Are the Moleskine's worth the price?

[David R Munson]

For me they are worth the price. They just work for me. I have wandered around from notebook to notebook recently, and while I have found a couple that I really like (Apica!), where the whole package is concerned I really love Moleskines. I wish they cost less, and once they're easily available I have a feeling that I'll switch over to the Clairfontaine equivalent, but as it stands I think I'll continue on with them. They've served me well - I see no reason not to keep using them.

[jennieg]

Love the design and look but hate the paper except if you go for the drawing/sketch one where the paper is much thicker but then you don't get lines (which I do not need and I find the lined moleskins have too thin lines)

 

Jennie

[DeaconKC]

Thanks for the info on the drawing book. It does help to know!

[milkpowder]

I've used one every day for the past year and a half to take lecture notes. The paper quality is really questionable, especially considering the price of a large sized hardback one. Nevertheless, they are sleek, well constructed and attractive so I've continued to use them. I'm seriously considering switching to a Clairefontaine Age Bag simply because the Moleskine paper is a tad too thin for double-sided use (though I still use both sides) and also shows a minute amount of feathering. The latter is the most annoying aspect and probably will be the reason for switching to something else, if I do.

[Silver54321]

I have been wondering the same question as the OP.

 

I just bought my first Moleskines. They are two squared notebooks 3.5" x 5.5"

 

In my case, they were a steal. I got them for two dollars each!!!

(compared to MSRP of $ 11.95 ea!) A local discount bookstore had a Fourth of July Sale where everything was 50% off! So even if it turns out that I don't like them, there will be no money wasted. Woohoo!

 

 

[AfterMyNap]

...

I would love to hear if anyone knows of a cahier-replacement which has better quality paper....

...

 

Field notes: http://fieldnotesbrand.com/

Apica: http://stores.ebay.com/Take-Note-Writing-Gear - CD-15 or 6A10 would be good for class notes.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love the size of the Moleskines but the paper doesn't meet the $$$! Just gave Molly a sale.

[dbwooley]

im a big molskine fan.

infact i just received a parcel yesterday with 15 of their journals in it

they look great and i find them fuctional.

people dont like the paper, but i personally have no problem with it.

infact i like writing on it with an fp? :S

[CharlieB]

To answer the question, "Are they worth the price?", my answer would have to be a conditional yes. If you are lucky enough to get one with good paper, then the overall design, workmanship, and paper are indeed worth the price. If, on the other hand, you get one with poor paper, then they are definitely not -- unless you write with ballpoints!

[PenGwen]

I've used moleskines, but since I have a leather journal cover I like to put on whatever notebook I'm carrying around with me, nobody's going to know it's a Real Moleskine anyway, and I agree with what others have said about the quality of the paper. However, if you're in the UK, Ryman's have recently introduced an A6 sized sketchbook that has a rubber band to hold it closed and a ribbon bookmark. I bought one for £2.99 this week, and I love it! The paper is nice and thick, and my workhorse pen (a Lamy Safari, because I'm poor right now) works just fine with the notebook. A6 Moleskines sell for £9.99 at the same shop, and I don't need lined paper so the low-cost sketchbook with the (imo) better paper is a win, as far as I'm concerned. It fits nicely into my cover, too!

Edited July 5, 2008 by PenGwen

[donwinn]

...

I would love to hear if anyone knows of a cahier-replacement which has better quality paper....

...

 

Field notes: http://fieldnotesbrand.com/

Apica: http://stores.ebay.com/Take-Note-Writing-Gear - CD-15 or 6A10 would be good for class notes.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love the size of the Moleskines but the paper doesn't meet the $$$! Just gave Molly a sale.

 

I have some of the Apicas from Molly, and they are the best for fps that I have found. I would love it if Molly could get a better selection of sizes, but I do understand the vagaries of a retail operation, and if one does not have unlimited funds with which to experiment with what will or will not sell, caution is key to survival.

 

Donnie

[FP_Lover]

I like the small ones for throwing in my purse, but I don't think they're worth the price. However, I don't know of any alternatives that have all the features, etc. so I usually do fork out for them....

[Roggalogga]

Apica › sounds interresting.

Two questions:

 

What sizes are they in metric numbers (A5/A4?) or compared to the large Moleskine notebook (that I use at the moment).

And are they lines or – as I hope – blank papers?

[dbwooley]

this doesnt really apply for americans, as it appears moleskine notebooks are cheaper over there.

but i found purchasing mine in a bulk lot online, saved me around.... 50% which made moleskines irresistable.

not that the price bothered me, but purchasing a few more notebooks than you currently need is definitly cost effective...

[Philip1209]

I would say that Moleskines are worth the price, but there are better cost-value alternatives out there. I have started to use Rhodia pads.

[Atlas]

I have written in 7 or 8 Moleskines and I find them quite nice. I am no paper connoisseur, so I can't say I've noticed any of this variability in paper quality that some of you speak of. I have used various different pens on my Moleskines including 2 different FPs and I have had no problems. They are well-made, convenient, and practical. They are definitely worth the money.

