Best Notebooks for Fountain Pens (2027): 9 Compared

The nine notebooks at 1 mm = 0.6 px, with each one's published paper weight.

Products compared

Product	Brand origin	Made in	Price range
Midori MD Notebook A5, 176 pages (lined, grid or blank)Midori	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $$
Hobonichi Techo Original Book, A6Hobonichi	Japan	Not stated^*	Price range: $$$
Rhodia No. 16 DotPad, A5, top-stapled, black cover (16559C)Rhodia	France	France^*	Price range: $$
KOKUYO Campus Notebook, Semi-B5, 30 sheets (NO-3BN 6 mm rule)KOKUYO	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $
Leuchtturm1917 Notebook Medium (A5), Hardcover, dottedLeuchtturm1917	Germany	Varies (Taiwan or Germany)^*	Price range: $$$
Leuchtturm1917 Bullet Journal Edition 2, Medium (A5), dottedLeuchtturm1917	Germany	Not stated^*	Price range: $$$
Apica Premium C.D. Notebook A5Apica	Japan	Japan^*	Price range: $$
Clairefontaine 1951 Staplebound Notebook A5, 48 sheetsClairefontaine	France	France^*	Price range: $$
Moleskine Classic Notebook, Hard Cover, LargeMoleskine	Italy	China^*	Price range: $$$

Notes on these facts

Midori MD Notebook A5, 176 pages (lined, grid or blank): Made by Designphil Inc. (Tokyo); the MD line is now sold as MD PRODUCT. Made in Japan: Midori's Japanese MD PRODUCT store gives 原産国 (country of origin) Made in Japan for the A5, as did the older Midori online store listing for the lined A5 (15294006). The Journal Shop, Galen Leather and Boston General Store agree. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Designphil's February 23, 2018 press release says Midori launched the MD Notebook in 2008 and marked its 10th anniversary in January 2018; Midori's store says the notebook reached 15 years in 2023, when it was renewed with MD Paper covers.
Hobonichi Techo Original Book, A6: Made by Hobonichi Co., Ltd. (Tokyo). Country of manufacture not stated: Hobonichi's Japanese store listing for the 2027 English Original gives size, weight, pages and paper but no country of manufacture (it names one only for a free charm, made in China), and we found no retailer spec sheet that states it for the Original Book. Hunter Paper Co. says its Original Avec book is made in Japan by Hobonichi, but that is a different product. Check the back of the book. Price: example listing. Released: Hobonichi's history page gives October 5, 2001 as the release date of the first edition, the 2002 Techo.
Rhodia No. 16 DotPad, A5, top-stapled, black cover (16559C): Made by Clairefontaine Rhodia (Exacompta Clairefontaine group); sold in the US by Exaclair. Made in France: Rhodia says all its notepads are manufactured at its plant near Mulhouse, Alsace; its 2024 French press kit places the plant at Illzach, on the edge of Mulhouse, since 1997. Retailers The Journal Shop, Dromgooles, Bruneau and Wonderpens also list the No. 16 as made in France. Source. Price: example listing. Released: 1934 is when Rhodia launched its stapled pad (Rhodia press kit); the dot ruling came later, and the black cover in 2007.
KOKUYO Campus Notebook, Semi-B5, 30 sheets (NO-3BN 6 mm rule): Made by KOKUYO Co., Ltd.. Made in Japan: KOKUYO's own global online store gives Country of Origin: Japan for the NO-3BN 3-pack and 10-pack and for the NO-3BTN and NO-3ATN dotted books. KOKUYO's Japanese catalog pages don't list origin; other Campus lines and sizes may differ. Source. Price: example listing. Released: KOKUYO's Japanese chronicle: the Campus brand began with spiral notebooks in 1965; this perfect-bound Campus Note followed in 1975, and the current design is the fifth generation, from October 2011.
Leuchtturm1917 Notebook Medium (A5), Hardcover, dotted: Made by Leuchtturm Gruppe (Geesthacht, Germany). Made in Varies (Taiwan or Germany): Retailer data conflicts. Galaxus has listed Germany for a forest-green Medium dotted hard cover; Digitec has listed Germany, Taiwan and United Kingdom for a red-violet one; several eBay listings for Medium A5 notebooks have given Taiwan (all three now block automated reading). Leuchtturm1917's German and US product pages name no country for the standard notebook; its US 120G page says that edition's paper is made in Germany. Check the label on your copy. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Unsharpen dates the Leuchtturm1917 notebook brand to 2005; we found no separate date for the A5 Medium. The company itself dates to 1917.
Leuchtturm1917 Bullet Journal Edition 2, Medium (A5), dotted: Made by Leuchtturm Gruppe (Geesthacht, Germany). Country of manufacture not stated: Retailer listings have conflicted: one gave Taiwan as the country of origin and another the United Kingdom (Digitec, which now blocks automated reading). Leuchtturm1917's German product page names only the maker, LEUCHTTURM1917 GmbH in Geesthacht, not a country of manufacture. Check the label on your copy. Price: example listing.
Apica Premium C.D. Notebook A5: Made by Nippon Note Co., Ltd. (日本ノート株式会社). Made in Japan: Papeterie Makkura lists Made in Japan for the blank and grid A5; The Journal Shop lists Japan as the country of origin for the ruled A5, and Write Gear says all CD Notebooks are made in Japan. Nippon Note's Japanese product pages give codes, JAN, weight and price but no country of manufacture. Source. Price: example listing.
Clairefontaine 1951 Staplebound Notebook A5, 48 sheets: Made by Clairefontaine Rhodia (Exacompta Clairefontaine group); sold in the US by Exaclair. Made in France: Clairefontaine's French product page for the Carnet piqué collection 1951 says 'Fabriqué en France'; Gentleman Stationer and Hunter Paper Co. agree. Galaxus lists Morocco as the origin of a 1951 Back to Basics A5 notebook, so check the label. Source. Price: example listing.
Moleskine Classic Notebook, Hard Cover, Large: Made by Moleskine S.r.l. (D'Ieteren Group). Made in China: per retailer spec sheets: Galaxus/Digitec list China for the Large and Pocket hard covers, and the Australian promotional supplier Good Things lists China for the XL hard cover. Moleskine's Italian product page doesn't state the country, and Galaxus blocked our reader when we rechecked on October 20, 2026. Source. Released: Per Wikipedia, Milan publisher Modo & Modo launched the Moleskine notebook in 1997, reviving a French notebook design.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.

