Midori 15003006 MD Notebook, A5, Grid Ruled

While I liked the idea of journaling, I just never enjoyed the act of writing. But something’s different with this notebook. The grid paper is perfect—its light visibility grid is so much better compared to other notebooks that are grid ruled. Now, I find myself reaching for it multiple times a day. Highly recommend it! It’s incredibly minimal compared to what I’m used to.

I'm here for the same reason you are: people on YouTube just wouldn't shut up about this notebook and I caved. I've tried all the other top brands, but the construction and paper quality are just next level. Somebody really put some care into making this thing. Wow, just wow.Midori ~ limitless paper in a paperless world

I absolutely LOVE this notebook! The quality of the paper is exceptional — smooth, sturdy, and perfect for writing or sketching. The grid layout is ideal for keeping everything neat and organized. Whether using pens, pencils, or even fountain pens, the paper handles ink beautifully with no bleed-through. If you're looking for a premium notebook with a minimalist design and high-quality materials, this one is a must-have!

I use this notebook for journaling, but next semester in college, I will have to buy more.The notebook is A5 paper, so it is smaller than I am used to for marble notebooks. But this is an advantage to me, because they are are lighter, and when you have to carry it around on your back almost every day, this matters!In addition to weight, I like how sturdy the notebook is. Most of my notebooks (spiral or marble) get destroyed by the end of the semester. The materials that make up the binding on this notebook seem much more durable, so it should last, and I can write on it with my fountain pen.The notebook comes with a book-marker built in to the spine. This will reduce all the page flipping I have to do when I have to find where I last left off in lecture. Yes, I know I can just buy separate book-markers, but this one will not fall out, or get lost!Just a side note, the squares are actually kind of small, at 0.25" (about 6mm), and they do not cover the entire page like most graph paper notebooks. There are margins on all 4 sides.Just to summarize why I love this notebook:-Good quality binding-Lightweight-MarginsA lot of marble notebooks come with a reference tables, multiplication tables...etc on the covers. This notebook does not contain any lookup tables of sorts. It is very plain with just a inside cover page for your name.

Freaking LOVE. Listed below are the nifty features I like, plus photos so you can see for yourself.1) opens fairly flat, which is helpful2) pages are good quality. Definitely can't withstand sharpie or double highlighting, but for my purposes it's just fine. (Pages are kind of cream colored)3) love the grid. It's light blue and actually seems like it's made more for aligning Japanese characters (makes sense) but the way the squares don't completely touch (see pic) makes it easier for me to avoid losing what line I'm on.4) there are small notches every 10 squares, and every two squares along the sids of the grid, which make it easy to break pages into bigger grids (e.g.: drawing out a calendar)5) the grid is actually centered on the page so there is a bit of blank room on the edges of the pages, great for writing headers so I immediately see where I am on a page6) this sounds weird, but this book SMELLS fantastic. Like a peppery, new pages kind of smell.Cons:1) card stock covers are flimsy and will easily dirty, so consider getting a plastic covering or something. It does come with a wax paper cover, but it doesn't offer much protection2) I wouldn't necessarily call this a con, but the notebook does instruct you to reinforce the bookmark it has with a little piece of tape becauseof the way it's attached.3) UPDATE: Depending on the pen you use, the ink WILL smudge if highlighted or touched too soon after writing. I've noticed that when I use felt tip markers this isn't an issue, but when I use a roller ball Precise 5 Pentel pen (the ones you can get at Staples) it smudges anytime I highlight, so it's really a process of trial and error. Also, pencil takes very well to the paper (which for me is a pro).

I bought this notebook to use as a bullet journal with my fountain pens. Midori has a great reputation for being fountain pen friendly, which was why I chose it. Being less expensive than a Rhodia Webnotebook or most other notebooks with high-quality paper was also a perk. I love the gridded layout, and the size was perfect. The cardstock cover didn't seem up to being thrown into my purse, but I had a clear plastic journal cover laying around that fits it perfectly. The simple cream cover was nice, but I covered it in washi tape.The pages are thick and smooth. I have not experienced any feathering or bleeding with any of my fountain pen/ink combinations and the texture is lovely under the nib. I have also used Flair felt-tipped marker pens, Pilot Precise V-5 rollerballs, colored pencils, and a Sharpie with an EF tip. Only the Sharpie bled through the page. However, the coating on the paper makes it so that ink takes an excessively long time to dry, even longer than Rhodia or any other paper I've used. Some inks wouldn't dry at all, even when left open overnight, and I have to use blotter paper to soak up the excess. Most inks dry after a minute or so, but it makes it hard to jot down a quick note on the go, as I have to wait to close the book. That is, however, my only complaint about it, and the only reason for 4 stars instead of 5.Other than that, the notebook has good construction, the grid on each page is even and useful. The pages open nice and flat. The cream-colored pages are soft and pleasant, and the grid is a nice shade of blue, not too light or dark. The ribbon bookmark is slim, which I like, as it never gets in the way. Overall, I really like the notebook, but I think a slightly more absorbent paper might be a better choice for a bullet journal in the future.