Graph Paper Notebook Journal | 3 Pack Grid Notebooks for School | Business Notebook for Work | Made in USA Square Journals | 5x8 96 Page Premium Recycled Paper | Soft Cover Eco Friendly

I really wanted to love these notebooks. On paper (no pun intended), they seemed to check off all the right boxes. Simple, clean design. Flexible cover. Lay flat. Decently good quality paper. Inexpensive. When I received them, they seemed quite promising. But as soon as I opened one to try to write, I discovered a fatal flaw. These notebooks simply do not open and stay flat. Even after spending a minute breaking the spine in, I could not get these notebooks to lie flat. The opposite side pages would stick up in the air and actually kept falling over on to the writing side. If I tried to get the opposite pages down, the writing side page would bow upward near the spine, nearly 2 inches worth of curved surface. Returned.

I have been a longtime Moleskine fan, but their recent (lack of) quality has left me unhappy with Moleskines. I've tried a few others from Amazon that claimed to be higher quality paper, all of which left me disappointed and out $10 to $20 a pop. I was about to give up hope when I ordered these.(Disclaimer: this was absolutely NOT sponsored, nor did I receive this product on any sort of a discount. I didn't know that it's possible to wax poetic about a notebook until this showed up at my door, but Northbooks does, indeed, inspire that.)I can't emphasize enough how great these notebooks are. They're the kind of notebook that makes me want to fill them up. It's a really satisfying notebook experience. If that sounds weird, you obviously haven't met your notebook soul mate yet.The paper's definitely thick enough to prevent bleed through. Ghosting is so minimal, you really have to look for it to notice it. I've only tried some generic 0.4 microliners and the Uniball Air (my go to pen), but if the paper stands up to those, I'm sure it'll stand up to most everything else. You might have a problem with regular felt tips, but you need pretty heavy paper to avoid that.The binding is sturdy, BUT not as sturdy as other reviewers have claimed. I did break the spine on the second page in of my first notebook because the reviews made this notebook sound like it's made from steel. It is not. You will break the binding if you act like it's indestructible. That said, I do think this will be sturdier than a Moleskine cahier, which is the most similar notebook I've used recently (though it uses a different binding system).In a direct comparison to Moleskine, obviously you get more bang for your buck, page wise. Northbooks also has thicker paper and a sturdier cover. The lines are crisper with Northbooks. This paper doesn't have any sort of shine to it, so gel type pens don't sit on the paper for a moment before sinking in. In fact, I just realized this, but going back through my notebook for the last few weeks, I don't have any feathering or smudges *at all.* I usually get some when using a ruler with my Uniball Air, but I can't see a single one. It's kind of mind blowing for a stationery nerd like myself.I don't know. I just really love these little notebooks. This will be my go to for the foreseeable future, and gladly so!

Better than Moleskine! These books are the perfect size and the paper is just thick enough that ink doesn't bleed through to the next page (there's some slight show-through but only if you really pile the ink on and even then it's barely noticeable). I wanted to start a bullet journal and came across these in my search. Three of these are the same price of just one of the official journals while still being great quality. No bells and whistles, no constraints; just two covers and a bunch of pages wherein your imagination can run free -- exactly what a good notebook should be. Once I fill my first three up, I'm definitely going to order more.

I'm really enjoying these notebooks as modified bullet journals that I use to track deadlines, tasks, and time spent for work. The paper quality is good and works well with all of my HB pencils. The grid lines are clear and crisp. The "lie flat" binding takes a little manhandling to get to lie flat, but once it's flat, it's flat and the binding seems to hold up to the abuse I'm heaping on it pretty well so far. I prefer these to similar Moleskin notebooks because the paper feels better, they have more pages, and the flat binding allows me to label them for reference once they're on a shelf. Definitely recommended!

I turn my book sideways (landscape) and write out the upcoming week across the top (Sunday-Saturday) and fill in to-do lists and objectives under the given day. Makes for a great way to view the week. Small enough form factor to fit in a back pocket or in a backpack. The simple cover is durable and is a blank canvas for making the book unique to your personality and style. I have used this book for class notes and product concept sketches. Works great, but not really big enough to capture complex ideas. Better used as a planner for me.

These notebooks are exactly what I need for writing down my thoughts while programming. It's lightweight but sturdy enough to take notes on my lap, the paper is soft but thick enough so that fountain pen ink doesn't bleed through, the color of the graph lines is dark enough to be seen but not too dark to overpower text/drawings. The biggest problem is that my husband keeps stealing them, so I'll definitely be ordering more in future.

The gridded notebook is a pleasure to use. The grids are consistent in color and size. Nothing faded and the paper doesn’t tear. Although I only use a gel pen - no markers. The grids really help with my penmanship. It’s a treat to glance at my neatly written notes thanks to the grids. The quality of the notebook is good and the size is versatile for taking notes at my desk or dashing off to a meeting or tossing in my bag. I’ll likely purchase more products from this company once I’ve filled up my existing bullet journal and need another one.

These are wonderful, especially for the compulsive note-taker, or one who wants to sketch as he goes through a project. A really nice product for those of us who are still tied to paper and pen.I'm eager to see how the covers hold up with the wear and tear of sliding in and out of a backpack or a briefcase. I'm hoping Northbooks comes up with a leather binder for the 5X8. Will keep my fingers crossed.

I was looking for a set of environmentaly friendly notes books without a plastic front cover. They are yet to be opened as they are a present. I would have given 5 but they came shrink wrapped.

Good quality and quick delivery

Nice notebooks and handy detachable pages in rear of book