Miquelrius makes the best notebook

[krandallkraus]

Even if I disagree with the criteria (however keenly identified), the review was worth it for the 'you disgust me' line.

 

 

I love my Miquelrius bound book. I'm brutal on my books and wirebound simply doesn't stand up.

 

Just my objective opinion...

 

Well as long as it is objective then I can let it slide.

 

This is why I love you guys. This is the most fun--correction: most intelligent fun I've had all week. And I could have quoted two more as well.

[Beardy]

You have almost convinced me, but an ideal notebook of this type would use double wire binding, which wouldn't suffer from battered, misaligned wires as easily.

 

But I also count the "you disgust me" comment as well worth the price of admission.

[Ondina]

I agree, fantastic notebooks. I wish they would make them in plain paper.

[rollerboy]

They look good but not good enough. The wire coils are too large. They'd interfere with my writing on the left hand side page. At 100 - 150 pages they are too thick for me - too awkward as my hand drops off the edge towards the right and bottom edges of the page.

 

But I'm happy you're happy. Oh were I so easily contented.

Edited September 7, 2009 by rollerboy

[Steveareno]

I agree that for the most part Miguelrius are the best readily-available (at least here in the U.S.), spiral-bound notebooks around. I have only a few quibbles:

 

a. The choice of colors for the mult-section notebooks -- the pale green is almost invisible to me, so I can't really use that section. Fortunately, they make a version (usually with the pin-striped cover) that has warmer colors that work better with my particular color vision. I kind of wish they would make a "one-subject" notebook that used just one basic color for the lines, like black, gray, or brown.

 

b. I prefer double-coils as they are much sturdier.

 

c. And for those of us who might want to use a wire-bound notebook as a journal for those "mundane daily occurrences," having pages that aren't perforated and so easily removed is nice.

 

It would be great if Miguelrius would consider adding a notebook with the above modifications to their line, then we could all be perfectly content!

[mitz009]

Two points about the best notebook:

 

1) I don't like the way my fountain pens feel scratchy on the Miquelrius paper and

2) I prefer fewer than 120 pages in my notebooks because, if the book is too thick, my hand feels off balance and my writing gets messy as it edges off the right side of the page.

and

3) Although not specific to Miquelrius, I find wire-bound notebooks cut off about 2 inches of margin on the right side of the left page for me. Not to mention the spirals typically get bent (not in the "That 70's show" sense) over time, which beats against my obsessive side.

 

I have settled on another (unnamed) brand after rejecting the Miquelrius due to item number 1 above. Viva la difference as they say.

 

Henry

[bphollin]

A nearby university book store had some...

The U or the Y? I know U of U has a few different Miquelrius products. Last I checked they were ass-expensive though. :hmm1: Will have to check TJ Max, thanks p2p.

[laplume]

Another shameless MiqueRius admirer here. Absolute fountain pen friendly paper for the real connoisseur ( nothing to do with the eggshell finish of Clairefontaine/Oxford, this one is smooth without being crusty). The prices of the notebooks are very reasonable, I got some A4 at Target last April for $3.25, for a sturdy waterproof cover and 120 pages. Organized in colors, very sturdy wirebound finish ; they have been in a nylon messenger bag, used and abused and the wire is like new. I'll treat myself to one or two of their blank journals this next Christmas if I can find them.

I would recommend them without any hesitation to any fountain pen user, very specially to students and for general use.

[foxtail1]

It was mentioned a few days ago, but I just bought some spiral lined Miquelrius notebooks at TJ Maxx yesterday. They had several sizes and covers available.

 

Kristi

[seanpooh]

I too bought a Milquelrius notebook at TJ Maxxx. When I tried it, no feathering, pretty smooth, but there is a bad bleed through. I wouldn't highly recommend it, but it does have a nice design.

[bkknowles]

I've gone through several Miquelrius notebooks and love them. I use them mostly as my "church notebooks". However, the paper quality of the one I'm using now (bought from Target) is not as stellar. The paper makes the ink in all my fountain pens spread and look almost like the words were written with marker. I've never had this problem before, so I hope I just got a dud. It's disappointing regardless. Has anyone else had this problem?

[Tweel]

Ding Ding Ding, we have a winner

These notebooks are near-perfect for my use, too, although it's the "extra-small" A7 size that works for me. I can attest that after spending a year (for each of the last couple of years) banging around in a canvas tote bag with heavy tools, and god knows what else, the wire binding doesn't deform at all, and the pages don't come out unless you want them to. Under those rough conditions, the polypropylene covers will eventually start to bow, but a rubber band around the notebook prevents that, too.

 

Unfortunately, Paperchase seems to have discontinued their rebranded notebooks in A7, which is too bad -- Borders sold them for $2.99 instead of the Miquelrius price of $4.95.

 

-- Brian

[Sailor Kenshin]

These are the ultimate, objective and supreme criteria that makes the perfect notebook, in order of importance.

 

1) Fountain Pen Friendly: The perfect paper necessarily must work well with the perfect pen as well as work with lesser writing utensils. This means no bleeding, no feathering and drying time for most inks must be of a reasonable amount of time.

 

2) Paper Quantity: The perfect notebook must supply enough paper such that you aren't constantly seeking new notebooks but at the same time not so much that you are carrying around something exceptionally heavy or writing on paper that is lifted to high from the table. 100-150 pages is preferable.

 

 

The best notebook in production is the Miquelrius A4, ultra-white, 90GR, grid, spiral bound notebook.

 

I like the Miqs.

 

Long before I ever heard of FPN, I bought one at an organizer store, simply because I liked its size (around 8x7"), color-tipped pages, and translucent plastic cover.

 

I now have a few of them in different sizes. Probably at least one is a grid.

[bluemagister]

I like wirebound books, too, since the Moleskines (along with their feather-happy paper) are often difficult to make lie flat. I like the reporter notebook Moleskines, but I use gel pens with those.

 

Miquelrius is a good notebook for a fountainista like me.

[cpsantillan]

Great review!!and I respect your criteria,it is honorable like everyone's else...

[RedSox04]

Picked some up today, really well priced as well (if that wasn't in there)

 

Great review though!

[holgalee]

I own a Miquerlrius notebook that's similar to a Moleskine, but it bleeds and feathers like crazy. So I'm not impressed at all.