5 Reasons to Pay Good Money for a Moleskine

Kevin @ The Money Hawk says on April 30th, 2009 at 10:07 am

I hate when people complain about price. If the price was too high, the company wouldn’t be in business. That’s how the market works. The price is set the way it is because the market supports that price.

When people complain about price it’s because THEY can’t afford it. And they complain hoping that there are other people out there who can’t afford it so they can feel better about not being able to afford it.

But that doesn’t mean the price is too high, it just means it’s too high for them. If it’s too expensive for you, don’t buy it. Complaining about the prices of everything isn’t going to help anyone.

pattidabelle says on April 30th, 2009 at 12:16 pm

Complaining about complaining will also not accomplish anything. The price to me makes the notebook too precious to use with abandon which is how I like to use mine. I can afford them but, Moleskin is not for me.

Rob Dorn says on April 30th, 2009 at 12:16 pm

I had accidentally left my pocket moleskin notebook on the roof of my car while getting ready to leave. I had filled it with drawings, notes, all sorts of stuff (so it was very important to me obviously)… when I realized what had happened after I came back home, I drove back re-tracing my steps and FOUND it in the middle of a very busy road. It had been RUN OVER several times and was STILL in good condition. Try THAT with a Palm Pilot!

Andrew says on April 30th, 2009 at 12:33 pm

Have you fulfilled your contractual obligation to Moleskine yet so we can move on from these advertisements?

EJ says on April 30th, 2009 at 12:37 pm

Please stop posting about Moleskins. This is so lame.

Take us back to the lifehacks.

Lou says on April 30th, 2009 at 12:54 pm

Whats the deal wit bashing the writer for mentioning a high quality product?

As a writer myself, I enjoy using moleskins because they are sturdy and look good on the shelf when i throw another finished one up on the stack.

Seriously, what are you all crying about? they are endorsing a good product that they themselves use and support.

give us some more moleskin hacks!

kyle5434 says on April 30th, 2009 at 1:05 pm

I think it largely depends on the function(s) people want from an analog note-taking solution. I’ve used the little pocket Moleskine cahier books, and they are nice. And if my goal was to use them as a journal, or for (semi-)permanent notes, I’d probably still use them. But my needs are mostly for temporary notes, and the occasional ability to write down some info and give it to somebody else, so it was harder for me to justify paying a premium for the Moleskines.

I ended up stumbling across a pocketable notecard holder at a local OfficeMax – it’s almost the exact same size as the Moleskine pocket cahier notebooks.

http://kylegriffin.net/temp/Ox.....se_web.jpg

So I keep 10-12 notecards (composed of different types) in it and carry that instead.

http://kylegriffin.net/temp/Ox.....e_web2.jpg

For my “transient note” needs, it’s just a much more economical solution.

Kyle

Simon Zeeberg says on April 30th, 2009 at 2:30 pm

>Andrew – why do you bother complaining about the moleskine articles they have not cut down on the other good articles dramaticly. I have never heard of Moleskines before now and if it was not for Lifehack i wouldnt have bought one now to test it out – (if i didnt, i had probably surrived but i am glad i saw this article). I dont think a partnership between Moleskine and Lifehack is destroying the good judgement of the writers. Lets say you have the perfekt product. Well it aint gonna sell itself and surely if it could help other people it is nice that we have some degree of marketing and sales people.

Rich says on April 30th, 2009 at 2:39 pm

i read the articles, enjoyed them both, sale on in tesco’s using a book that cost me £1.25. Those who complain about the price why waste you’re own time commenting about it. surely your time is too costly and precious.

And talking of advertising moleskines. i read about bullet pens on this site, bought one and would recommend them – beautiful design and lovely to write with. so there

Jen says on April 30th, 2009 at 2:42 pm

The price is a deterrent to me — I feel like anything I write in a $12 notebook ought to be dang smart — so “ubiquitous capture” goes out the window. My favorite (cheap) alternative is a composition book with BLANK pages. Cheap, when you can find them. (not even easy online) When I come across them in a college bookstore, I add a bunch to my collection for future use. I wish they were more available.

Lanzman says on April 30th, 2009 at 2:47 pm

Heh. Rather than waster money on an overpriced Moleskine, you might rather hunt up a Piccadilly, which is essentially the same thing with a more realistic price tag. I own both and find no qualitative difference between them, and the Piccadilly is about half the price of the Moleskine.

