Notebooks Reviewed! Leuchtturm, Moleskine, Midori, Muji, Roterfaden and more!

[@sketchley]

What's your favourite notebook and why?! If you appreciate this video, you can support my work with Superthanks, above ⬆🙏!

[@kummiekins]

Add on comment; Kokuyo campus also make great loose leaf paper for cheap. Use the A4 sized ones to make your Traveler's notebook refills. However this only works with either plain, dotted or grid layout because you fold the paper in half. I just fold about 20 sheets at a time, use kraft paper as a cover, staple the centre then trim off the excess with a box cutter. It makes for a shorter refill but doable for my travel journaling.

[@sketchley]

Great tip! Thanks for sharing! And thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 🙏

[@popparoc46]

I am a fountain pen enthusiast and paper is important since so many notebooks are not fountain pen ink friendly, Moleskine is one of those and it breaks my heart. Along with their wonderful design, they used to have great paper, but not now. It is very disappointing. I write A LOT and tend to use Clairefontaine French ruled paper, but for personal writing, I like Midori paper. It is a little ... toothy and expensive, but a few years ago, I found a place here in Canada that had a sale. I bought 12. I, too, enjoy the bendy covers. You have a great collection. Thanks for sharing and making your review. - roc

[@justnik8727]

Agree on the Moleskine. They are simply the worst for fountain pens and roller balls. Never again and the price is ridiculous.

[@sketchley]

Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 🙏 I love the word "toothy"! The very word "Clairefontaine" sounds expensive... Yes, the Midori paper is nice. But can I justify its price? 🤔

[@gc7534]

I've tried the standard and the thicker 120g Leuchttrum with fountain pens. Both hold up well and the paper quality is better than moleskine. And it's not as expensive as Midori. Its my "bang for your buck" notebook recommendation.

[@sketchley]

Great strategy...

[@JoeSchonbok]

For morning pages, I've been using Dynta A5 spiral notebooks. I get them from Amazon for less than $2 per in bulk. They are lined, 60 sheets/120 pages. There is a day of the week block to circle the day and also a little block of weather icons which I find very satisfying to use. But the best thing about them is they can handle most of my fountain pen inks. I love writing with a fountain pen and these Dynta books are perfect for me. For my "real" journaling, I use a mix of Midori and Leuchtturm - mostly Midori since I have an awesome leather cover for them now. Sadly, only Moleskines are at my local shops and I've had similar bad experiences with them, especially with regard to ink.

[@sketchley]

Sounds like a good approach. Unfortunately my handwriting is terrible! Or is that just a story from childhood that I'm perpetuating...? 🤔 Hope all is good with you, Joe. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 🙏

[@Fclwilson]

Thanks for sharing. The notebooks I gravitate towards are Leuchturm, Archer & Olive, Hobonichi, and Miguel Riz notebooks. The latter are great for classes.

[@sketchley]

I haven't heard of some of those -- I'll look them up! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 🙏

[@Fclwilson]

@@sketchley admittedly Archer&Olive, and Hobonichi are on the expensive side. Miquelrius notebooks are affordable with nice quality paper. Sorry that I misspelled the brand name in the previous post.

[@sketchley]

Thanks! Will check that one out too.

[@PorschaWrites]

Really enjoyed this video! Especially the mantra "This shouldn't be expensive" i do occasionally treat myself to a nicer notebook but I've found several good quality composition books here in the states for cheap that I adore. I buy moleskine on sale because I like them but agree the price and quality don't match. I'm a full time writer who likes to draft by hand so I burn through notebooks. Its refreshing to hear someone not exclusively recommended the expensive options.

[@sketchley]

A friend of mine first-drafts his novels by hand ✍️. It is old-school, but a valuable approach. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 🙏

[@itssammierose]

I have stocked up on some outdated daily planners from past years. They were $2 with 365 pages in them. I plan to white out the dates and just use them as i wish.

[@1FunkyAsh]

If you can play the long game, those dates will line up again in a few years.

[@sketchley]

Great plan!

[@eleanor.shadow]

Glad you found the Standard size useful! 😊 My traveler’s notebook is by September Leather, much cheaper than the original ones (mine has a rigid spine, which I prefer).

[@sketchley]

I will look up September Leather! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 🙏

[@plandsandtravels]

I giggled at the comments about moleskine elastics not keeping your knickers up. I hate moleskine. I love Leuchtturm & it was my first introduction to dotted grid notebooks. I like MD notebooks but prefer the MD paper in traveler’s notebook sizing. I use gel pens when out & about and fountain pens at home, those TN books deal with both well. I’m a recent convert to Hobonichis because of the Tomoe River Paper. I am more likely to use a notebook that feels nice & looks good, regardless of cost

[@sketchley]

Yeah, the overall experience is important. For quickly scribbled notes on the go, a cheap thing, perhaps; for slower, more considered writing, something better quality. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 🙏

[@Tracywhited2]

I use a pocket size leuchtern 1917 in a chic sparrow cover for my journaling currently and will soon switch to an A6 Stalogy in a chic sparrow for variety. I do prefer to write with a fountain pen so the paper matters Thanks for your channel. I'm enjoying it.

