Kokuyo offers five different rulings, including three different grid widths.

Kokuyo PERPANEP "Zara Zara" Paper: Funny Name, Great Paper!

September 30, 2021

Ok, I’ll get this out of the way first. What’s behind the naming convention here? According to Kokuyo, “PERPANEP” is an anagram of “Pen” and “Paper,” designed to reflect the new product’s emphasis on paper feel in addition to writing performance. Kokuyo is one of the largest Japanese stationery manufacturers, and already has a broad lineup of paper. PERPANEP looks like an attempt to target the higher end of the market with high quality paper that offers multiple options for both paper texture and ruling.

You’ll have no issues getting the PERPANEP notebooks to lie flat.

Kokuyo PERPANEP products are quite understated, taking a page from the Midori design book. The notebooks feature grey covers with a white cheesecloth binding, and hold 60 pages/120 sheets of slightly off-white 75gsm paper. Functionally, these notebooks are straightforward workhorse stationery, featuring excellent quality paper, a flexible binding that allows the notebook to open completely flat, and five different rulings. It’s a versatile product, as you can choose from .4mm dot, .3mm grid, .4mm grid, .5mm grid, and a .6mm steno ruling.

While PERPANEP paper comes in three different paper variations - smooth, ultra smooth, and textured, I decided to stock just the textured (“Zara Zara”) because it was, for me, the only version that performed consistently well with fountain pens, meaning that it had zero feathering or bleed through. I brought one of these notebooks to the last meeting of the Middle Tennessee Fountain Pen Club last week, and we could not get this paper to feather or bleed even with our wettest writers. I would compare the paper feel to Fabriano or Baron Fig in terms of texture, but the performance to Midori. It’s that good. Dry time is pretty decent (10-15 seconds with the inks I tried).

Kokuyo PERPANEP Paper is currently available for purchase in the T.G.S. Curated Shop, priced at $14. If you’re interested in reading further on fountain pen friendly paper, check out this brief guide to the “hierarchies” of paper, which I try to keep updated as I discover and review additional brands.

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands we carry, including Kokuyo.

Exploring the Traveler's Company B-Sides & Rarities Collection, Part II: Letter Pads, Memo Cards, and New Zippered Cases

June 19, 2021

On Wednesday I dove into the first half of Traveler’s Company’s much-anticipated “B-Sides & Rarities” collection, looking at two somewhat-hyped papers: Their new Washable Paper and Super-Lightweight Paper. Today, I’ll open up the rest of the refills, including two devoted to correspondence (the Letter Pad and Message Pad), two intended for highly-specific use cases (“Sticker Release” Paper and the Accordion Fold), and a new accessory, the Cotton Zippered Case that let’s you turn your Traveler’s Notebook into a wallet.

The Letter Pad: Midori MD Cotton Paper (Finally) Comes to the Traveler’s Notebook

Midori MD Cotton paper is one of my favorite fountain pen friendly papers on the market today, though it’s currently available only in blank pads and notebooks in “F” sizing. At one point, Midori made their standard A5 notebooks in MD Cotton, but sadly those have since been discontinued. Now, however, you can purchase MD Cotton paper for your Traveler’s Notebook in the form of the new B-Sides & Rarities Letter Pad, which contains 30 sheets of paper ruled for letter writing on one side, with a 3mm grid on the other. Out of all the new “B-Sides & Rarities” refills, this is perhaps my favorite, though I will likely use this one as a notepad as opposed to written correspondence.

The Message Cards are fountain pen friendly, and perfect for adding short notes to gifts and packages. If you don’t want to carry the full refill around with you, you can also detach a handful of the cards and store them in the pouch of your Traveler’s Notebook. (See below.)

Special Purpose Refills: Message Cards, Accordion Paper, and a Sticker Album

The next three new refills I plan to discuss are the ones I will likely use less frequently, simply because I don’t have as much of a personal use case for them in my daily rotation, though they’re still interesting. The “Message Cards” (pictured here) are a book of perforated, letterpress-like correspondence cards that you can use for short notes or gift tags. The “Accordion Fold” refill is a booklet containing 13 pages of folded watercolor paper, which you can extend map-style to create illustrated itineraries, multimedia travel journals, or even a timeline of your plans for the year. Finally, the “Sticker Release Paper” is made from the same paper used for sticker backing. If you collect stickers or tags from your travels, or are looking for an easy way to organize your washi tape collection, this refill lets you add, remove, and reorganize them in an album-style refill. (Note: I don’t have a sticker collection or much artistic ability with watercolor paper to show you how to use the Sticker Release or Accordion refills, though you can check out some stock photos from Traveler’s Company in the product listings to give you some ideas.)

