The Top Favorite Journal These Days?

[loganrah]

I agree that Hobonichi is a bit too over organized and I find myself not using half of the features. What I need is a planner / notebook that has a 12 month calendar and one page per day of the year would be perfect for me. Anything out there like that? I do like A5 size or maybe a bit larger.

I really like leuchtturm1917 diaries/journals. The paper is reasonably absorbent so drier inks/pens generally work better, but that also means it doesn't have the crazy dry times that things like Clairefontaine have.

 

https://www.lacouronneducomte.nl/webstore/main/leuchtturm1917-2020-daily-planner-black-p-12356.html

 

 

[JefferyS]

For the expensive side of journaling, I don't understand why Hobonichi is often overlooked by the fountain pen communities (at least from what I've seen on the recent threads). Has a ton of features, TR paper and lays quite flat when open.

 

I have to admit that I've never seen that name. I'll do some searching at the usual locations for one. I can never have too many journals.

[JefferyS]

Sorry I'm so late in reading the thoughtful responses to my original post. I monitored the post for a few days and found lots of readers but no respondents. One we hit November 4, a lot of good suggestions flooded in. Thanks much, gang!

[Tasmith]

 

I have to admit that I've never seen that name. I'll do some searching at the usual locations for one. I can never have too many journals.

Hobonichi's website: https://www.1101.com/store/techo/en/

 

Jetpens: https://www.jetpens.com/Planners/ct/2815

 

Andersons: https://andersonpens.com/stationery/hobonichi/

 

And a few other US retailers carry Hobonichi too.

[Tasmith]

I really like leuchtturm1917 diaries/journals. The paper is reasonably absorbent so drier inks/pens generally work better, but that also means it doesn't have the crazy dry times that things like Clairefontaine have.

 

https://www.lacouronneducomte.nl/webstore/main/leuchtturm1917-2020-daily-planner-black-p-12356.html

 

 

Thanks!

 

I think I found what I want: https://us.moleskine.com/en/12-month-daily-planner-scarlet-red/p1618

 

I use Leuchttrums1917's weekly planner now for mileage and expenses, but I like Moleskine's monthly calendar format better than Leuchttrum1917s.

[JefferyS]

Hobonichi's website: https://www.1101.com/store/techo/en/

 

Jetpens: https://www.jetpens.com/Planners/ct/2815

 

Andersons: https://andersonpens.com/stationery/hobonichi/

 

And a few other US retailers carry Hobonichi too.

 

We FP users are not intimidated by price, but this journal will make me very careful with my concise wording and penmanship. For one's daily journal, why not.

[JefferyS]

I really like leuchtturm1917 diaries/journals. The paper is reasonably absorbent so drier inks/pens generally work better, but that also means it doesn't have the crazy dry times that things like Clairefontaine have.

 

https://www.lacouronneducomte.nl/webstore/main/leuchtturm1917-2020-daily-planner-black-p-12356.html

 

 

The attendees to my bullet journal workshop last year included a bunch of librarians. And they were user of the 1917 and considered it to be the standard bearer. None of the established journal-keepers used Moleskine.

[ethernautrix]

For an annual diary, I've been using Moleskine pocket-size, page-a-day diaries, until this year, when I went larger but still Moleskine.

 

For 2020, I bought a Hobonichi Techo. For the Tomoe River paper. Because I finally realized that I won't use only Noodler's Black in such a notebook. Tomoe River paper opens up the year to many colors.

 

For daily scribbling that almost always goes to the shredder I love Oxford and Tesco notebooks, the smaller size, not spiral bound, grid rule. This cheap paper is surprisingly good, even with 0.7mm nibs and other wet-ink situations (no bleed-through!).

[JefferyS]

For an annual diary, I've been using Moleskine pocket-size, page-a-day diaries, until this year, when I went larger but still Moleskine.

