After trying a whole bunch of pocket notebooks, the Apica A7 has become my go-to.
It’s 2.8 x 4 inches (10.2 x 7.1 cm), which is quite a bit smaller than your typical Field Notes-sized notebook. However, I’ve come to really like it better at this size. I’m rarely writing prose in these notebooks; I’m always writing short lists. So I usually don’t take up a full line anyway. This tiny size leaves less wasted space on the page. It’s also small enough to fit in a shirt pocket, whereas Field Notes often doesn’t.
I’ve also been using the regular old Fisher space pen with it. I usually prefer something I can use one-handed, like a clicky or bolt-action, for my daily pocket pen, since it makes jotting things down that much quicker. But the size and simplicity of the space pen’s design is just really satisfying sometimes.
I love Apica notebooks — especially their CD Premium line. Use the A5 for journaling. I have to look into the A7 notebooks.
Same, I’ve been using Apica almost exclusively lately. I’ve been really liking the two extremes: an A7 is in my pocket, and an A4 is on my desk. It’s huge, but I really like having the space for little boxes and sidebars.
Just yesterday I saw that they now have dot grid versions of their Premium CD notebooks (https://www.jetpens.com/search?q=apica+notebook+dot+grid&v=3), although not in the A4 size. I might have to make one of those my next notebook. I’ve also been curious about the square(ish) one, too. Not a standard size, but might be nice on a small desk.
I found the Apica A4 notebooks to be really nice, but a bit on the pricey side given how many notebooks I go through. I found that Kokuyo has their Campus notebooks in a B5 size that’s only slightly smaller than an A4. And, the nice thing for me is they have a 6mm rule instead of the 7mm rule, meaning I can get more text on the page.
The Campus notebooks are a bit lighter weight of paper, but they work well, and are fountain pen safe.
Maruman also has some nice spiral bound notebooks that are semi-B5 in size, and have perforated pages. I was looking for an A7 from them, but I could only find ones that had a spiral across the top, instead of on the side.
Could you expand a bit on the “great writing features” it provides?
The notebook? Honestly, it has special features, and I like that about it. It’s reasonably sturdy for a paper cover, has a stitched binding (as opposed to stapled), looks nice, and has plain old lined pages in it. I’ve tried other pocket notebooks that have special templates for todo lists on the pages, and I’ve ended up preferring just regular, lined pages. Makes for better free-form use.
I don’t use a fountain pen for small pocket notebooks, but if you do, the paper is fountain pen friendly. It’s the same paper that they use in their larger versions of this notebook.
The one feature I kind of wish it had was some perforated pages in the back for tearing out. But I can live without that. I could also just buy a perforating tool and give it some perforations myself.
perforating tool
Damn, I’ve never considered that such a tool could exist! I’ve got all kinds of stuff to look into now. Do you use your notebook for sketches or writing? Is there a particular reason you chose to begin carrying one?
My grandpa always had a similar notebook on him and he was always pulling it out on conversations to draw something or takes notes.
That’s wonderful, it seems like one of those small traits that make a person memorable.
If I need to jot something down during a conversation, like a phone number, I feel like writing it down in a paper notebook assures the other person that I’m still being attentive. Even though, if I pulled out my phone, they would know I was just doing so to record the phone number. In my head, getting out my phone just looks like I’m being distracted.
Daiso?
No, I bought it from Jetpens. I hadn’t heard of Daiso before. Looks like there’s a store near me, I’ll have to check it out sometime.
Its a japanese discount store that sells all sorts of things including a brand of notebook that looks very similar to that one. this is the one I own.