Last But Not Least: Add Functionality to Your Traveler’s Notebook (Particularly the Passport Size) By Turning It Into a Wallet

I’ve been waiting for the right moment to add a Passport-sized Traveler’s Notebook into my daily rotation. What I would love to do is to be able to carry the Passport-size notebook as a wallet, if only on occasion, to reduce bulk and avoid carrying both a wallet and pocket notebook. The new Cotton Zippered Case might do the trick, since it contains two card slots, perfect for identification, library cards, and credit cards (though I wouldn’t overload it), and a zippered pouch, where you can stash coins, ticket stubs, and even cards that you’d prefer to keep in a more secure location. This accessory adds less bulk to the Traveler’s Notebook than the standard PVC zippered pouch, and is available in a standard size as well as the Passport size shown here.

When I first saw this product announced, I was skeptical, but the thin cotton material actually adds very little bulk to the notebook.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I plan to get a lot of use out of the B-Sides & Rarities collection, even though I will use some refills and accessories more regularly than others. (The Letter Pad will see a lot of use.) Honestly, you don’t even need to have a Traveler’s Notebook to take advantage of some of these, particularly the Letter Pad, Sticker Release Refill, and Memo Cards. With respect to the latter two, I’m not sure I see a circumstance in which I’d ever actually carry them in my actual notebook, though I may keep a set of the Memo Cards in my desk.

You can purchase these refills, along with the rest of the Traveler’s Company “B-Sides & Rarities” Collection, in the T.G.S. Curated Shop. The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of the full range of Traveler’s Company products, including the Traveler’s Notebook and TRC Brass accessories, and I recently placed a reorder so almost everything should be in stock.

Check out these links to read further about the Traveler’s Notebook System, including how I set up my own personal Traveler’s Notebook and some of my favorite refills and accessories.

Exploring the Traveler's Company "B-Sides and Rarities" Collection, Part I: Washable and Super Lightweight Paper

June 16, 2021

Inspired by the tracks that used to appear on the “B-Side” of vinyl singles, the “B-Sides & Rarities” collection from Traveler’s Company features refills made from unusual papers with unique properties that serve a specific purpose. There are six different refills, available in both Standard and Passport size, and today I plan to look at the first two: the “Washable Paper” refill and the “Super Lightweight Paper” refill. The first as you might guess, is waterproof (or water-resistant, choose your own terminology), and the second contains ultra-thin (yet strong) onionskin paper.

Washable Paper: A “Waterproof” Paper Option for Those Who Risk Getting Their Notebooks Wet

Water-resistant paper is always a mixed bag in terms of writing experience, tends to be expensive, and typically can’t be used with fountain pens or other water-based inks. Here, with their new “Washable Paper” refill, Traveler’s Company has foregone Yupo or Rite-in-the-Rain paper in favor of the same material used to make laundry tags, with interesting results! Most notably, instead of the ink sitting on top of the page, resulting in extremely slow dry times, the Washable Paper absorbs ink. Not only does this render dry time and smearing to essentially non-issues, but it maintains “water resistance” with even the most non-water-resistant fountain pen inks. For example, if you get caught in the rain, spill a glass of water, or, heaven forbid, send your notebook through the washing machine, your writing should remain legible. And because the paper was specifically intended to be washed, it will retain its original shape and not fall apart or stick together.

For this test I cut a sheet of Washable Paper from the refill, and wrote a few lines with various pens, including fountain pens loaded with some of the least water-resistant inks in my collection (various colors of Iroshizuku and a generic black cartridge). Note that extremely wet inks will feather a bit on this paper since it’s so absorbent. Like most waterproof papers, ballpoints and pencil work the best, but fountain pens are at least usable here, with much quicker dry times. — For this test I cut a sheet of Washable Paper from the refill, and wrote a few lines with various pens, including fountain pens loaded with some of the ***least*** water-resistant inks in my collection (various colors of Iroshizuku and a generic black cartridge). Note that extremely wet inks will feather a bit on this paper since it’s so absorbent. Like most waterproof papers, ballpoints and pencil work the best, but fountain pens are at least usable here, with much quicker dry times.

