Notebook Review: Darkstar Collection

I've followed UK-based Darkstar for the past couple years on Instagram, watching as they've experimented with different sizes, paper, and covers in order to refine their notebook design. They now seem to have settled on two main products: a Pocket Notebook that's 14.5cm x 10cm (slightly smaller than A6), and a larger "Adventure Notebook" that's 20cm x 14.5cm. Today I'll take a look at the Pocket Notebook in the "Shine Star Black" color scheme, which Darkstar recently sent over for review.   

For an extra £0.99, you can add one of these neat elastic belly bands, which will come in handy if you carry multiple pocket notebooks around with you. 

When I first saw these notebooks in person, "Field Notes Night Sky" and "Pitch Black" first jumped to mind, primarily because all these notebooks feature black covers with reticle grid paper. There are, however, two key differences between the Darkstar and Field Notes products: minimal branding and paper weight. I love that Darkstar limits their cover design to the single "Shine Star" logo, which lends the notebook a sophisticated and understated look - great for working professionals who may not be able to get away with carrying "Dime Novel" or notebooks with shiny holographic covers into meetings.  

It doesn't show up as much in this photo, but the "Shine Star" logo is black foil-stamped. 

The 100gsm paper that Darkstar uses is high quality, feels nice to write on, and as far as most pocket notebooks go, works fine with fountain pens.  Darkstar states on their website that the paper "will stand up to a range of writing instruments from Blackwing Pencils to Broad Fountain Pens," and that's not inaccurate - the Shine Star notebook contains 54 pages of good paper that's very usable with most fountain pens while keeping to a very fair price point.  That said, you all know I have an extremely high standard for labeling something "fountain pen friendly," which is "zero bleedthrough", and I did experience some pinpoint bleeding on the reverse side of a page. If you only write with very wet broad or stub nibs, and insist on using them in your pocket notebooks, you may have some trouble if you want to write on both sides of the page. 

For this writing sample, I used a Montblanc 146 with a medium stub (Robert Oster Fire & Ice), a medium TWSBI 580 (Diamine Deep Dark Red), a Schmidt .6mm rollerball refill, and a Pelikan M800 with a fine cursive italic.  All of these pens are relatively wet writers that I wouldn't typically use in a pocket notebook, but I wanted to push the paper to its limits.  While I did experience some pinpoint bleedthrough with the stub and the TWSBI, the finer nibs and rollerballs didn't bleed or show through. Nothing feathered on the Darkstar paper, which is a big plus.    

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I can see these Darkstar notebooks getting some serious use in the future. Since I carry and use my notebooks at work, I tend to gravitate towards sturdy, more understated books (i.e., solid and/or subtle cover designs) over some of the more intricate offerings like those that Field Notes has released in recent quarters. I can appreciate those from a design perspective, but something along the lines of the Darkstar Collection notebooks better suits my day-to-day needs. 

You can purchase Darkstar Collection notebooks directly from Darkstar's website. The pocket notebooks are priced at £6.99 for a three-pack (approximately $9.20 US), and the larger "Adventure Notebooks" are sold in packs of two for £7.99.  In addition to the basic black, the notebooks come in orange, red, and yellow. Darkstar offers free global shipping on orders over £20, so it's worth your while to stock up.  

Disclaimer: Darkstar sent me the notebooks featured in this review for review purposes, free of charge. 

Paper Review: Engraved Notebooks by Crane & Co.

One of the United States’ premiere stationery manufacturers, Crane & Co., has decided to get in on the notebook game, and graciously sent me some samples for review.

The large A5-ish notebook compared to the smaller, pocket notebook. 

As you would expect from Crane, the presentation is outstanding. Crane & Co. makes luxury stationery, and if you decide to pull the trigger and shell out the money, they make every effort to give you what you pay for. I have several sets of engraved Crane correspondence cards that I use on occasion, and it’s excellent stationery that is pleasant to write on, has held up over the years, and will take any fountain pen or ink you can throw at it.

Crane sent me one sample of each of their notebook designs. 

My notebooks arrived in Crane's signature navy blue box, carefully wrapped in tissue paper, just as my correspondence cards did. The notebooks themselves feature several attractive engraved cover designs, and I received one of each of the following: “Engraved Starfish on Beach Glass,” “Engraved Queen Bee on Pink Blush,” “Engraved Vintage Airplane on Espresso,” and standard “Notebooks” in both a medium A5 and smaller pocket. Apart from the engraved covers and the fact that they contain Crane paper, the design of these notebooks should appear familiar: Both the A5-ish version and the pocket-sized notebooks contain 48 pages, feature rounded corners, and are “saddle stitched,” which is just another way of saying that the pages are folded over and stapled through the cover (like Field Notes, Word, etc.). All Crane Stationery is made in the U.S.A.

