Staples started carrying Ampad Gold Fiber legal pads in a "Retro" version. This is 20# paper in an ivory color. I typically use their canary color.

Unfortunately, Staples only sells them in 12 packs (about $25). Before I buy a whole bunch, it would be good to get some feedback on their FP friendliness.

Logically, they should be the same as the canary, but there may be differences other than color.

Anybody try them yet?


Mike

Don't know, but I had our admin assistant order a pack. I figure that if I don't like them others can use them.
-T

I think I might have these. I have Ampad Gold Fibre letter-size ivory legal pads with a saddle brown colored binding at the top, wide-ruled sheets, 20lb paper. On the package label and on the binding, the words "America's First, America's Finest, Since 1888" appear. Does this sound like what you saw? I got mine at Staples, but I found them in a 4-pack. I can't compare them to the canary or white colors, because I've never tried those. But this ivory stock is decent.

Feathering: I have one wet-writing pen loaded with ink that is more prone to feather than my other inks, so I use that pen as my gauge. On this legal pad, the ink does feather very slightly with that pen/ink combo, but it looks totally acceptable. The ink does not actually bleed beyond the boundaries of the letters, but I can see the tiny fibers in the paper reacting to the ink, if that makes any sense. With other pens and inks, there is no feathering on this pad.

Feel: This paper seems to have a bit of tooth or resistance to it. It is not as smooth as my Ampad Gold Fibre Steno pad (thin paper stock) or as smooth as copier paper. I think my pens write a bit drier on this paper, though my wettest writers still require a little drying time.

Bleed-through: There is none. I tested three pen/ink combos on this versus the steno paper. On the steno paper, all 3 bled through to the other side. In comparison, I can use both sides of the page with this ivory legal pad.

Chipboard: The backing is nice and sturdy.

If the feel of the paper were a little smoother, I'd wholeheartedly recommend it. As it is, it's no worse than writing on heavy stationery stock, but I could see how it might be bothersome if you write a copious amount of notes. My other observation is probably my own idiosyncracy, but I don't happen to like the way some of my inks look on this ivory color paper. Then again, I find the canary-colored pads to be a lot worse in that respect, and I prefer to use legal pads in a color other than white so that I can quickly spot my notes from the sea of white documents on my desk. So I can't find that much to complain about these ivory pads, but I still haven't decided whether I'd buy them again (this 4-pack should last me a long time, anyway).

I love this paper. I'm a law student and I write five to ten pages of briefs and the same of class notes every day, front and back, and it looks great. I have no bleed through with any inks I have been using. Those inks include PR Supershow Blue, Blue Suede, Sherwood, and Tanzanite; Diamine Umber and Blue Black; Levenger Raven Black; Pelikan Brown and Green; Parker Quink Micro Film Black (WWII Vintage); and Namiki Blue, Green, and Purple.

I take my notes in class with a Vanishing Point and the Namiki blue ink dries plenty fast to turn over to the other side quickly and not have any smearing. Can't say the same with Tanzanite, except out of an extra fine nib.

The color may take a little getting used to, part of the reason I've tried so many inks recently. The Pelikan brown looks especially good. One of my classmates told me it looked like I was writing maxims on parchment. I like Blue Suede and Tanzanite a lot too, they give good contrast, while the shading of Umber looks nice.

This "Retro" paper feels different than the other Gold Fiber. It seems smoother and tighter. I have never written on the white or yellow, so I cannot compare the performance. You can buy a four pack at an actual Staples store for $7.99.

Len

Thanks, Blueiris. Great analysis!

I saw those pads in Staples a little while ago. The Staples web site shows an Ampad branded version, although these are also made by Ampad. I wonder if they are the same.

I use yellow pads for the same reason as you, and ivory (potentially) gives a little more variety. It would probably look very nice if coupled to the correct ink.

Thanks,
Mike

Recieved my pack of pads today and have a few preliminary obervations.

The Retro is not as smooth to the touch as the Gold Fibre but is still nice. When writing, it adds a little tooth to several pens I tried, but not to the glassy broad Father of Watley.

The page takes ink very well and is less apt to have drying issues than the Gold Fibre. It does feather slightly, but this is negligible and I'm using some pretty juicy writers.

The ivory color might make some colors ink seem a tad funky but I'm not seeing that with the blues, or Army Green I'm using now. If that kind of thing matters to you, the reddish-brown binding isn't as neutral as some and it's hitting me that some colors don't meld with it as nicely. Just tried some Purple Martin and it would not be my choice on the ivory paper with pinkish lines. The colors of the ink remain fairly true on the ivory though, which they do not do as well on the canary Gold Fibre.

-Tom