Key takeaways

Most fountain-pen notebooks use paper of 80–90 g/m² (about 21–24 lb bond); the Moleskine Classic's 70 g/m² is the lightest common hardcover paper here.
The Hobonichi Techo Original fits 464 pages of thin Tomoe River paper into a 15 mm A6 book; loose Tomoe River S paper is sold at 52 g/m².
Leuchtturm1917's Bullet Journal Edition 2 uses 120 g/m² paper, 50% heavier than the standard Medium's 80 g/m², with 206 numbered pages.
Five picks sit below our $$$ band: the KOKUYO Campus ($, under $5 per notebook) and the Midori MD A5, Rhodia No. 16, Apica Premium C.D. and Clairefontaine staplebound A5 ($$, $5–20).
Paper weight isn't everything: sizing decides whether ink sits on the surface or wicks into the fibres and feathers.

What is the best notebook for fountain pens?

The Midori MD Notebook A5 is the best all-round notebook for fountain pens on published specs, but the best pad, budget, hardcover and bullet-journal picks are different books. Picks are based on published specs and maker claims; we haven’t tested them yet.

Best overall: Midori MD Notebook A5. 176 pages of cream MD Paper, which Midori says resists feathering and bleed-through, in a thread-bound book that lies flat.
Thinnest, most pages: Hobonichi Techo Original. Its thin Tomoe River paper packs 464 pages into a 15 mm A6 book, if you accept show-through.
Best pad: Rhodia No. 16 DotPad. 80 sheets of smooth 80 g/m² Clairefontaine paper with a 5 mm dot grid, in our $$ band ($5–20 per pad).
Budget: KOKUYO Campus. A Semi-B5, 30-sheet school notebook under $5; The Pen Addict saw feathering on a Campus Shizuku only with very broad, wet nibs.
Best hardcover dotted: Leuchtturm1917 Medium A5. 251 numbered pages of 80 g/m² paper with an index; Wirecutter’s testers saw no bleeding with fountain pens.
Best for bullet journaling: Leuchtturm1917 Bullet Journal Edition 2. It has 206 numbered pages of 120 g/m² paper, the heaviest here, plus a dot-grid index and an intentions page.

The Apica Premium C.D. (86.5 g/m²) and Clairefontaine’s 90 g/m² staplebound notebooks are strong alternatives. The Moleskine Classic is the caution case: its 70 g/m² paper often bleeds.

How do the nine notebooks compare?

Paper weights run from about 52 g/m² for Tomoe River to 120 g/m² for the Bullet Journal Edition 2.

Notebook	Size	Pages	Paper	Binding	Band	Made in
Midori MD A5	148 × 210 mm	176	MD Paper, 80 g/m² (per Midori)	Thread	$$	Japan
Hobonichi Techo Original	105 × 148 mm	464, dated	Tomoe River (no weight published)	Stitched	$$$	Not stated
Rhodia No. 16	148 × 210 mm	160, tear-off	80 g/m²	Top staple	$$	France
KOKUYO Campus	179 × 252 mm	60	Not published	Glued	$	Japan
Leuchtturm1917 Medium	145 × 210 mm	251, numbered	80 g/m²	Thread, hard cover	$$$	Varies
Bullet Journal Edition 2	145 × 210 mm	206, numbered	120 g/m²	Hard cover	$$$	Not stated
Apica Premium C.D. A5	148 × 210 mm	192	86.5 g/m²	Thread	$$	Japan
Clairefontaine 1951 staplebound A5	145 × 210 mm	96	90 g/m²	Staple	$$	France
Moleskine Classic Large	130 × 210 mm	240	70 g/m²	Hard cover	$$$	China

Figures are from maker and retailer listings in the Sources. Clairefontaine’s French site lists its staplebound A5 at 14.5 × 21 cm, while Galaxus rounds it to A5’s 14.8 × 21 cm; Goulet, JetPens and The Pen Addict give 86.5 g/m² for the A5 Apica, while some B5 listings say 81.4 g/m².

