Grid Paper Notebook - Hardcover Classic Notebook with Pen Holder - Thick Premium Paper + Page Dividers Gifts 8.4 x 5.7 In

" I spent a lot of time trying to find a good journal/notebook to use. I'd tried Rhodia, Amazon's, and others, and while they were all excellent in their own right, I had very specific requirements:
- I needed a very rigid binder/cover because I didn't want the pages to tear or the notebook to warp. br>They use a faux leather-like material that is attractive and has a nice texture. br>- Grid (graph paper) design so that I could align my content in a consistent and orderly mannerbr> Just the right size grid (at least for me) so that I can easily write in the rows and works well for the boxes you use with bulletingbr>- Small enough to be portable and fit into my favorite shoulder bag (Vanquest)br> I like the size and it suits my needs, but I would prefer if it were just one. I made it an inch longer and wider so I could fit more content in it. br>- No complaints about the durable spine that prevents pages from being torn easily. br> When you lay it flat, the stitching is barely visible, which is GOOD because it indicates that it is more than an adhesivebr>- Designed to be written on both the front and back of pages ("lie flat")br> I'm about halfway through my first one and it's simple to write on both - As I progress to the back, things will become easier. br>- When reading reviews and seeing pictures, I thought the pen holder on the outside of the spine was a silly gimmick, but I actually use it on a regular basis. br>br>When reading reviews and seeing pictures, I thought the pen holder on the exterior of the spine was a silly gimmick, but I actually use it on a regular basis. Because I keep it there, I've come to expect to always have a pen. It doesn't seem to harm the pages as much as I had feared. br>br>I also thought the elastic loop for closing it was a gimmick that would just get in the way. It does not obstruct my work, and I use it on a regular basis. It prevents the book from opening unnecessarily, which could result in damage to the pages. br>br>I don't recall seeing a small pocket on the back cover mentioned in the description or reviews. It has proven to be extremely beneficial. I keep a small, thin Westcott ruler in my bag to assist me with some of the diagramming I need to do from time to time. br>br>I also like that the price is reasonable and that I will be able to purchase these in the future. This is my first time really attempting to journal using the "bullet" method, so it's a relief to no longer have to look for notebooks that don't work and waste money and time on returns. The only drawback I can think of (see above) is that the size is an inch longer and wider than it should be. However, I can live with the size, and it is convenient to transport.

Luis Wright

| Jun 03, 2021

***2nd update: This notebook has been going strong for several months. No bleed- My only gripe is that I'm almost finished with this one and would like to buy another, but it only comes in one color. I wish they had the same colors for the lined grid as they did for their other notebooks. (I'm still going to buy it, but if there were more colors, I'd be more inclined to buy in bulk. ) )br>***Recent Update: I've only had it for about a week, but I've been opening and closing it frequently, and it appears to be in excellent condition! I've also had no problems with bleeding when using Paper Mate felt tip pens. I've tried everything, including using the darkest colors and going over some lines several times, but nothing has worked! ***
br>If you've ever opened a new hardcover book, you're familiar with how stiff the spines are. When it comes to lay-ups, the possibilities are endless. Unfortunately, in order for a book or notebook to lay flat, the spine must be thinner and more flexible. It's just how things are. The only real issue that people seemed to have with this notebook was the spine cracking, according to the reviews. However, this journal seemed ideal for my needs, so I decided to take a chance and take precautions when I received it to keep the spine in good shape. br>br>First and foremost, I received this at the end of December, which means it was still cold when it arrived. Before I attempted to open it, I took it out of the box and let it sit for a while. I expected the glue to become more brittle after being exposed to the cold for an extended period of time. I followed the steps in the diagram I included once it was at room temperature. (I did it one page at a time rather than a few at a time, smoothing my finger along the inner edge of each one to ensure it was laying flat. ) ) After that, I closed it by doing the same thing in reverse. I flipped through the pages in both directions a few times after repeating that process a few times. It may appear to be a hassle, but it took me less than ten minutes and was well worth it in my opinion. My spine felt a lot more flexible after I was done. This is something I'll most likely do on occasion to keep it limber. To be honest, I'm a layman. The durability of flat spines will never be as good as that of normal spines. However, I despise writing in notebooks that barely open, so this small amount of extra work was not difficult for me. br>br>The pen holder was a little squashed in the box, but it still holds my pens, and the pages are nice and thick, with no skewed grid. I'll try to update this review after I've had a chance to use it for a while to see how it's held up.

Camilo Hull

| Mar 27, 2021

After conducting extensive research on various brands, I chose this journal with grid paper for my 2018 bullet journal. I liked that the paper was thick enough that most of my pens didn't ghost on it, with the exception of Sharpie ultra fines, which bled through. The cover was soft and has so far stood up to daily use. The binding, however, is coming undone, which is a problem I've had. I'm disappointed because it's only been a month; I had hoped for much more. I'd return the book if it hadn't been over a month and I hadn't written in it yet. In either case, I'll most likely have to buy a new journal and start over, which will be extremely inconvenient because I'll have to transfer everything from the previous month. Not at all pleased! On top of that, I've been looking for a customer service phone number or email address to which I could send this, but I haven't been able to locate one. Overall, this has been a frustrating experience; I wish their product was more durable.

Maximiliano Alexander

| Apr 28, 2021