Barefoot Writer says on April 30th, 2009 at 3:11 pm

I just bought one the other day at one of the department stores, and checked out in the bath and bedding department. The salesperson was astonished at the price. I stood there and touted the virtues of the elastic band, but felt sort of silly doing so.

It’s the same as any other area in which you are nitpicky about quality. For me, it is pens and paper. For others, it is food, wine, stereo equipment, clothing, decor, cars, etc. Better to have a fetish for expensive notebooks — it’s more easily fulfilled than one for Lamborghinis.

WIll says on April 30th, 2009 at 3:23 pm

I thought this article was useful because a lot of people who read the site probably have heard of Moleskine, but may not know too much about them. I know I had never heard of them until reading here, and I had to go poking around to find out more about them. The first thing everyone notices is the price, and it can be a little off putting, so a post about why the notebooks are worth it fit right in with series on them.

As for personal experience, I don’t have one, but I’ve bought two for gifts to give. I have gotten good reports back on them, they are quite nice.

Chakresh Mishra says on April 30th, 2009 at 3:42 pm

I am still out there, not in shed of moleskine umbrella, not able to find it in any shop in my country. :(

Dustin Wax says on April 30th, 2009 at 3:42 pm

Andrew: For the record, *I* don’t have a contractual obligation to Moleskine — I write what I want. Because *Lifehack* has a partnership with Moleskine (which has little to do with content here), I got the idea to do some Moleskine posts. And there will pr’y be a couple more — ideas don’t come so easily, week after week for going on two years here, that I can afford to easily walk away from a good one. But I’m thinking of a couple of other topics, too, so stay tuned!

PS There are like 10 other authors on the site, too. Surely Thursday, Joel, or any of the others have something to say to the non-Moleskine fans!

Margaret says on April 30th, 2009 at 3:54 pm

I have to say I also agree that while I have found the advice in these posts helpful on a general level, the focus on moleskines as a brand is becoming absurd. Of course a nice notebook is great, but I have also had great success in the past with cheap spiral notebooks from the drugstore. It’s the substance within the notebook that counts, and given the amount of use Mr. Wax recommends, I’d go broke spending an extra 10 bucks every time I need a new one. So much focus on one brand (probably to Mr. Wax’s and this site’s financial advantage) in my opinion clouds the really important lifehacking points being made in the posts. You might as well have put up a moleskine ad in place of this last post.

Enrique S says on April 30th, 2009 at 4:53 pm

Dustin, you’ve peaked my interest. I’ll pick one up this weekend and give it a test drive.

Mark says on April 30th, 2009 at 4:54 pm

Dustin,

I was one that asked if Lifehack had a business relationship with Moleskin. I don’t have a problem that you do, but I am glad you acknowledged it in your post. I believe all blogs should remind people of any relevant partnerships when posting about their partner. Accolades.

Ian says on April 30th, 2009 at 6:02 pm

Moleskine moleskine moleskine moleskine moleskine. Have we got into bed with Moleskine? Yes we have. Here’s another article about Moleskines. Moleskine moleskine moleskine moleskine moleskine. Stop now, please.

JDT says on April 30th, 2009 at 7:59 pm

Lifehack suggestion everyone! Improve your happiness and the happiness of everyone you come in contact with in one easy step! 1. Ignore 10 things every day you don’t like, rather than complain about them. You will make more friends, people will like you better, you’ll get ahead in your job, and you’ll decrease stress in yourself and others.

A word of warning: it’s dead easy to write a web comment, so you’ll be very tempted to ignore this hack while reading blogs. But if you stick with it, your happiness will grow exponentially. A good motivator: use the time you would have spent writing up a complaint to search for something you DO like! If you can’t find it on the web, you’re not looking hard enough.

David Turnbull says on April 30th, 2009 at 8:55 pm

I currently have a Moleskine, but I don’t find it convenient because it’s a hardcover one. I think I’ll give them another shot though by picking up one with a soft cover. If that doesn’t work I’ll just pick up a few Mead Notebooks.

Kyith says on April 30th, 2009 at 10:10 pm

in my opinion moleskine is the kind of luxury items that really is for the rich and sophisticated. you can buy so many notebooks in place of this.

probably the kind of stuff in a deep recession scenario that we should not be spending on.

sometimes we really can live more simple and humble in this world.