Let me start by saying that the 24 lb., 100% cotton-rag “Crane’s Crest” paper used in these notebooks is extremely tactile, with a hint of tooth, and offers a very pleasant writing experience. The cotton-rag paper also does a fantastic job of containing feathering, even with the wettest fountain pen nibs. When I first saw the rag paper with all those fibers, I expected fountain pen ink to feather like crazy - I shouldn’t have worried, as the paper performed fantastically in this regard. I was a bit surprised, however, to see pinpoint spots of bleed-through and show-through on the back of the page.

Certain low-maintenance inks, such as Waterman blue in my Edison Glenmont with a gushing broad 14kt nib, had no issues. However, as I tested out different pens, including a Montblanc 146 with a medium stub (Robert Oster Fire & Ice), a Visconti Homo Sapiens with a Masuyama needlepoint (Montblanc Burgundy), a Pelikan M800 with a Masuyama Cursive Italic (Franklin-Christoph Spanish Blue), the same didn’t hold true. I even had a hint of bleed and show through with a rollerball refill, though you have to look pretty hard to see it.

Granted, as you can see in the photos, this is far from terrible bleed-through that certainly wouldn’t prevent me from using both sides of the page, and it doesn’t impact the functionality of the notebook. Some might file this away as a minor annoyance and not care or think twice about such things. But, as I’ll discuss further below, at the price point Crane is asking for these notebooks, I personally don’t believe it’s unreasonable to expect absolute perfection, especially when those of us who don’t mind paying a lot for stationery tend to use fountain pens, and the pens and inks I used to test the paper weren't anything crazy in terms of width or wetness. While the paper performs relatively well for 24 lb. stock, and Crane was probably limited to using 24 lb. paper in order to constrain the thickness of the notebook etc., I can’t help but wonder how Baron Fig has figured out a way to make it work using similarly textured paper in the Vanguard and Confidant, while at the same time keeping to a lower price point. A luxury stationery company like Crane shouldn’t necessarily compete on price, but when you’re pricing the product this high, it raises expectations in terms of versatility and performance.       

Takeaways and Where to Buy

As with most Crane products, these notebooks are high-quality and beautiful, but expensive. The “Notebook” engraved 5.5" x 8" (A5-ish) book, which is my favorite of the bunch, costs $12 for a single 48-page book. The smaller, 4” x 6” notebook runs $9 for a single 48-page pocket notebook. That’s steep, and if I’m going to pay this much money for high-end stationery, I personally expect to see no bleeding or even show-through. I’m sure Crane will find a market for these notebooks in Crane enthusiasts and the gift market - probably the intended targets - but the price point likely prevents them from becoming a “daily driver” for most people.

You can purchase these notebooks directly from Crane & Co’s online store. Since I do love the look and feel of Crane’s paper, I’d be interested in seeing whether they release a larger notebook or journal with the 32 lb. stock and more pages. Based on my past experience with Crane stationery, I’d gladly pay a premium for that.

Disclaimer: Crane & Co. sent me these notebooks free of charge for review purposes.

Notebook Review: Scout Books

Many thanks to Scout Books for sending me some of Portland, Oregon's finest stationery to review! I've used Scout books for years, and they've always delivered with quality, durable products. Surprisingly, I've yet to review them here. 

Scout Books come in two sizes: Pocket and Mega. The Pocket notebooks are smaller than your typical Field Notes notebook: 3.5 x 5 inches (1/2 inch shorter than a Field Notes), with the Mega Notebooks at 5 x 7 inches. The Pocket-size Scout Book will fit inside the Passport-sized Midori Traveler's Notebook. Scout Books do contain less paper than comparable notebooks: 32 pages as opposed to the "standard" 48, but the paper feels a touch thicker so the lower page count may be to avoid "splitting" issues with the binding. These notebooks are quite sturdy, featuring a durable chipboard cover. Ruling options include blank, lined, and dot grid, but the availability of each may vary among the different Scout Books designs.   

Scout Books feature "100% recycled paper," and the current version that the company sent me handles fountain pen ink much better than the first notebooks I tested several years ago. While there was ever-so-slight feathering, due to the paper being a touch fibrous, I experienced no bleedthrough or even much show through on the flip side of the page. The Scout Books paper is more than adequate for fountain pen use, especially considering it's a pocket notebook. One consideration, however, is the fibrous nature of this paper. With sharp or toothy nibs, you might run into issues with paper fibers clinging to the nib of your pen. If you're not a fountain pen nerd like me, Scout book paper should work perfectly well with whatever other pen or pencil you choose. Personally, I found this paper a joy to use with pencil. 

