I was sent two notebooks by the nice people at JustWrite and, while I don't usually review notebooks, I do seem to accumulate a few so I guess a review is in order. Of course, when sent an item for review you need to do the usual blurb about no interest in the company, no fear, no favours etc. So I will declare same; adding that, as a customer, Ido think JustWrite is a great Company, Australian (which always makes me happy) and they also manufacture their own fantabulous inks (branded as Toucan) that I've reviewed very happily in an earlier blog.
Now, I notice that there are already a few recent reviews of the JustWrite notebook out in the blogosphere, so I thought I would do another comparison review. For this comparison I have chosen my favourite notebook up to now, the Backpocket Journal - Tomoe River edition (from Steve Curnow at Curnow Bookbinding and Leatherwork).
Where can you find them?
The JustWrite notebooks are the result of a collaboration between JustWrite and Olive and the Volcano Letterpress, meaning they are exclusive to JustWrite. You can find them online at the web link I added at the beginning of this review.
The Backpocket Journals are also exclusive to Curow. Curow Bookbinding and Leatherwork however, appear to be a touch more exclusive as you can only get these if you email Steve directly at sdcurnow@gmail.com. He also has a facebook page of other products: CurnowBookNLeather - so on an exclusivity rating, I guess Backpocket is a touch more exclusive.
Size
My preference in notebooks is for the smaller (passport or "Field Notes" type size) so I'm just comparing the smaller ones.
The JustWrite notebooks sent to me come in two sizes, one it called 'A5' and the other, smaller one, is called 'A6'. I had to google what those sizes meant in actual measurements and when I did, it didn't measure up. A5 should be 148mm x 210mm while the JustWrite notebook is 144mm x 205mm. A6 should be 105 x 148mm; while the JustWrite notebook measures roughly 97mm x 142mm.
Now the actual measurement is no big deal to me; as I said, I like my notebooks in 'Field notes' type size, so I'm looking for something similar. Nevertheless, if you advertise a standard size, you really should deliver!
So clearly the Backpocket Journal is slightly smaller than the JustWrite. In the pictures below I've compared them to one another and a Fieldnotes book as well.
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| Above fairly self explanatory except the JustWrite notebook (hint:it's the one in the middle!) |
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| Here they are stacked on top of each other. You can see the Backpocket Journal is the smallest (same width as the Fieldnotes); and the JustWrite notebook the largest (same length as the Fieldnotes). Not a lot in it though. |
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| No need for this shot; I just liked the camera effect ! |
Which one is better? Well that really depends on what you want them for. There
is no real winner here other than a look of shame to the JustWrite for
inaccurate measurements.
Pages, Quality and Binding
The JustWrite notebook has 120 pages; the Backpocket 60. So you get more pages with the JustWrite and slightly larger size.
Both notebooks have been bound by what looks like cotton or string. On the JustWrite book this goes along the entire spine and looks very sturdy. This is how that translates on the inside:
Pages, Quality and Binding
The JustWrite notebook has 120 pages; the Backpocket 60. So you get more pages with the JustWrite and slightly larger size.
Both notebooks have been bound by what looks like cotton or string. On the JustWrite book this goes along the entire spine and looks very sturdy. This is how that translates on the inside:
On the Backpocket
Journal, the binding is in two smaller sections you can see from the outside spine. Inside the notebook, it's a small string in the centre.
In either case however, the binding appears sturdy enough.
The Cover of the JustWrite notebook is a lovely dark, grey/black (charcoal?).
It's reasonably stiff; but not too much so. The dark colour gives it a touch of
class and is a lovely contrast to the white paper inside. Another nice touch is
the subtle embossing on the front and rear:
The Front
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| The Rear |
The Backpocket journal cover (pictured earlier) is a touch more down-market, but similarly simple.
The cover is about the thickness of a manilla folder and about the same colour.
As the Backpocket journal comes in a variety of guises, this one is
distinguished by the 'Tomoe River Edition' note sitting at the base of the
front cover. The back cover has a small logo, Company name and phone number.
Both again, serve their purpose; but in this case, the JustWrite notebook wins the day.
PAPER
Well, this is really what a notebook is all about - especially if you use a fountain pen. Bad quality paper is, well, bad. But good quality paper is... heaven!
Tomoe River, a Japanese paper, is very clearly a paper of the heaven variety!
At 52gsm, Tomoe River paper is remarkably thin (think, if you're old enough, of the paper you used to write airmail letters on). Hopefully, you can hear it calling out to you in the video.
By comparison, my
usual paper of choice, Rhodia, is 80gsm and I would hardly consider it
thick. Thin though Tomoe River may be, that doesn't mean brittle or feeble.
For the Fountain Pen aficionado, Tomoe River paper is without doubt the most
extraordinary paper to use. It is smooth, and capable of taking most inks
with absolutely no feathering or bleed through! Unbelievable!!
I already use Tomoe River sheets in my letter writing (thank you Jet
Pens). It is not price restrictive, and, as you can see from the ink sampling
photographs here, a high-end, quality paper with, to my experience so far, no
peer.
Both again, serve their purpose; but in this case, the JustWrite notebook wins the day.
PAPER
Well, this is really what a notebook is all about - especially if you use a fountain pen. Bad quality paper is, well, bad. But good quality paper is... heaven!
Tomoe River, a Japanese paper, is very clearly a paper of the heaven variety!
At 52gsm, Tomoe River paper is remarkably thin (think, if you're old enough, of the paper you used to write airmail letters on). Hopefully, you can hear it calling out to you in the video.
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| Here is the back of the page - no bleed through! |
Clearly then on this front, both
notebooks win (and therefore, us too :D).
My one gripe with both notebooks (and
many others) is the lack of serration. I sometimes like to whip up lists in my
notebook and tear them out; I just cant do that easily here. Thankyou Rhodia.
It’s a small gripe I know; but there it is.
Price
The JustWrite notebook is AU$11
or $19 for the so-called A5 size (at time of review that’s about US$10.25 and
US$17.70 plus postage). This gives you
120 pages of an excellent quality, attractive notebook.
The Backpocket Journal will cost $US12.50
(AU$13.40 plus postage) for a three-pack of journals (that’s 180 pages) and
each pack also comes with a handy page of lines (easily seen through the thin
Tomoe River paper) to help guide your writing – a nice touch.
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| Here's the little line guide. |
Dollar for dollar, this is a line
ball.
Conclusion
So similar, yet quite different.
Neither is a bad buy.
Both have Tomoe River paper – WIN
I started this review thinking
that Backpocket Journal was hard to beat here. I finished it thinking it’s
really a very close call.
In the end, I think it depends on
what you are planning to use the notebook for. The JustWrite notebook is
slightly bigger, and has more pages than a single Backpocket journal. The
Backpocket journal has a nice little writing guide, and the size is, as the
name suggests, perfect for the back pocket.
What a nice choice to have.
and for no reason at all, here is a little Instagram drawing from this week for Flexnibfriday - drawn on my Backpocket Journal:
Until next tine...
Hooray for little Tomoe River notebooks! Clearly I'm going to have to invest in a couple of these guys. I just wish someone would come out with some little, lined TR notebooks. Or TR paper with a 6mm dot grid. I guess a girl can dream.
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