As you can see, while the fountain pen ink definitely washed out after a 30-minute soak, I can still read my writing to a degree which would allow me to salvage the information if the notebook ever got sent through the washing machine. I doubt there would be any effect at all on writing done exclusively in ballpoint. Just to reiterate - NONE of the fountain pen inks I used here had any water-resistance whatsoever, and would likely disappear entirely from standard paper.

Super Lightweight Paper: An Ultra-thin Option with Better Dry Times than Tomoe River

As I discussed in an earlier post, Tomoe River Paper faces an uncertain future. The company that manufactures the paper has announced its discontinuation at various points over the past couple of years, only to backtrack, most recently announcing that while they intend to shut down their own production by the end of the year, they are exploring ways to outsource the manufacturing. Honestly, it all sounds very contingent to me, and I can’t imagine what I’d be doing if I were running a business dependent on the continued availability of this paper.

Traveler’s Company, for its part, is clearly exploring alternatives. While it’s standard “Lightweight Paper Refill”, which contains 128 pages of Tomoe River paper, is a favorite among many, the new “Super Lightweight Paper” from the “B-Sides & Rarities” collection deserves consideration in its own right. Instead of Tomoe River, the Super Lightweight refill contains 128 pages of what appears to be onionskin, an even lighter and thinner translucent paper originally used for airmail correspondence (due to its light weight) and typewriters (due to the combination of light weight and strength). Traveler’s Company describes this paper as “oilproof”, which supposedly “does not allow for oil to penetrate easily so it is hard to smear when using a fountain pen.” I’m not sure of the science behind that, but I can attest to the fact that this paper has a much quicker dry time and much less smearing than Tomoe River paper. On the other hand, it has a slightly “draggier” feel when writing with a fountain pen, and you will have more show through due to the fact that the paper is thinner. (The exact amount of show-through will vary depending on your writing pressure and ink choice.)

You’ll notice that while there is no bleed-through on this paper, there is show-through, especially where I used heavy writing pressure. It could be difficult to use both sides of the page. With pencil or a ballpoint, you would probably be fine.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

While I probably wouldn’t use these two refills as my primary everyday writing paper, that’s not what Traveler’s Company intended with the B-Sides & Rarities collection. The Waterproof Paper would be a top choice for a camping or boat trip, or a travel situation with a high risk of spills (train trip, for example?). Some might opt for the Super-Lightweight Paper as a replacement for the Lightweight Paper Tomoe River Refill, which I presume may be in short supply as manufacturing issues with Tomoe River paper are sorted out, but be aware of the show-through that might prevent you from using both sides of the page for standard writing. Stay tuned as I work my way through the rest of the newly released refills!

You can purchase both of these refills, along with the rest of the Traveler’s Company “B-Sides & Rarities” Collection, in the T.G.S. Curated Shop. The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of the full range of Traveler’s Company products, including the Traveler’s Notebook and TRC Brass accessories.

Notebook Review AND GIVEAWAY: Musubi Folio Cosmo Air Light

April 3, 2021

While Atelier Musubi has established a well-deserved reputation as a maker of high-end handbound journals made from unique and/or vintage fabrics, they recently launched the Musubi “Folio” series, described as “notebooks for the everyday.” Because the Folio notebooks are intended for everyday use, they come in at a lower price point, all while maintaining Musubi’s high standards in terms of quality construction and materials.

Introducing Cosmo Air Light Paper

What had me most eager to test this particular notebook, however, was the paper. In addition to 52 gsm Tomoe River and 88 gsm Bank Paper, Musubi has released a version of the Folio notebook that contains Cosmo Air Light, an exceptionally fountain pen friendly paper that has recently begun to capture the attention of the pen community, much in the same way that Tomoe River did years ago. While Cosmo Air Light has been somewhat difficult to find in notebook format, that is changing as supplies make their way to manufacturers.