[MiniMaupassant]

While I much prefer Rhodia and Clairfontaine paper, Moleskines are just practical for compact, mobile writing, especially when travelling. Also, you can buy them just about anywhere in the world, in case you run out of them. I like the hard-back pocket version with squared paper. When travelling, I protect the notebook with a Gfeller cover. The size is ideal, fitting neatly into a jacket pocket or a field bag. As for the paper, I've experienced some feathering but never bleed-through, although I always make sure to use a finer point pen, such as a Pelikan Steno or any Japanese "medium" nib, and not thicker nibs like my otherwise perfect Aurora 88. Pencils also work great on Moleskine paper. For me, the Moleskine is a practical tool. I fill up every page of every one I purchase, even the inside endpapers. A Moleskine is only snobbish if it is purchased as a mere fashion accessory, or to belong to some sort of "scene." I make mine work for every cent! We all have complaints about Moleskines but would be devastated if they stopped being produced. To date, I have not found a true alternative to them. And I do think that the advent of Moleskines has done much to foster writing culture and thus also a return to fountain pens and pencils.

 

 

i completely agree with your sentiments, adair...

I don't know where I would be without my Moleskine; I carry it everywhere and write down everything in it. They key, like you say, is to use a F nib or a fairly dry M.

The elastic enclosure and back pocket, as well as the fact that the pages lie flat when the book is opened make this a superior product. If only Clairefontaine could manufacture the same, but with their perfect paper.......

 

btw... for those of us in the UK, there is a great online supplier, thejournalshop.com, who sells Moleskines 3 for 2, which is a great deal. No affiliation, just a happy customer!

Edited July 6, 2008 by MiniMaupassant

[penmanila]

because i use them to jot notes on the fly rather than to write long stretches of prose in (my macbook air is great for that ), my moleskines tend to stay with me for years before needing to be replaced. my first one took three years to fill up, and went with me to 9 countries; bruised and battered, but what can i say?--it's worth every penny, considering the service it performed and the punishment it took.

 

so i suppose cost is also a matter of function.

[Atlas]

I´ve already switched to Clairefontaine and am eagerly awaiting the Rhodia webnotebooks...

 

I was looking at those Rhodias and they are significantly smaller than the Moleskine pocket notebooks. I don't think it would be comfortable to write in anything that small. Even the Moleskine is pushing it and is about as small of a journal as I would like to use.

[HelzBelz]

btw... for those of us in the UK, there is a great online supplier, thejournalshop.com, who sells Moleskines 3 for 2, which is a great deal. No affiliation, just a happy customer!

 

Nice site, MM! Thanks for that.

 

At the risk of getting slightly off track here, Amazon.co.uk have the large Moleskines for £6.99 each at the moment, and if you buy three you qualify for free delivery, as well. it's not a bad deal, and brings them in cheaper than many other alternatives. I'm currently using a graphed one from Amazon, which I recieved a couple of days ago, and it seems to have fairly good quality paper, so it might be a good batch that they have at the moment. (No affiliation to Amazon, just a long-standing customer.)

 

To answer the original question, when I can get them at sale/reduced prices, I'd say they are worth the money. I've never had the bad experiences that some on this board have noted, though. I sometimes get a little show-through onto the next page, but it's not enough to prevent me from writing on both sides of the page, and I've never had any feathering or bleeding with them. I wouldn't say I use hugely fine points, either - most of my pens have M nibs, and none of them are particularly dry writers. Moleskines hold up to fairly heavy use (being used and carried around constantly for the four months or so that a large one lasts me) well: the worst that's happened to me is that one lost its ribbon bookmark towards the very end of its life.

 

Finally, and I know various people have said this before, in other threads, but as far as I know they're the ony brand that offer me ivory graphed pages with rounded edges, an envelope in the back, a ribbon bookmark and an elastic closure. I will use other colours and formats, but Moleskine offer me my preferred one.

[Brerarnold]

I've been carrying a Moleskine Reporter in my hip pocket for some while now. They are everything I hoped they would be.They stand the stress of being sat upon, sweated on, etc., etc. Pages don't fall out. It is always there when I want it. I've never had the problem with the paper that others talk about, no matter which pen or ink I use.

 

I decided to try a larger size for journaling, as the small Reporter was not ideal for that purpose -- good enough, just not ideal. So I was looking at the larger size Moleskines at Books a Million and got seduced by their Natural. Same size, has the pocket, etc., etc. And the paper was good enough.

 

But I really prefer the oilcloth cover, and do not like the Natural's plain cloth cover. It does not clean off as well. So as that notebook is coming to a close, I have picked up a Moleskine for its replacement. Costs more, but I will be more pleased. Ideal is what I am looking for, and willing to pay a few extra bucks for it.

 

That being said, someone on this thread mentioned the Field Notes. I like their looks and am going to give them a try, since I am coming to the end of a Reporter as well. If I like 'em, I will let y'all know.