A large part of Scout Books' business involves custom printing. If you want to custom design your own notebooks, or print a small-format book, Scout Books has various options available.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

If you like a relatively basic, no-frills pocket notebook that lets you just get down to the writing, then you should give the "little book for big ideas" a try. The best place to purchase Scout Books is directly through their website, though I've also seen Scout Books sold at independent bookstores and other retail outlets. You can purchase most of their pocket notebooks in a wide range of different colors and designs, sold individually, in the classic three-pack, or in a ten-notebook "bulk pack." The pricing structure is similar to other pocket notebooks, with individual notebooks at $4.95, three-packs at $9.99, and ten-packs at $24.99. If you prefer to buy in even larger quantities, there's an option for that, too. Scout Books also issues some special editions, such as the "Big Ideas Start Here" Mega Notebook pictured in this review, which is a collaboration with NYC-based illustrator Jordan Sondler. These notebooks are typically sold individually.

Many thanks to Scout Books for making this review possible! 

Disclaimer: Scout Books sent me the handful of the samples featured in this review free of charge. This post contains affiliate links. 

Notebook Review: Say Nice Things "Flipflop"

UK stationery company Say Nice Things has expanded their product line over the past year. Back in January, I reviewed their "Curtis" and "Cadence" notebooks and journals, and in the meantime they've released pencils and a smaller pocket-ish notebook, the FlipFlop.

The Flipflop, a new "reversible" A6 notebook, is so far my favorite. While some might characterize it as a "pocket notebook," the Flipflop's slightly larger size distinguishes it from your typical Field Notes or Write Notepads 3.5" x 5.5" book. For those unfamiliar with notebook size designations, A6 is the same size as the Hobonichi Planner, and I've been tucking one of these notebooks into the back of my Hobonichi cover as a way to add some extra blank paper.

I tested the paper with a medium nib fountain pen and Robert Oster ink, and experienced no bleedthrough or feathering. That makes the paper more than good enough for my daily use, at least as far as pocket notebooks are concerned. 

The Flipflop features a sturdy kraft paper cover and fairly minimal design, which likely helps keep the pricing at attractive levels. Each notebook in the three-pack features a different color cover and matching stitched binding, along with cream-colored, 90gsm paper that has a pleasant tooth to it. The main selling point of this notebook, however, is the ability to "flip" it over - one-half of the book contains lined paper, and the other half reticle grid. You just rotate the notebook to change rulings. Ever wanted a two-subject or multi-section pocket notebook? Well, now you have an option!   

The center of the book, with lined ruling on the left, and reticle grid on the right. You "flip" the notebook, depending on which type of paper you want to use. The Say Nice Things Logo should appear at the bottom of the page. 

Takeaways and Where to Buy

There's a lot to like about the Flipflop: the paper holds up quite well to fountain pen ink, especially for a pocket notebook, and I can appreciate the versatility of having two kinds of rulings. I'm not sure how much I would use the "reversible" feature, but if you organize your notebooks by subject matter or use different rulings for different purposes, this would make it easier to keep a multi-subject or multi-section notebook. Note that due to the larger size A6 size, the Flipflop will not fit most "pocket notebook" size cases or covers, such as the Bellroy leather notebook covers or the Field Notes "Everyday Inspiration."   

You can purchase the Flipflop notebooks directly from the Say Nice Things website, for £6.99 (or roughly $9 US) for a three-pack, or £2.99 for a single notebook (roughly $4 US). The three-pack is obviously the better value, though international shipping outside the UK is apparently calculated on a case-by-case basis and will almost certainly increase cost. I hope Say Nice Things finds a way to make these notebooks available through U.S. retail channels. 

Disclaimer: Say Nice Things sent me these notebooks free of charge for review purposes, and also sponsors this website. Many thanks to Andy and the team for making this review possible. This post contains affiliate links. 

Notebook Review: The Blackwing Clutch, Slate, and Summit

Pretty much everyone - stationery nut or not - is aware of the reissued Blackwing pencils sold by Palomino, which seems to be in the process of rebranding itself as "Blackwing" for most of its newer products. The company has expanded outside of its standard line of pencils, introducing the "Blackwing Volumes" subscription service and a new line of notebooks. I've used Palomino/Blackwing pencils for a long time, but Alex at Blackwing was kind enough to send me over some samples of the notebooks for review. 