Writing Sample: Cosmo Air Light achieves high sheening and shading by allowing the ink to spread out slightly on the page (without feathering). As a result, extra fine and needlepoint nibs may write a broader line than on other papers.

Musubi describes Cosmo Air Light paper as having an “upper middleweight thickness” - thicker and more absorbent than Tomoe River but not as thick/absorbent as bank paper. In terms of paper that I use regularly, I might compare the weight of Cosmo Air Light to the paper used in Write Notepads spiral bound notebooks. Though both handle fountain pen ink without bleed or show-through, the Write paper is a bit more absorbent and doesn’t showcase ink color, sheen, or shading in the same way as Cosmo Air Light. Inks look incredibly vibrant on this paper.

A writing sample with non-fountain pens. As with Tomoe River, you will want to give gel and rollerballs a few moments to dry (see smear test above), but there was no smearing days later. Also, unlike Tomoe River, gel pens and rollerballs saw absolut… — A writing sample with non-fountain pens. As with Tomoe River, you will want to give gel and rollerballs a few moments to dry (see smear test above), but there was no smearing days later. Also, unlike Tomoe River, gel pens and rollerballs saw absolutely no bleed through on the Cosmo Air Light. For how I use notebooks, Cosmo Air Light is likely a superior product because it’s more versatile.

In terms of texture, Musubi compares writing on Cosmo Air Light paper to a “velvety dry erase board.” While the paper is more absorbent, with better dry times than Tomoe River, it retains a slick feel yet still has a touch of tooth or drag, which I didn’t find unpleasant. I even tested this paper with rollerballs, ballpoints, pencils, and gel pens, and found the experience largely positive. While this notebook is clearly intended primarily for fountain pen use, I didn’t get the sensation of “writing on a magazine” that others have described. With non-fountain pens, I might compare it to Yupo or Rite-in-the-Rain waterproof paper, only with more texture that creates a much better everyday experience, IMHO.

A subtle, but highly useful design touch: page numbers placed in the lower right-hand corner of the cross-grid paginated notebook.

While the lined notebooks do not feature the page numbers like the cross-grid version, the top and bottom lines feature spaced dots to allow you to write headers, draw margins, and/or number pages, should you so desire. Again, these notebooks were d… — While the lined notebooks do not feature the page numbers like the cross-grid version, the top and bottom lines feature spaced dots to allow you to write headers, draw margins, and/or number pages, should you so desire. Again, these notebooks were designed with maximum versatility in mind.

Notebook Specifications

The Musubi Folio notebooks are bound in Japan by a small, family-owned bindery (as opposed to in-house by Musubi in Singapore) and sized to fit Musubi’s forthcoming “Tomo” notebook covers. Featuring 208 pages of Cosmo Air Light paper, you will get ample use out of this notebook. (If maximizing your page count is important to you, 384-page Tomoe River versions are also available.) The Folio notebook features a semi-rigid cotton cover with a linen texture, and should fit most A5 notebook covers in addition to the Musubi Tomo system.

The Smyth-sewn binding easily lies flat, and since it’s sewn, not glued, should hold up to long-term use.

Takeaways, Where to Buy, and Giveaway Details!

The Musubi Folio notebook is an excellent addition to Musubi’s product lineup, which should help make their goods more accessible to the broader pen community. Cosmo Air Light paper, as expected, performs exceptionally well with fountain pens and presents another alternative for Tomoe River fans who for whatever reason are not happy with the new formulation. I would clearly characterize Cosmo Air Light as “Tier One” fountain pen friendly paper that you can use without concern for things such as bleeding, feathering, or show-through. That said, those particularly sensitive to tooth or drag on paper, as well as those who value the ability to write an exceptionally fine line, might consider trying a sample of Cosmo Air Light prior to investing in a full notebook. It’s a unique paper with no clear comparison in terms of feel.

You can purchase Musubi Folio notebooks directly from Atelier Musubi via their website. Prices are listed in Singapore Dollars, and depending on the exchange rate, the Folio Series notebooks will run you $30-35 USD. As I’ve said before in my prior reviews, Musubi notebooks are not inexpensive, but the superb quality and company mission statement leave me with no regrets every time I purchase from the Atelier. Finally: giveaway details! In addition to the review unit, Daryl was kind enough to send me a second notebook to give away to readers. See below for full Terms and Conditions, and use the Gleam App to enter. I will pick and contact a winner after the giveaway closes at 11:59pm EDT on Tuesday, April 6, 2021.