Dirk says on May 1st, 2009 at 12:04 am

Wow! You managed to raise a lot of people’s ire by writing about a notebook. Strange.

I am actively looking for a new notebook and would love suggestions, because I can’t find what I desire. I don’t care about price, but Moleskine is not what I seek. Wirebound books are ideal because the front folds around to the back so they take up half the space making it easier to write on your lap and both sides of the page. I would like a hard or firm cover to support the pages, again so I can write on my lap or leaning against a table.

I agree the spiral wire bound books catch on everything and are terrible, but there are some that are not bound with spiral wire. Anyone have any suggestions?

Mike says on May 1st, 2009 at 1:11 am

I have to agree with Lanzman about the Piccadilly. They are almost identical. There are reviews on the web that actually rank the Piccadilly HIGHER than the Moleskine for paper quality. Price? At Borders, you can find the Piccadilly for $3.99. They are in the bargain books section. Don’t ask me why because they always restock them and they’re always there with the bargain pricetag. But they’re NOT a “closeout” item. Try one!
Here’s a link to Piccadilly and it’s mentioned that they’re available at Borders:
http://www.piccadillyinc.com/p.....ebooks.php

marty says on May 1st, 2009 at 3:04 am

I loved my moleskine, up until my wife washed it.

Which is why I thought “paper-bound notebooks fall apart from moisture” was funny: I assure you, Moleskines too fall apart from moisture. Especially when washed.

David Cain says on May 1st, 2009 at 7:44 am

All right, all right, I’ll try one out.

Sean says on May 1st, 2009 at 8:13 am

I have several Moleskine notebooks. The only problem I have had with them, is that they are so nice (and so pricey) that I subconsciously believe that I bought them for some high purpose and I don’t want to write in them because I don’t want to waste the space…Other than that, they are wonderful!

jah says on May 1st, 2009 at 8:47 am

Please give up the pretense that this is anything more than ‘product placement’ or ‘embedded advertisement’.

This site is supposed to be for productivity tips. In my local store I can find many other brands that make similar or even better products. There’s no reason that instead of talking about the characteristics of a good pocket notebook that you peddle a particular brand.
And to do that over and over again….is just shameless.

blerg says on May 1st, 2009 at 10:08 am

Thank you for all the articles about Moleskines. I bought one because of all the articles in here and on other productivity sites, and have found it to be an excellent resource, much better than all the little spiral notebooks or pads of post-its that I used to attempt to carry around.

Also, now when I’m at a party or networking event it is SO much nicer to pull out my lovely Moleskine to write down someone’s number than to write it on the back of a crumpled receipt or old flyer I dig out of my purse.

Patrick Chuan says on May 1st, 2009 at 10:39 am

Amazingly,no one ever mention what Moleskine notebooks are used for. Three words: Gi.Tee.Dee. The popularity of Moleskine arised because some one thought that it would be a great tool to implement the GTD system.

Any notebook can be use for GTD. I advise that you trash a couple of cheap notebooks if you are new and are still in the process of perfecting David Allen’s system.

Any serious GTD practioner, on the other hand, should use Moleskine. No other notebook can withstand the amount of use and abuse that GTD devotees exert onto thier planner. Besides, other notebooks doesn’t look half as good when you are at Starbuck drinking coffee and doing your weekly review.

Funny how other GTD tools doesn’t get as much attention. Where’s the information on fire-proof underwriter cabinets? Where’s the promotion on spacious 3-tier in-trays? Where’s the work desk that is specially designed for complete implementation of GTD system?

Tim says on May 1st, 2009 at 11:09 am

Dustin:

Thanks for your articles on the Moleskine. I don’t own any, but I enjoy journaling and jotting my ideas in the spiral college notebooks. But these spiral notebooks are changing – I don’t need my pages perforated, the pages are getting thinner and they look cheaper than ever. I will take a closer look at the Moleskine at the store next time.

John Ayers says on May 1st, 2009 at 11:23 am

How about the persistance of the brand? I know that when I fill up a Moleskine, I can go to Borders, B&N or Amazon and get another just like it. This may not happen with other notebooks I could buy off the shelf at those same stores. I know what I want, I know what I like and I want it again, two years from now when I need another.

