Legendary moleskine notebooks: worth the price?

[Rubagu]

I use the moleskines because of the great feel of the paper. They are great paper for quick sketches too (like in a coffee shop) and I also get the paper covered ones that are sold in sets of three. They fit easily in my purse.

I do a rubber band hack on them so they stay closed in my purse. I staple a rubberband in the middle of one side of the covers and then I can stretch the rubber band around the note book and it doesn't open and pages don't get dogged eared. This from a compulsive paper lover however.

It depends on the person as to whether its worth it. If you cant feel the difference in paper when you write on it, then I would definitely not spend the money on them.

[sloria1]

That's an interesting hack for a moleskine. I didn't think of that. The only thing missing from the cahier notebooks is the elastic band that the hardcover notebooks have. Well, I suppose the inside pockets, too, but those aren't necessary, at least for my purposes.

Moleskine paper definitely feels different. The paper is thinner and smoother than normal paper. There are also moleskine sketch books with thicker paper.

[rollo]

I use a ruled Moleskine notebook myself. I use it as a calendar, a to-do list (not quite GTD but getting there, I guess) and a general note-taking platform. My system is still kind of up in the air, though. :/

For my use, a Moleskine's sturdy construction makes up for its price quite handily.

[sloria1]

Does anybody know of any moleskine alternatives? I tried Black N' Red Notebooks which are available at Staples, and they are alright. They have good quality paper which is pretty thick, but I had a lot of smudging when using rollerball pens on them, which is why I switched to the moleskine. I've also heard of Miquelrius notebooks, but I can't find one at Barnes and Noble that is as conveniently sized as the Moleskine.

[wigglebum]

I'd heard all the rave reviews on moleskines and so got my wife one for a birthday - we were both a bit underwhelmed when it arrived.

While they're a bit pricey for my taste, I've always admired Tinderbox journals.

[Philip Brewer]

I really like my Moleskine notebooks (I use the small, ruled ones).

I appreciate the consistency--I like knowing that my next notebook will sit comfortably on the shelf next to my previous notebook. I like the thin paper. I like the size. I like its sturdiness (a cheap notebook would come to pieces before I used it up).

Mainly, though, I find that having this occasional small luxury makes it easy for me to forgo others. I can spend a few dollars extra on a notebook (which lasts me months) and feel like I'm living a life of abundance. I wrote a little about that aspect of it here: Making the most of your guilty pleasures | Wise Bread (note the Moleskine notebook in the picture.)

[amandajane]

Poor moles

Sorry, I've never heard of them but then I am in little 'ole NZ :0)

[Anthony Marrone]

I use this one, and they are available cheap at amazon.com (used--but not really used as in written in).

The Moleskines can come in earth-friendly, non-leather material. I love them because they are durable, serve as a good cross-reference point to OmniFocus (my GTD software) and they have a neat pocket good for storing coupons and receipts for trips to and from the grocery store.

[Annie]

It really depends on what you look for in a notebook, but personally, I use one (a watercolor sketchbook) and I love it. They're usually available in book stores, as well as art stores, a lot of which send out 20 - 30% coupons all time (I know my local Plaza and Utrecht do that). Keep an eye out for those.

Plus, when you have something really nice to write in, you take a little more pride in your work.

[rstlne]

I don't know if Moleskines are worth the cost. I just can't see myself spending much or anything, for that matter, on notepads. I usually just use scrap paper, old diaries, or Google Notebook.