Many thanks to Daryl at Atelier Musubi for providing these two notebooks free of charge for review and giveaway!

Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper (Last Updated 9.13.25)

March 11, 2021

Years ago, I compiled a five-part resource titled “The Best Paper for Everyday Writing,” in which I looked at five different product categories that I regularly use in my working life and recommendations for each. These included hardcover notebooks, softcover notebooks, spiral notebooks, pocket notebooks, and writing pads/looseleaf. This particular post (which is semi-regularly updated), stepped back from specifics and offers more general thoughts on paper, this time going by brand.

I receive a lot of questions about which brand of paper to buy to ensure a good experience with fountain pens. Those are always tricky questions to answer because (1) “fountain pen friendly” is a relative concept; and (2) some brands use different types of paper for different products - some designed with the fountain pen user in mind, others not.

So as a baseline, what needs to happen before I will publicly recommend something as “fountain pen friendly paper”? My standard is fairly simple: No bleed-through or feathering with any fountain pen nib that can be reasonably used for everyday writing. (Because I mainly use my paper for drafting and notetaking, as opposed to drawing, wet ink samples, or flex-nib calligraphy, my standards may be more lenient than some.) I also don’t worry much about how the paper shows off ink color or things like sheen and saturation, though dry time occasionally factors into which paper I want to use for a particular purpose (i.e., quick notes). Below, I’ve divided major paper companies into “Tiers”, based on my own experience with using a range of fountain pens on their products. This is NOT intended as commentary on the overall quality of their offerings, merely to serve as a reference point on how well the paper used by certain brands tends to handle fountain pen ink according to my own standard. For example, while Field Notes is listed in “Tier Three,” that’s not surprising because the company makes pocket notebooks, and their products aren’t directed at those who want to write with a stub nib fountain pen every day. I love Field Notes, sell them in my shop, and use them fairly regularly - just not with most fountain pens.

Midori Japanese Paper Notebooks — All the Midori MD Notebooks.

Tier One

When I place a company into the “Tier One” category, it means that you can likely purchase a product based on brand alone and ensure yourself a good fountain pen writing experience.

