The Apuntes Medium Hard Cover notebook in Piso Beige ($19.50) is made in Mexico City. It features 90gsm ivory paper and 200 plain pages. The book has a paper-wrapped hardcover and is approximately B6 (172mm x 108mm / 6 3/4 x 4 1/4 in). It’s also available in other covers and dot or lined (school-style).
The Apuntes notebook has an elastic closure. I don’t utilize these a lot on a day-to-day basis but when I put a notebook in my bag, I do like to be able to close the book if I don’t have another cover for it.
I’ve been thinking a lot about Keri Smith’s Wander Society and the idea of having a sort of ready-to-go sketch/writing kit. This notebook is in that sweet spot. It’s not too small and not too big to fit into a small bag along with a small collection of pencils and pens so that I can have a readymade sketch kit for a hike/walk in my neighborhood.
There is a little gusseted pocket in the back which, I’ve noticed is not featured in any of the Tomoe River notebooks but is often in the other notebook brands. It would be a perfect place to tuck receipts, leaves or other little tidbits.
I tested out an assortment of pens, pencils and brush markers and the paper is smooth with just a tiny bit of tooth. It’s slightly toothier than Rhodia but a similar creamy color. Since the pages are stitched it does lay flat but since the covers are glued I had to work the covers a little to loosen the glue to get the pages to lay flat.
There’s a little showthrough but not so much that I couldn’t use the opposite side of the page. There was no bleedthrough though. The fountain pens I used did not feather at all. Bonus!
All-in-all, this is a delightful little notebook. The matte finish paper cover is understated and the ivory pages are easy on the eyes. The paper texture is that sweet spot — not as slick as Rhodia but not as toothy as Midori Cotton. The price point is a little higher than some but its a good quantity of pages and fountain pen friendly from a small maker.
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Hi Ana, the Endless Recorder notebook has Tomoe River Paper (68gsm) and a back pocket. Pen Chalet even has their own version with a textured brown fabric cover that feels great.