First Impressions

These are nice-looking black notebooks, which appear high-end and not at all like just another Moleskine clone. The clean, minimal packaging doesn't detract from the notebooks themselves.

To give you an idea of the size differential between the three different models. 

Blackwing sells their notebooks in three sizes. The smallest is the Blackwing Clutch, which is a 5.5" x 3.5" (the same size as a Field Notes notebook). Next is the Blackwing Slate, a 5" x 8.25" hardbound A5-ish notebook that was actually the first notebook Blackwing released around two years ago, and unique because it features an elastic spine with an elastic "holster" to hold a pencil (one Blackwing 602 is included). Finally, Blackwing recently release the Blackwing Summit, a 7.5" x 10" large format softcover notebook. The Clutch is your standard 48-page notebook, and the Slate and Summit both contain 160 pages. 

A shot of the "pencil holster" on the Slate, minus one sharpened (and used up) Blackwing 602.

These notebooks feel sturdy, and I suspect they will hold up to everyday use quite well, though I've not had the opportunity to really break 'em in and beat them up. Blackwing describes these covers as "wear-resistant polymer," which I suspect is another way of describing vinyl (what the texture reminds me of). The binding is sewn-bound, not glued, so it should hold together long enough for you to finish the notebook (unless you're harder on these things than I am.)  All three are made in Turkey, and contain the same 100gsm paper which comes in dot grid, blank, or ruled format. Alex sent me dot grid notebooks, which I've enjoyed. Some people have complained that the "dots" are too dark, but this isn't necessarily something that bothers me, especially in notebooks like these which I primarily use for scratch work, tracking ideas for posts, and drafting various writing projects I'm working on. I also have a tendency to write very small, so I'm not necessarily "overlapping" the ruling on any paper I use. 

Paper Performance

An interesting aspect of the Clutch is that Blackwing recommends you write with the notebooks longways (i.e., as reflected in the writing sample on the left).   

The paper performed well - definitely better than the Ghost Paper notebook that I reviewed last week - and I'd probably say that the paper in these Blackwing notebooks is comparable in terms of performance to either Write Notepads or early Baron Fig paper. It handles fountain pen ink and other liquid inks moderately well. You may still experience some "pinpoint" bleedthrough or show through on the reverse of a page if you use an especially wet nib or ink, but I would have no problem adding these notebooks to my daily rotation.

As you might expect, the paper is outstanding with pencils. It's ever-so-slightly toothy, and the low degree of smearing or "ghosting" suprised me. (For those of you unfamiliar with pencil terminology, "ghosting" refers to graphite transfer from one page to another in a notebook, especially when you write on both sides of a page. With a cheap pencil or super-smooth paper, it can make your notebook look like a mess by the time you get to the end.)

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I've been meaning to try the Blackwing Notebooks for a while, and many thanks to Alex and the team at Blackwing for sending these over. Honestly, before seeing these in person I had expected just another rebranded Moleskine imitation, which Blackwing probably could have pulled off, given that Moleskine notebooks work perfectly fine with pencils. That's not the case, however, and the team at Blackwing has put together a quality notebook that deserves your consideration, whether you're a pen or pencil user. 

You can purchase these notebooks directly from Blackwing via their online store. One thing I do have to mention, however, is the pricing on these notebooks, which for certain models is higher than their direct competitors. The Blackwing Clutch costs $14.95 for a three-pack; the Slate comes in at $22.95 (which does include a Blackwing 602 pencil); and the larger Summit is priced at $21.95. While the MSRP on the Slate is around the same as the Rhodia webnotebook or the Leuchtturm 1917, you can often find these two notebooks for $3-4 cheaper, and the Baron Fig Confidant costs $18 at full price. The pricing on the Clutch three-pack is also $2-5 higher than Field Notes and about $5 higher than Write Notepads.  If you're a fan of Blackwing, or you otherwise like the aesthetic of these notebooks, spending a few dollars more may not bother you, but if you're someone who regularly churns through a lot of notebooks, there are more cost-effective alternatives to consider without sacrificing quality. That said, The big Summit notebook appears to be a bargain, especially if you were considering the slightly larger, and much more expensive, Leuchtturm A4 Master.  

Overall, I love what Blackwing is doing and the effort they have put into building their brand. They make quality products which offer an enjoyable user experience. While you're checking out the notebooks, you may also want to consider Blackwing's newest limited-edition Blackwing Volumes pencil, the Blackwing 73, which is Lake Tahoe-themed.  

Disclaimer: Blackwing sent me the products featured in this review at no charge, for review purposes. This post contains affiliate links.