Clairefontaine. I still consider Clairefontaine the gold standard. Clairefontaine pads and notebooks feature 90g, coated writing stock that works well not only with fountain pens but pretty much any ink you can throw at it. It’s also relatively inexpensive for quality paper, making it my first choice and recommendation.
Midori. Both their “MD” and “Cotton” lines work exceptionally well with fountain pens. I find the paper more absorbent than Clairefontaine - especially the cotton - with better dry times. Midori MD paper can also be found in standard Traveler’s Notebook refills and the refills used in the Plotter binder system. Midori also recently introduced a “Thick” version of their MD paper, perfect for heavy ink applications and those who want to use the paper for mixed media projects that involve watercolor and ink washes.
Tomoe River. Available in 52g and 68g variants, this ultra-thin Japanese paper has taken on a cult following over the years. Even with the recent change in paper formulation, which I understand slightly changed the texture and the appearance of certain inks on the page, it remains excellent paper for writing. Though dedicated “Tomoe River”-branded notebooks can be found, typically this paper is sourced from third-party notebook manufacturers such as Traveler’s Company (“Lightweight Paper” refill), Nanami Paper, Lochby (68g), Atelier Musubi, and Odyssey Notebooks (68g) (among others). For similar though smaller-batch papers, check out Japanese Paper Distributor Yamamoto’s offerings, which change regularly. I don’t feel comfortable adding any of these as stand-alone entries as many are either not regularly available or being discontinued, hence the rotation in the Yamamoto lineup.
Iroful. This ink-friendly paper from Sakae Technical Paper was designed to mimic the now-discontinued Cosmo Air Light, and is known for its ability to showcase ink colors. Some find Iroful to have a too-soft texture, though not as much as Cosmo Air Light. This paper is generally seen as an improvement over Cosmo Air Light because it does not cause the ink to “spread” as much, working better with finer nibs.
Maruman. Exceptionally good office or student-grade paper that comes in both spiral-bound and pad formats, in multiple sizes, in both the Mnemosyne (80g) and Basic (70g) versions. In addition to handling fountain pen ink well, the pages are perforated, making Maruman notebooks a top choice for those needing versatile paper to use in the office where filing or scanning notes is necessary. The “Basic” version is slightly lighter weight than the flagship “Mnemosyne,” but still handles fountain pen ink well and comes in at an extremely reasonable price point, making it a good solution for an everyday work or student notebook.
Nakabayashi. Nakabayashi makes fountain pen friendly notebooks and paper under several different lines in multiple formats. The “Logical Prime” and “Logical Air” notebooks offer a multi-lined ruling similar to Clairefontaine French-ruled paper, and the “Yu-sari” paper is thicker paper designed to handle even the wettest of fountain pen nibs. Yu-sari paper is also sold in A5 and B5 looseleaf sheets. Nakabayashi is another relatively cost-effective option, especially if you are looking for notebooks to use in a Roterfaden, Lochby, or other notebook system/cover that uses the standard A5 format.
Profolio. Similar to Nakabayashi, Profolio notebooks contain a multi-lined paper that I find quite versatile and convenient. Available in multiple sizes (A6, A5, and B5), these notebooks offer another fountain pen friendly option in a thread/clothbound lie-flat format.
Life. Another Japanese paper that can be counted on to handle fountain pen inks reliably, though Life paper can be difficult to source in the U.S. and on the expensive side. Life also makes products in harder-to-find paper styles such as bank paper, typewriter paper, and Airmail/Onionskin paper.
Apica. Though Apica primarily makes very slim notebooks with lower page counts - a product I don’t use extensively - their paper is very fountain pen friendly and cost effective.
Stálogy. I love Stálogy’s 365-Day and Half-Year notebooks, which feature white paper and a light grey grid. While the paper is almost as thin as Tomoe River, it’s slightly more absorbent, resulting in shorter dry times that make it more “work friendly” for quick notes. (Several lefties I know love this paper.) Stàlogy used to be included in Tier 2, but from customer reports, they have resolved some issues with bleedthrough and I’ve now included them in “Tier 1”.
Rhodia. A sister company to Clairefontaine, Rhodia products have a different design aesthetic and the paper features a slightly different texture (i.e., many people find their paper slightly less slick than Clairefontaine and more absorbent, with quicker dry times).
Blackwing. I’ve waited to include Blackwing on this page to see if their paper quality remained consistently good, and I’ve been impressed with their standard offerings, particularly the paper in the Blackwing “Illegal Pad” writing pads. Note that the paper used in Blackwing products can vary across their special edition line, so this only applies to the standard pads and “Slate” notebooks, which I have enjoyed.
Notsu. I’m primarily including Notsu on this list for their ink-friendly index cards, which are frankly the best I’ve ever used and feature a wide variety of different formats. In addition to the index cards, Notsu also makes notebooks and notepads with thick dot grid paper that I enjoy because it’s textured and fairly absorbent, so it dries quickly. I debated whether I should include Notsu yet, since the brand is relatively new, but the lack of really good index cards on the market pushed this over the edge. I’ll probably continue to watch them though to make sure they don’t change card stock.

Shorthand Press Grid Paper Spiral Notebook

Tier Two

Outside of the first group of papers, many of which are specifically targeted to fountain pen users, you have to start to think a bit about how you intend to use the notebook. Personally, I would still consider most of the paper listed in this category as “fountain pen friendly” for my own purposes (i.e., writing with EF-Medium nibs and “practical” inks), but since you may experience spots of bleed-through and feathering if you push the paper, I don’t feel comfortable discussing them in the same context as the papers listed above.

