A New Notebook
>> 06 September 2009
For years, I have been using Moleskine brand notebooks. Specifically, the Black Pocket Sized Ruled Journal. I like that they are portable, sturdy, and simple. The paper is high quality and holds ink well. I also liked the fact that they were relatively inexpensive. A few years ago, I bought a bunch of them for ~$5 a piece. Now I am on the last one of that batch, and I was looking to get some more. Unfortunately, the price has been raised to $12 each.
That means, that at 3.5 x 5.5 inches and 192 pages, the Moleskine pocket sized ruled journal costs 0.325 cents per square inch.
Enter the new contender: the Staples 3x5 Side Bound Memo Book. Although this notebook cannot compete with the fanciness of the Moleskine (Ernest Hemingway never carried one of these around in his jacket pocket) the price is much more reasonable. I've used these for various odds and ends, but never as my main notebooks. They certainly aren't as durable as the Moleskine, but the option to tear pages out is useful.
At $4.49 for a pack of 5, 3x5 inches and 150 sheets per notebook, this baby comes in at 0.039 cents per square inch.
This question isn't an easy one. On one hand, I've enjoyed using Moleskine journals for years now. On the other, the Moleskine costs nearly ten times as much as the spiral bound notebook.
Help me make this decision! Leave you comments below.
6 comments:
I found them $7.95 for 3 (plus shipping) from Amazon.com. I vote you stay with Moleskin if you can get them this cheap. Someday your posterity or fans may read them, and they look more "official" than the spiral bound notebooks. You have to think about the archival potential of your notebooks as well as the cost.
My Palm Pilot from college died, so now I'm using a small 3x5 spiral notebook for my planning and notes. Works just fine!
Moleskine all the way. It'll last a lot longer. Spiral notebooks tend to fall apart, unless you get the really fancy ones with the cloth over the spine, and the thick plastic covers. But I doubt they make that kind in a pocket size.
Moleskine, not just for durability's sake, but also that of continuity.
Moleskin. I can't even believe it's a question... although you make a valid argument for the runner up. Spiral bound notebooks are so last year Joel.
Moelskin. In a pinch, you can use it for blisters.
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