 

For 2020, I bought a Hobonichi Techo. For the Tomoe River paper. Because I finally realized that I won't use only Noodler's Black in such a notebook. Tomoe River paper opens up the year to many colors.

 

For daily scribbling that almost always goes to the shredder I love Oxford and Tesco notebooks, the smaller size, not spiral bound, grid rule. This cheap paper is surprisingly good, even with 0.7mm nibs and other wet-ink situations (no bleed-through!).

 

Lisa! What a blast from the past!

I have been smitten with some dry gel pens that would be great with the sometimes too feathery and bleedy Moleskines. The pen is remarkable.

I’m going to try the Hobonichi. I retire in January, and writing will help maintain my sanity.

[Tasmith]

All set for 2020 planners!

 

Visited my local Moleskine store in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC today. Purchased a Moleskine Daily planner, large, hard cover and a 2020 Weekly planner, large, hard cover. Both in red. They fit my needs perfectly! I think I can re-purpose my A5 Hobonichi Safari Olive cover for the daily planner.

 

Was going to purchase online on Moleskine's website, but didn't like the personal questions required in order to register, plus many items were out of stock.

 

The DC store's inventory and selection was great with a knowledgeable and friendly sales associate.

 

I asked if they were going to be at the Baltimore or DC pen shows, but the sales associate had never heard of a pen show. He did makes a note of them and said he was going to ask his boss about them.

Edited December 3, 2019 by Tasmith

[jiraffe]

I used a Hobonichi A6 for my 2019 daily journal. While the Tomoe River paper was wonderful, the grids were a bit too small for me and I felt confined to using EF/F nibs all the time. For 2020, I ordered the Stalogy 365 Notebook in the B6 size. Hoping that its larger notebook size and slightly bigger grid size (5mm instead of Hobonichi's 4mm) will keep me journaling happily throughout the new year! :-)

[DilettanteG]

I use a lot of stubs and italics with very wet, broad nibs and I do not get the love for Leuchtturm 1917 or Moleskine as the former tends to smear even with inks that have decent dry times and the latter feathers and bleeds thru. I use Graphic Image hard cover, leather bound, smythsewn journals for my daily diary. They're much more expensive than the above options and the paper is cream, not white, which might be a deal breaker for some. They're cheaper than Smythson and Pineider at least, which are other brands I like.

 

I've had good luck with Clairefontaine and Rhodia paper as well. I haven't used my Tomoe River pad much yet, but I've been impressed so far.

[Mech-for-i]

For 2020 I finally cave in and realize I can do better planning and scheduling etc with electronic meabs while I can do far better on recording documenting and note taking on my writen journal .. and that is whay it is craft myself a TN Midori's style after I got someone cut me the piece of nude nuback and using 925 Sterling Cloisonne beads and dark blue bungee andnow I had in it just 2 ; a dot grid and a blank page one .. Joutnal system my own

[Winslo]

Hi,

I don’t have any set structure like a bullet journal, or planner, etc. It is just basic journalling.

I bought the A5 Taroko Enigma dot notebook for journaling; mainly for the the amount of pages and the fact that it is 68 gsm. However the notebook is a bit on the pricy side.

I also bought a Hobonichi Cousin Leather cover off of Etsy to protect the book from the daily abuse. The cover I found was at a very good price point relative to others listed on Etsy. It doesn’t have the burnished edging that the more expensive ones, but I could live with that for the price difference.

I tried a Traveler’s standard notebook book style, but I found the pages a bit too narrow. And when you add more than two notebooks, it gets very bulky. Now I use it as a EDC, one notebook for random notes and thoughts, that may or may not get transferred to my journal, and the second for appointments or anything else that requires a date, time and place.

[Gawain]

Quo Vadis Infinite Life Journal is my personal favorite.

Clairefontaine paper.

The journal has a pre-defined layout and grids, but you fill in year, month, day, and date so you get to use your favorite pen and ink more.