What paper weight do fountain pens need?

As a rule of thumb, look for 80–100 g/m² paper, which is about 21–27 lb bond. Wikipedia’s bond-paper table pairs 75 g/m² with 20 lb office paper and 90 g/m² with 24 lb; Endless Pens calls 80–100 g/m² the sweet spot for many writers.

Weight is a guide, not a guarantee. Tomoe River works at about 52 g/m² because it is heavily sized, while some 70 g/m² papers bleed.

Why does fountain pen ink feather and bleed?

Fountain pen ink is thin and water-based, so on absorbent paper it wicks along the fibres (feathering) and soaks through the sheet (bleed-through). Ferris Wheel Press compares unsized paper to a paper towel.

Sizing, a treatment added to the pulp or the sheet surface, slows absorption and keeps ink on top. That is also why well-sized paper dries more slowly and shows more shading and sheen. Wet inks and broad nibs make every problem worse, so try a fine nib on the last page first.

Hobonichi vs Moleskine: which is better for fountain pens?

For fountain pens, the Hobonichi Techo is better than the Moleskine Classic: its Tomoe River paper is made to resist bleed-through, while reviewers often see Moleskine’s 70 g/m² paper feather and bleed. The Hobonichi’s trade-off is show-through, because its sheets are much thinner.

	Hobonichi Techo Original	Moleskine Classic Large
Size	A6, 105 × 148 mm	130 × 210 mm
Pages	464, one per day	240, undated
Paper	Tomoe River	70 g/m² ivory
Fountain pens	Bleed-resistant per Hobonichi; shows through	Feathering and bleed in reviewer tests

Hobonichi says it reworked its Tomoe River paper for the 2024 edition to resist bleed-through better. A stefanv.com paper test found a Moleskine feathered with every pen and ink tried.

Other reviewers agree on Japanese and French papers and steer away from Moleskine.

Wirecutter names the Apica Premium C.D. A5 its best medium softcover and the Leuchtturm1917 A5 its best medium hardcover. Its panelists said the Apica’s paper showed little feathering with fountain pen ink.
The Pen Addict recommended the Apica Premium C.D. in 2020 for its very smooth paper. Its September 2026 follow-up saw some feathering with one ink.
Gentleman Stationer says Clairefontaine paper should handle even the wettest fountain pen nibs.
Goldspot and Galen Leather both list Rhodia and Tomoe River notebooks. Goldspot says there is no single best notebook for every fountain pen user.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best notebook for fountain pens?

On published specs and maker claims, the Midori MD Notebook A5. Midori says its MD Paper resists feathering and bleed-through, and the thread binding lies flat. We haven't tested it ourselves.

What gsm paper is best for fountain pens?

Around 80–100 g/m² suits most fountain pens, which is roughly 21–27 lb bond. Lighter paper can still work if it is well sized, as Tomoe River shows at about 52 g/m².

Is Moleskine good for fountain pens?

Usually not. Its 70 g/m² paper often feathers and bleeds through with fountain pen ink in published reviewer tests, especially with wet inks and broad nibs.

Is Tomoe River paper good for fountain pens?

Yes for ink and sheen, but it is thin, so writing shows through from the other side and ink dries slowly. Hobonichi says it reworked its Tomoe River paper for 2024 to resist bleed-through better.

Is Leuchtturm1917 good for fountain pens?

With fine nibs and normal inks, mostly yes; Wirecutter's testers saw no bleeding on the standard 80 g/m² paper. For wet inks, Leuchtturm1917's 120 g/m² editions are the safer choice.

What is the cheapest fountain pen friendly notebook?

The KOKUYO Campus is the only pick in our lowest band, under $5 per notebook. The Rhodia No. 16 pad and a Clairefontaine staplebound A5 with 90 g/m² paper cost a little more, in our $$ band ($5–20).

What is the difference between feathering, bleed-through and ghosting?

Feathering is ink spreading sideways along paper fibres into fuzzy lines. Bleed-through is ink soaking through to the back of the sheet; ghosting is only seeing the writing through the page.

Sources (27)

Plain-text version for AI agents: best-notebooks-for-fountain-pens.md · Spotted an error? See how we check facts.

Products compared

Key takeaways

What is the best notebook for fountain pens?

How do the nine notebooks compare?

What paper weight do fountain pens need?

Why does fountain pen ink feather and bleed?

Hobonichi vs Moleskine: which is better for fountain pens?

What do other reviewers recommend?

Frequently asked questions

What is the best notebook for fountain pens?

What gsm paper is best for fountain pens?

Is Moleskine good for fountain pens?

Is Tomoe River paper good for fountain pens?

Is Leuchtturm1917 good for fountain pens?

What is the cheapest fountain pen friendly notebook?

What is the difference between feathering, bleed-through and ghosting?

Sources (27)