Below are my notes from some of the more common notebook brands here in the US:
Norcom: Norcom is a US brand of notebooks that are made in various second or third world countries. Norcom quality varies. BE SURE to look for "Basic" versus unmarked Norcom notebooks. I've found that the "Basic" versions write better than their non-basic cousins. The "Basic" variety can be identified by it's somewhat more "off white" coloring. I have found non-basic notebooks to have a more "bleached white" look to them. They do not write as smoothly as the Basics in my opinion. With a very smooth modern pen either will work, but if you use vintage pens like me (which often have nibs more prone to feedback) stick with the "Basics". Be sure and get a couple of basics as well as the paper varies in quality within that range as well. But as a rule of thumb Basic will be smoother than non-basic.
Mead 5 Star: These are more expensive than Norcoms. I've had a VERY wide variation in these notebooks. These vary more than any other brand I've tried. There is the 5 Star "Premier" series and the 5 Star normal series (no markings other than 5 Star). The "Premier" series, I found, had what I would call "moon crater syndrome" on the back sides of the pages. This meant that the "Premier" pages would have one decent side, but the back of the page had visible potholes all over the page- avoid anything that looks like this. These bad papers often have a VERY white, almost bleached color. The better paper, I've found, is more of an off-white color and found on the non-premier 5 Star notebooks. These have varied from wonderful to mediocre.
Staples 100% recycled paper notebooks: These are labeled as "100% recycled paper". They also often carry a basic fibre cardboard cover. These pages tested universally poorly and I would recommend avoiding them entirely. Even modern pens did badly on them.
Staples "Accel": This was a middle of the road paper. It wasn't overly rough, but not terribly smooth. At a cost almost equal to a Mead 5 Star, I would look at the Mead offerings (non premier) first. These were okay with modern pens, but the vintages didn't like them.
Black N' Red Spiral Bound: This was the highest priced of the papers tested. The smoothness was good, and it performed well on the whole. The only complaint was that the drying time was quite slow for all inks used. This even held true for F/XF Pilote 78g nib. If you don't mind the price and the slow dry time- these are a good high end offering. I personally, however, don't see them as justified for the price. It was not THAT much better than the low-priced Norcoms (unless you need a very classy, sturdy notebook rather than an everyday offering).
Other: Staples Mini Scratch Pad: These are small, cheap, and plentiful. They spread and feather quite a bit, but are quite smooth and very good for testing out a pen if you want a cheap offering. They also are useful for testing feathering and spreading propensities of different inks since they do feather and spread quite easily.
The bottom line:
-watch out for cheaper notebooks with "very bleached white" colored paper. I found that these tend to be more prone to problems than papers of a more organic (off white perhaps?) color. This held true in the Mead and Norcom ranges
-watch out ESPECIALLY for secondary brand markings. In the Norcom range, for example, look for the "BASIC" stamping on the cover. In the Mead range, beware of the "Premier" marking on the cover.
-check through the shelves at the store within the same brand range. Take 4 or 5 Norcom basics and compare the papers and look carefully at the surface of the papers. You may find variation within individual ranges.
-remember to check the front AND backsides of the papers. These can (and for the 5 Star Premier range) do vary wildly.
-look finally at the basic structure of the notebook to make sure the rings are sturdy enough for your needs