Avrum says on May 1st, 2009 at 12:17 pm

A few months ago, I was standing in an art store, comparing a sketchbook Moleskin and a Moleskin look-alike. Similar covers, similar paper and envelope on back. The price:

$40 Moleskin
$20 Look-alike

I purchased the look-alike. And have done so ever since.

And Dustin, it sure does sound like your shrilling for Moleskin. Nothing wrong with that, but a disclaimer would be nice.

timgray says on May 1st, 2009 at 2:55 pm

Actually I can drive nails through my Palmpilot and still have all the data. I back it up every 4 hours when I get it near my desk. (Bluetooth rocks) Destruction of a cheap $399+ phone is nothing to me, the loss of the information is. Written is not safe as far as I am concerned as it can not be backed up with a button push.

If you like writing everything, that’s great. but I found that my smartphone and USB drive does far more than any pocket or briefcase notebook can. I love the ability to record the whole meeting in audio so I can refer to it later instead of trying to dig through sparse notes.

Zem says on May 1st, 2009 at 6:08 pm

Since my handwriting is so awful it devalues any paper it touches, I can’t speak to the aesthetics of using a Moleskine. But I will stick up for the practical worth of at least the lower-end, cardboard-bound, cahier Moleskines. I do a lot of outdoors, environmental survey-type work and use the pocket-size graph-ruled cahiers for fieldnotes. I get these in sets of three for about $8.00. They are sturdy practical notebooks (especially if you hike around all day with them in your back pocket) and are well worth the money. They get a butt-curve and the cover gets a little “fluffier” after a week or so, but that is about the extent to which they degrade. A cheap spiral-bound lasts until the first time I sit down, or until the first rain.

Johnsoncn005 says on May 1st, 2009 at 9:37 pm

Well, reading several days about Moleskine has triggered my curiousity about the sophistication and the artistry of it. I went to check it in my local store, cost a bomb out of it. I live in Malaysia, and Ringgit-USD currency exchange is high like crazy. It cost almost RM 100, and you know what, the smaller one is actually more expensive than the large one.

But, at a second thought, when I looked at the quality of it, it’s undeniably good and somewhat better than average, plus I love the touchy feeling. I’ll go ahead and buy it, as one of my notebook experience collection.

Meanwhile, Dustin, go for more Moleskine or notebook hacks! Oh, by the way, all the principles Dustin has here can also apply to average notebooks… I’ve tried it… So, don’t say that Dustin is trying to con you out of your wallet… Be real and be open…

Dave says on May 1st, 2009 at 10:25 pm

I’m only a fan of paper anything for short-term notes, just enough to remind me what I need to buy at the store, or to jog my memory when I sit down at the end of the day and journal into my computer.

Perhaps I don’t “get” the need for moleskine notebooks because my handwriting is not pleasing to the eye (Or is my handwriting not pleasing because I don’t care enough to clean it up? It’s a conundrum…)

I do understand the desire for high-quality instruments, though… I rarely let a clerk hand me a pen to sign a credit card slip, preferring my space-pen instead. :-)

Reese says on May 2nd, 2009 at 11:11 am

Sure, they’re not for every one, so if they’re not for you they’re not for you. People who love them (me!) LOVE them. If you don’t get it, you don’t get it. But if your complaint is price and you’ve never tried one, don’t knock it til you’ve tried it.

I had wanted one for years, but couldn’t see spending the money. The notebooks I used weren’t very functional, I used notebooks a lot, but would have used them so much more if they were more functional and convenient. Finally, I got a moleskin for Christmas two years ago and can’t see myself using anything else now. They’re definitely worth the money.

Rawsock says on May 2nd, 2009 at 2:42 pm

6- I got paid to advertise them.

Kolby says on May 2nd, 2009 at 6:33 pm

I use a pocket-sized Moleskine as a travel journal. I’ve tried other brands in the past, but nothing holds up like a Moleskine. I’m fairly active on my travels – backpacking, hiking, etc. – so I need something that will stand up to a lot.