Leuchtturm 1917. Having developed a reputation as a “Moleskine upgrade,” Leuchtturm has become a fixture not only at specialty stationery stores, but more mainstream retail outlets. Leuchtturm paper is quite usable with fountain pens but you may see slight “pinpoint” bleed-through with very wet nibs and inks.
Lamy. Last year Lamy released a series of notebooks featuring a unique take on combination lined-grid ruling, with textured paper that behaves similarly to Baron Fig and Leuchtturm. Since this paper is quite fibrous, it doesn’t bleed but has a tendency to feather with very wet pens.
Roterfaden. While known for their Taschenbegleiter organizers that are compatible with most standard size notebooks (A4, A5, and A6), Roterfaden also makes their own proprietary refills in a variety of rulings. I’d compare the paper quality to Leuchtturm and Lamy, in that it works fine with finer lines and drier inks. The biggest selling point of these notebooks is that they lie flat and work exceptionally well with the metal clips in the Taschenbegleiter.
Kokuyo (Standard Paper). I love Kokuyo’s “tall and skinny” hardcover pocket notebooks, and the micro-grid paper works well enough for any writing instrument I would consider as pocket carry, including extra-fine and fine nibs on my pocket fountain pens. You may see pinpoint bleed-through otherwise, depending on the ink.
Laconic. Laconic paper behaves similarly to Stálogy and Kokuyo in that it works fine with extra-fine and fine nibs but is targeted to the Japanese planner market, which relies heavily on fine-tipped gel pens (particularly the erasable Pilot Frixion). I personally can tolerate a small bit of show-through, and have no issues using the wide variety of Laconic refills for practical tasks.
Shorthand Press. Los Angeles-based Shorthand Press has been around for years, and they’ve recently expanded their color range to include different covers and rulings. The paper has a vintage off-white tone, and will handle extra-fine through medium fountain pen nibs reasonably well, but may struggle with show-through and feathering with wetter inks and wider lines.
Appointed. I love the feel of Appointed’s textured, thick paper, as well as their linen stock covers, but since the paper is highly absorbent (presumably due to a higher cotton content found in U.S.-made paper), it can feather and bleed with wet fountain pens. While you can certainly get by with an extra-fine or fine nib, Appointed paper really shines with pencil, where its tactile feel pairs perfectly with graphite.
Baron Fig. Baron Fig has fallen off the radar in recent years, but I still draw from my stockpile. I love the texture of Baron Fig paper, especially with pencils, but I can no longer speak to how the current stock handles fountain pens as I have not bought any in some time.

Tier Three

These are brands where you shouldn’t expect much compatibility with fountain pens, and if you purchase a notebook or notepad from one of these companies, you might see significant bleed-through and feathering. That’s not to say you can’t use fountain pens, I just wouldn’t expect to be able to use both sides of a page.

Moleskine. The ubiquitous black notebook that you see everywhere. If you’re a pencil or ballpoint lover, Moleskine has some great limited and special editions, but I’ve never had a good experience with any of their paper using a fountain pen, or even a rollerball.
Field Notes. While some of the special edition Field Notes pocket notebooks use thicker paper, Field Notes are relegated to pocket ballpoint territory in my own personal carry. That’s fine - it’s their intended purpose.
Doane Paper. One of my favorite paper rulings of all time (Doane’s signature Grid + Lines) is generally relegated to the ballpoint + gel pens + pencils rotation. While Doane paper handles fountain pen ink somewhat better than Field Notes, it’s best categorized in the same tier.
Any drugstore or big-box brand. Sure, occasionally you can find batches of very inexpensive imported composition or spiral notebooks made from sugarcane paper or another fountain pen compatible stock, but it likely won’t remain consistent from year-to-year and you may have to start your search over annually.

Missing Brands and Future Updates

Obviously I don’t have extensive experience with every paper brand out there, so I haven’t included many in this list and won’t do so until I’m comfortable discussing their performance with some degree of certainty. This rough guide therefore shouldn’t be read as “exclusive,” and I intend to add to it. Also, I’ve avoided commenting on small makers or boutique brands that can change their paper stock periodically. (I’m currently watching Nebula Note, Endless, Anecdote and Levenger for this reason, but to date I’ve been impressed with their offerings. As I gain more experience with some of these and/or see that the products show consistency, I will consider adding them to this list.)

You will also note that Write Notepads has fallen off this list, due to the company pausing their consumer/retail line to focus on B2B sales and custom work. While I hope they return at some point in the future, I have not included them due to the lack of availability.

UPDATE: If you’re interested in how paper and notebooks are sized, check out this post comparing various popular sizes (i.e. A4 vs. A5 vs. A6).

All links are to Gentleman Stationer Reviews, the T.G.S. Curated Shop, or to my friends at Vanness Pens. This post does not contain affiliate links.