 

There is a month grid layout, you fill in the name of the month and all the dates.

Then for each month there are five weekly grids that span across two pages.

And for each month there are five blank dot-grid pages.

 

Each day has plenty of room to write a diary entry our journal entry, to-do list, or important events.

 

I have taken to using a different pen/ink combo for each week. Its fun to flip through the journal and compare the different inks.

The paper is smooth and sheen friendly which makes takes the ink just a bit longer to dry than Rhodia paper.

 

I would suggest you look for a youtube review so you can see for yourself the grid layout. There is nothing else like it.

I LOVE IT........

[azbobcat]

I have been using the Bond Journal Notebooks (now Lochby), which are 68 gsm Tomoe River paper with dot grid, numbered pages and elastic band. The problem is that they don't make the Bond notebook anymore. Lochby makes a notebook with has less pages, similar to the Taroko Design notebook. It works nicely in their new notebook cover, but not for me.

 

Prior to the Bond Journal, I was using a Nanami Paper Standard notebook which is 52 gsm Tomoe River - which I much prefer. Once I finish the Bond Journal (likely the end of this month), I will go back to the Nanami Standard.

 

The Nanami Standard has blank pages, which is really nice for any building any kind of bullet format that I want. I also like to doodle. When I have lines and dots on a page, I feel constrained, but with a blank page, I feel I can do anything.

 

Prior to using Tomoe River paper, I really liked using the Midori MD A5 journals. They are fountain pen friendly, priced well, and lightweight which is quite nice.

 

Bond?!? As in James Bond, 007?? Shaken but not stirred?

[JMTB]

I recently gave up on the Leuchtturm 1917 due to ghosting and bleed-through issues. I’m currently using the GLP Creations The Author notebook, which has 68gsm tomoe river paper, numbered pages etc. I’ve been very impressed so far.

 

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/GLP-Creations-Author-Notebook-Tomoe/dp/B07CS28RG2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=GLP+creation&qid=1581779992&sr=8-1

[DrDebG]

Since January, I have been using a Nanami Seven Seas Crossfield (which he does have in stock) for my journal. I love the 52gsm Tomoe River paper more than the 68gsm TR paper. BUT, if you like to use really dark inks, you will have greater showthrough (i.e. ghosting) with any TR paper.

 

One of the reasons I love the Seven Seas notebooks is the number of pages without the bulk. The Seven Seas notebooks are the same size as, for example, a Clairfontaine Essentials notebook, but with more than twice as many pages. And is surprisingly lighter.

 

I am not involved in any way with Nanami Papers, but I really do like the Seven Seas notebooks.

Edited February 15, 2020 by 5Cavaliers

[MP0123456789]

I'm new to fountain pens as of the last couple of months. Used to look for notebooks and planners for watercolor pencil and fineliners, but decided to segregate those to their own notebooks since I don't doodle with my full arsenal day to day.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y2H8N2F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This was my favorite dot grid paper, but the binding just will not allow for laying flat. Got frustrating mid book.

I just committed to the Hobnichi Techo A6 so I can always have it in my handbag. The ghosting with black pilot ink is not too bad. (waiting on my first bottled ink order to try others)

I don't mind the teeny 4mm grid, but wish it was dot grid instead of graph.

I was going to make my own Miliko bullet journal, but got bogged down at new year. Was going to take me quite some time to draw out all of the days and dates, ruler the grids.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0839QHM25/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I heard Agendio took fountain pens reasonably well, but have not seen a firsthand example.

[Mongoosey]

I've been using a Nanami Seven Seas Writer and it's simply superb.

 

I've had it for about 2 years (stockpiled), so it's an older edition with nice lines to it, but I've seen and heard from others that newer editions have fainter lines, which has kept me from doing a review since it may not be consistent with new models.

 

Despite that this one is fantastic and there's always Elia Note I suppose, though I do like the Cream Paper that comes with the Nanami Seven Seas Writer.