[@sketchley]

I'll look up Chic Sparrow and Stalogy... Yes, I appreciate paper quality is important for fountain pen users. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 🙏

[@jasonmarshall5730]

I journal in a Traveler's Company Traveler's Journal. I also have a 5 year prayer journal that I use. October will make a year of use with that one.

[@sketchley]

A prayer journal. I'm not religious myself. What do you write in there?

[@jasonmarshall5730]

@@sketchley I write out my prayers, and usually a meaningful quote from a theologian I'm reading.

[@itssammierose]

I have a prayer journal as well! It keeps me focused on my prayer so i dont drift off on other thoughts or fall asleep!

[@sketchley]

So a kind of aid to meditation?

[@davearcher7474]

When I first started journaling I did start with slightly better quality journals. I now do the bulk of my journaling on the cheapest a4 writing pads I can get. I then transfer any gems that appear on the page to an A5 moleskin journal for future reference. I also carry a small hardbacked notebook (like the ones you shoe in the video). Great for making notes when out and about. No idea what brand notebook. Not a massive fan of the moleskin journal. And I really wish I had better handwriting 😂.

[@sketchley]

Great approach. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 🙏

[@tammyhassel9045]

The many notebooks not quite fully used and finished and the flirting with pen comments are so relatable. Team dotted Leuchtturm A5 here 🎉

[@sketchley]

😄 We should get together and make one full notebook between us! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 🙏

[@tammyhassel9045]

@@sketchleyI really enjoyed the video, loved the commentary, you had me laughing out loud on my trip home!

[@tammyhassel9045]

Do you ever write on the outside edges of your notebooks?

[@sketchley]

I have on one - and I quite like it. Gives it a personalised look...

[@tammyhassel9045]

@@sketchleyabsolutely but weirdly I haven’t been brave enough to do this either …I love patterns so may need to create my own unique patterns to bespoke mine

[@thalassica2158]

I am stuck in between stalogy A5 and whatever hardcover A6/pocket... I have decided I will buy a A6 stalogy next

[@sketchley]

Let me know how you get on!

[@pilesofthings]

I'm in Canada and I've found some really nice notebooks at the dollar store. It seems like every time I go theres more selection and you can get one for $1-4!

[@sketchley]

And at that price you can afford to treat yourself! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 🙏

[@Higgler16]

Me too! I'm also from Canada, and I've found some dandy notebooks at The Dollar Store.

[@sixtenjohansson4246]

The blank pages.. So relatable.. 😂

[@sketchley]

Suspect there's a lot of us about!

[@Sustainable.Motherhood]

Which sharpener do you recommend for the Mitsubishi Pencil HB?

[@sketchley]

I use a Staedtler Noris (art. no. 511 004) -- in fact I have two!

[@PeninaLelie]

Would you recommend doing it digital?

[@sketchley]

There are arguments for digital journaling: searchability, speed, convenience. But are those things what journaling is about? Writing by hand is a slow, considered practise. You actually have to form the letters. Typing is a repetitive act: we're just hitting keys over and over again. I see benefits to both. I think you have to do what feels best for you. I might make a video on this soon. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 🙏

[@kummiekins]

I just got myself a Midori 2025 Diary and yes it was pricey. But it’s more for fountain pen enthusiasts so that is reflected in the price point. The same with the Leuchtturm, but Midori even holds up to heavy tombow brush pens. For a brain dump, my cheap alternative are the notebooks from Daiso with smooth paper (ones that say Made in Japan); surprisingly also fountain friendly and cost far less than a cup of coffee. I’ve stopped spending my good money on moleskine, couldn’t even hold up to my fine gel pen and ghosts like mad.

[@sketchley]

I'll look up the Daiso, thanks! A theme is emerging about Moleskines... 😬 Fountain pens... intriguing, but my handwriting! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 🙏

[@dianeh9378]

Curious. Why did you take the covers off?

[@sketchley]

Check out this video... kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXqsZKB_Z6mnhsU

[@dianeh9378]

Thanks, I watched the referenced video and it makes perfect sense

[@sketchley]

@@dianeh9378 Cool. I was trying the bullet journal method at the time and didn't want to migrate things every five minutes (Leuchtturm only do a thin, soft-cover book).

[@dianeh9378]

I appreciate the mindset of you figuring out what works for you vs needing to accommodate a system

[@sketchley]

Thank you. Other people have suggested another approach so I may try that too. Look out for a new video soon!

[@reysolo3672]

Timestamps are a thing

[@sketchley]

I have a stamp. I used it for a while but then kind of forgot about it. The pencil is always to hand. Nick Cave used date stamps on all his notes. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 🙏