Hardcover notebooks with numbered dot grid pages (Leuchtturm alternatives)

[mhwombat]

This information might be helpful to someone else who looks for the same things in a journal that I do, i.e.

 

• hard cover
• dot grid
• numbered pages
• no ghosting (show-through)
• pages not perforated

 

Background: I've used Leuchtturm 1917 notebooks for years. Then I had a major problem with one of their notebooks: serious feathering in random places on the page. I hoped that it was just a bad batch, but you don't discover this sort of problem until you're already several pages in and committed to a journal, so I didn't want to risk using the same exact notebook again. I decided to give their notebook with the thicker 120g paper a try.  It was much better, satisfactory even, but not great. I decided to shop around to see what else I could find that met my requirements (listed above). Here's what I found:

 

Rhodia Goalbook

You mostly see these in softcover, but if you shop around you can find the hardcover ones. I bought one and tested it with a few of my inks, and saw no problems. I've only started using it, so it's possible that I'll find problems later (as I did with the Leuchtturm), but so far so good. Feels solid, good quality.

 

Endless Recorder

My first test with my usual fine point writer (Pilot FA nib) with Iroshizuku take-sumi bled right through the page! I do not recommend. I am tempted to return it.

 

Tumbitri Meri

https://tumbitri-meri.zohosites.com/

I wasn't able to get one of these since they don't ship to Ireland. However, they do ship to a fair number of countries around the world, so you might want to check them out.

 

Dingbats Earth collection

The last 16 pages are perforated, but the rest are solid, so I could live with that. I didn't end up buying one, but I have one of their Wildlife notebooks (no page numbers), and was very happy with the paper. I assume the Earth collection uses the same paper.

[arcfide]

That numbered pages thing is a real killer. In case some people are a little less stringent on the feature requirements, here are a few "almost like that" notebooks:

 

• Midori MD - Dot Grid and excellent paper, but no numbered pages, the cover is in-between softcover and hardcover, and there is more ghosting on the paper, but it's extremely ink resistant
• Perpanep Zarazara by Kokuyo - same in-between cover, no numbered pages, but thick, soft paper with good texture and dot grid
• Lamy Notebook - Very solid hardcover, with a neat look, excellent Italian paper that dries quickly, has a good feel, and holds ink well. But no numbered pages, and while I think the Lamy ruling is superior to dot grid, if you want dot grid, you can't have it in the Lamy notebook
• Kokuyo THIN notebook - Excellent, thin paper that has minimal ghosting for the paper weight, holds ink like a total champion. But no numbered pages!

 

 

[Penguincollector]

Clairfontaine My Essential notebooks are hardcover clothbound, numbered, and dot grid. I think some pages might be perforated, but not many. I’m not sure who ships to Donegal, but perhaps you can run a search with your location.  
Here’s a link with a description, this is a US site so I’m sure shipping is probably cheaper from elsewhere.

 

Clairfontaine My Essential

[Runnin_Ute]

Don't know how good these are but saw them at Costco today. Bigger than A5, smaller than A4. Three for $14.99.

[Surlyprof]

I like the paper and the soft dot grids in Rhodia’s notebooks.  I’ve only used the softcover books but I’m pretty sure their hardcover notebooks have the same 90gsm paper that I like.  I’m just not sure if they are numbered or not.  My softcover Rhodias do not have numbered pages.

 

John

[mhwombat]

I found another notebook that meets all my criteria listed in the first post. It's called PaperIdeas and is made in China. It's almost identical to the Rhodia Goalbook Hardcover, except that the pages a lighter ivory, and the endpapers are the same colour. I did some pen tests and saw no ghosting or feathering.

 

Here's the listing where I bought it from Kawaii Pen Shop.

[dragondazd]

Was the Endless Recorder with their new regalia paper?

 

I think the kokuyo thin paper is nice but has a lot of ghosting. 

[mhwombat]

1 hour ago, dragondazd said:

Was the Endless Recorder with their new regalia paper?

 

 

Yes, it was. And the bleedthrough is very bad, even though I was writing with a fine point pen. So I do not recommend this notebook.

[dragondazd]

29 minutes ago, mhwombat said:

 

Yes, it was. And the bleedthrough is very bad, even though I was writing with a fine point pen. So I do not recommend this notebook.

Yikes! Thank you.

[mhguda]

Hm, that's strange... I don't have the Regalia paper notebook, but I do have the noteblocks, which are also made with Regalia paper. And it takes ink very well. I see no bleedthrough, feathering, or even showthrough. And I'm using a very wet pen on it, with Diamine Sargasso Sea ink. I've used other inks too, but this combination works well for me only on my best papers...

[lascosas]

Meets all of your requirements, I've used them for years:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DHBB7B4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

[dragondazd]

26 minutes ago, lascosas said:

Meets all of your requirements, I've used them for years:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DHBB7B4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

Does it lay flat?

[lascosas]

Yes. 

[dragondazd]

12 minutes ago, lascosas said:

Yes. 

Thanks! I need to try this.

[mhwombat]

On 12/22/2022 at 7:48 PM, mhguda said:

Hm, that's strange... I don't have the Regalia paper notebook, but I do have the noteblocks, which are also made with Regalia paper. And it takes ink very well. I see no bleedthrough, feathering, or even showthrough. And I'm using a very wet pen on it, with Diamine Sargasso Sea ink. I've used other inks too, but this combination works well for me only on my best papers...

Many people rave about this notebook, and it looks well constructed and of high quality in general, so I was very surprised at the results. Maybe I just got a bad one. I did the pen test on just one page, and the fair thing to do would be to test some other pages at random. However, I plan to offer the notebook to a friend who doesn't use fountain pens, so I don't want to write on any other pages.