Some papers are very nearly indestructible. Write Notepads and Co. have managed to produce a paper that takes anything you throw at it, then practically begs for more!
The notebook itself consists of the paper, sandwiched between a thick red cover and a sturdy backboard, with a ring binding at the toop that allows the whole thing to sit perfectly flat when in use. As an added bonus, an elastic band comes included, so you can keep it closed in a bag/ pocket.
The paper inside is ruled differently to any of my other notebooks - not only are there the usual horizontal lines, there are square boxes at either side, making this notepad perfect for numbered lists or checking off items.
This paper takes all the inks (except one) and pencils I have used on it very well, and displays effects in the ink too!
You don't have to pay extra for the clumsy smudge, it comes as a complementary gift from yours truly.
First, I used a dark blue ink with a copper-coloured sheen in a stub-nib pen. A lot of papers are picky about displaying sheen, but on the Write paper it shows up beautifully (pun not intended).
Next I tried a purple shimmer ink, which I thought might feather because it is quite wet and was in a broad nib pen. Happily it did not, and my writing stayed crisp.
After that I used a sheening J. Herbin ink (the sheen, once again, showed up strongly), two Diamine inks, none of which feathered. So it is certainly very fountain pen friendly paper. What about other kinds of pen?
It takes ballpoint very well (as do most papers) and fineliners work nicely too. Since the paper is very smooth, I didn't think that coloured pencils would look as good. On smooth papers, the pigment can sometimes have trouble 'sticking' to the page, resulting in a rather wishy-washy colour. Write Notepads must be just rough enough for the pencil, because both graphite and coloured pencils leave dark marks on the page and do not smudge.
Highlighter annd felt tip were fine, but I did find just one pen that you Should Never Use on this paper: alcohol marker.
Don't try it! The ink will soak through multiple layers at once, and also feather dramatically. It isn't just a problem with this paper, it happens with most notebooks. I think you can use just about any other writing tool to write in this notepad, but steer clear of any type of alcohol marker unless you want ink on the pages behind the one you're writing on.
To drive the point home, this was behind the marker line; at this point the more delicate members of the audience are simply fainting away at the horror of it all:
I'm definitely impressed by how tolerant the paper is, and that it has the added advantage of showing different kinds of sheen. Given how finicky sheening inks often are, this is a big plus factor in my book. The unique ruling is also extremely useful if you're a fan of making lists.
Based on my experience of this notepad, I can assure you that the hype surrounding this company is warranted, and I'd like to explore the other products that Write Notebooks and Co. sell!
Disclaimer: Pen Boutique provided this product for review purposes. All opinions expressed in this article are my own.
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