    Quote Originally Posted by KrazyIvan View Post
    Clairefontaine makes some excellent pocket notebooks.
    Yes. I've found the Clairefontaine Matris notebook is excellent.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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