MarumanSPIRAL NOTE BASIC 8.58 x 11.69 inches (A4) after detached, 6.5mm 38-lined, 80 Sheets (N235ES)

I’ve started using graph paper for normal note-taking since my handwriting is much nicer and neater using it instead of the lined paper. I decided to try a Japanese graph paper notebook since I learned the paper quality is much nicer and thicker and this definitely is very nice paper quality and the thickness is perfect so even if you use markers, it doesn’t bleed through. The size is also bigger than the regular sized notebooks which I actually really like because I can take a lot more notes and it lasts a long time for me. It’s also extremely affordable especially for its great quality

Great graph paper notebook. The paper feels premium and silky smooth. The perfections are crisp and tear put smooth, like a check out of a checkbook (no torn edges!), And the grid is precise, the printing is fine, and the ink color is light enough that it doesn't overpower your drawn lines, but fine and high-contrast enough that the grid can be easily seen and followed at any viewing angle while drawing.My only issue is with the cover. It's very basic, cheap, cardstock. And besides already arriving damages (see large crease in photo), it's the type of material that does NOT stand up well to use/transport. The edges of that type of cardstock always become loose/feathered, including the edges around the notched holes that the wire binding goes through to hold the cover onto the notebook, and once they start to get soft and feathered, it's only a matter of time before the entire cover starts to rip off the notebook, starting at one or both ends of the spiral binding. And as we all remember from our school days, once one edge of the cover starts to rip through the spiral binding, it quickly spreads up the entire spine, until the cover is partially or fully separated/torn off from the book! And illfitting covers are a pet peeve of mine, and is usually grounds for premature disposal of the entire notebook! (My OCD won't allow me to carry around a rattly, derelict, notebook!)Other than that cover issue, this is a splendid grid notebook! I just personally choose to buy a little more expensive version that includes tear-prpof plastic covers.

For years I have used dollar notebooks that I end up having to replace 2-3 times per school year. I don't do crazy notes or anything, they just get wore out. Bent rings, bindings falling apart, terrible organization features, etc.So, this year, I decided to order this one. I put it in my backpack and treated it like normal. It made notes far better, and the smooth, spectacular paper made for less hand cramping and quicker writing than comparatively sandpaper of the cheaper notebooks.Additionally, it actually held up! My two dollar notebooks checked out midway through 2nd quarter, but this one has survived a semester, which I've never had happen before. Moreover, it's not quite half full, and aside from one crease on the cover, it looks brand new. I actually have hope it'll make it through the year.So, picture it this way, if you buy a one dollar notebook and replace it three times, that's three dollars, plus you lose all of your work, and have to deal with rough paper and terrible organization. Or, instead, pay four dollars more and buy this one, which will make your school year easier and less stressful.Suffice it to say, this notebook is worth it.

This notebook is very high quality with good perforations and nice, heavy paper. The paper is smooth but not too slick for pencils which is all I use. There is a premium version called Mnemosyne which has even smoother paper aparrently. This is plenty good enough for me. If they made a weatherproof version it would be even better but that might ruin the beauty of this paper.

Smooth, substantial and no bleed through with gel pens.

Maruman makes exceptional paper. My favorite notebook of all time is the Maruman Mnemosyne 199, which is an A4 size lined notebook with a durable plastic cover. The trouble with the 199, though, is that it has gotten REALLY expensive recently. So I decided to give this notebook a try and boy am I glad I did! It does not have the thick cardboard backing nor the thick plastic cover of the Mnemosyne but it DOES have luxurious paper like the 199. The 199 has 80gsm paper, where this is 70gsm, so the paper in this notebook is a little thinner, but it is hard to tell unless you put one of each paper in your hand and think real hard about it. I did a writing test on both types of paper using a large variety of nibs and ink combinations and the result was that there was very little difference between the two papers in terms of performance, feathering, bleed-through, and ghosting. They both did exceptionally well in all regards. There were equal instances where if one paper performed a little better in one case, the other performed a little better in another.This notebook has 6.5 mm ruling while the Mnemosyne has 7mm. The result is that you get two more lines per page, which gives you a slightly lower cost per line. The difference between 6.5mm and 7mm is so small as to pretty much be unnoticeable. In addition to a couple more lines per page, this notebook has 10 more sheets of paper in it than the 199 (20 more sides).The fact that this notebook has more paper and more lines per page and costs way less than the 199 makes it a GREAT BUY. The 199 recently went from $15 to $20 on Amazon. With this notebook being around $10, it is an amazing value for the quality you get.After putting both papers to the test, the only reason I can see to get the more expensive 199 over this is if you plan on carrying your notebook around a lot, tossing it in and out of a backpack or whatever, where the more durable covers and doubled wire binding of the 199 add to its ruggedness. The covers on this notebook are very stiff, though, much more so than a typical "cheapo" school notebook. Unless you plan on really abusing your notebook this one should hold up well even going back and forth between classes. The only other reason to go with the 199 is if you want that little tiny bit more luxury feel of a slightly thicker paper - MAN do you pay a high premium for that, though.While I love my Mnemosyne 199 notebooks, this one really has me questioning whether I should continue to pay so much more for them. I mainly use them for journaling at home and truly don't need the durability of the cover and thicker cardboard back. I am definitely going to order more of these while I ponder if the 199 just got bumped off the top of my list...