Graphilo Notebook Review & Fantastic Fountain Pen Friendly Paper

Graphilo notebooks are pricy but tick pretty much every box for me: a slim profile, portable and easy to carry, flexible covers but they aren't paper-thin, and awesome, fountain pen friendly paper that I love. Darn it for being so expensive.

Size: A5
Ruling: Blank, Lined, Grid (4mm)
Price: $14.00CAD

The Graphilo notebook is top notch quality. It's simple with light grey, semi-firm covers. The front has 'Graphilo' printed on it. The spine of the notebook is thread bound. The paper inside is off-white and this particular one has a 4mm grid on it that is definitely easy on my eyes and pleasant to look at. It is a light grey color that does not obstruct writing. I like its simplicity a lot.

I love the size of this notebook. A5 is my preferred size and this one has a slim profile. It opens easily, lies flat, and can be folded back so I can write on all sides and parts of the page. Pretty much ideal for all my notebook preferences. I love carrying it around because it never feels bulky and it's really easy to pull out at pen meets. As it is slim, my hand does not hang off the edges, making writing uncomfortable.

The paper is smooth to the touch but it does not feel particularly slick or coated. Drying times are average for non-fountain pens. Waxy writing instruments are on the smudgy side. Pencils and colored pencils work fine but because there is not much tooth to the paper, it does not feel magnificent to write on. Wet highlighters are smudgy but markers are surprisingly well-tolerated - no feathering or bleeding. Ballpoint pens, rollerballs, and gel ink pens can all be used but they're just no fun for this pricy paper.

Fountain pens are the way to go. Kobe, the maker of these notebooks, describes the paper, 'for those who like to write big and wet with their fountain pens' and they were right. Thank you for feeding us this paper. It's delectably fountain pen friendly. Inks shade, sheen, and dry beautifully. No feathering, some show through in the case of heavy ink application but not so much you cannot use both sides of the page, and bleed through only if really very saturated. Drying times are a little longer for fountain pens but it's totally worth it - not as long as with paper like Tomoe River.

The paper is a pleasure to write on. I love the way ink looks - so vibrant and full of life. Super performance.

PROS

• Portable, convenient A5 size.
• Slim.
• Opens easily, lies flat. Easy to write on all parts of the page.
• Can use both sides of the page.
• Definitely fountain pen friendly - inks shade, sheen, and colors pop. No feathering or bleed through.
• Very pleasant performance overall.

CONS

• Smooth paper is not particularly fun for pencils.
• I wish the corners were rounded.

I always keep one of these in stock but I don't use them so often because of the price. Do you have any of these? Do you love it??