On a recent trip to Nicaragua, I lost my journal. It apparently fell out of my camera bag along a 4 mile hike, one of the few times I didn’t keep the journal in my front pocket. The next day, I retraced my steps and found it along the path. Despite a jungle rain storm and a cow stepping on it, the book was perfectly fine!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kahunna/3174811238/

Luigi says on May 3rd, 2009 at 12:38 pm

After reading this article (but not the 41 comments thus far) I have to, on balance, disagree with the conclusions reached. The key reason – this article is based on personal opinion, not hard fact. Here are my reasons broken down:

1. Durable? I go through a largeish notebook every two months, and regardless of the binding, the notebooks stand up to wear just fine. One thing about back pockets – putting notebooks, wallets or other such objects there can cause or exacerbate spinal problems (which I know about only too well).
2. book-binding – again, a preference. I’ve bought dollar-store notebooks that I can write on while holding. As for storage, even spiral-bound notebooks can sport hard covers and stand up well on bookshelves
3. Expensive? Yes. Valuable? Maybe. The thing that makes a notebook valuable to me is the jumble of ideas, notes, plans and so forth that it helps me develop. That’s why I say the cost of the notebook has absolutely nothing to do with the value of said notebook. Any notebook that contains stuff that matters to me is a notebook that I will safeguard, regardless of what I paid for that notebook.
4. Moleskines feel good? That’s the justification I use for my two semi-expensive fountain pens, so even if I’ve never owned a Moleskine, I can agree with this one. I have used a notebook with crappy paper, though, and I do not plan to do that again.
5. Moleskines are actually kind of affordable? That depends on your own relationship with money. For some people, they’re affordable. For others, they’re a needless luxury.

Key conclusion: Moleskine or not, just make sure you HAVE and USE a notebook every day. Brand, design, cost, marketing behind said notebook – these are all but secondary concerns.

Sophie Brown says on May 3rd, 2009 at 1:18 pm

What people forget is that a decade ago, “notebooks” meant what you bought in a drug store. Moleskine are BLANK BOOKS and JOURNALS and priced exactly the same as leather diaries of the same size. People who would not think of purchasing one splurge in any number of other ways. And then the watercolor notebooks are a real bargain. Everyone has their own way of spending extra money.

Sophie Brown says on May 3rd, 2009 at 1:46 pm

Also, the planners I think have a much better layout and are more reasonably priced than anything I saw at Staples. I guess personally I am less inclined to spend all the $ on to do lists and things I don’t intend to keep. My diaries, paintings, etc. I put in Moleskines, partly because there’s some uniformity. I would tell the uninitiated that you may not like the sketchbook paper. It’s less like paper and more like tagboard. The watercolor notebooks are a joy. So go to Burger King and “have it your way”. Who cares how you spend your money? I don’t.

kiss says on May 3rd, 2009 at 10:24 pm

I tore one page out of my moleskin and the the cover fell off a couple of days later- not so durable, but other than that i love the creamy pages. oh yeah, the pocket fell apart, too. seriously, i have not even abused it and hardly used it. maybe mine was defective, but a friend his fell apart as well, so i guess buyer beware…

Sophie Brown says on May 3rd, 2009 at 11:32 pm

If you send it in they really weill send you a full refund or replacement.

Kolby says on May 4th, 2009 at 2:52 am

Sophie’s right, Kiss. Send them an e-mail explaining the “defect” and they’ll probably send you a new one for free. I did once and sure enough, had one in the mail a few weeks later.

kiss says on May 4th, 2009 at 6:55 am

I rubber cemented the cover back on and taped up the pocket- works fine now. I mostly just leave it lying around when hot chicks come over. I started using the thin, pocket-sized ones which fit in my pocket and are really cheap- around $6 for a 3-pack. Now if I can only remember the pen!

Todd Jordan says on May 4th, 2009 at 2:19 pm

Recently purchased my first Moleskine. Love it so much I purchased a pack for my wife.

Will it be worth the extra dollars? Well, honestly in my area, the competition isn’t that good against them. The price seems high but the quality over other notepads I could use is significantly better.

I’ve used spiral as well as other styles of pocket pads. Have been off and on for years to record ideas, plans, schedules, and task lists. This is honestly one of the best I’ve had.

I purchased the soft or rather flexible cover style. One that fits well in a pocket.

Bonus features: pouch in the back, page marker, and closing band.

Gerasimos says on May 4th, 2009 at 2:33 pm

Conversations like this keep Moleskins in business and nothing else. Give it to someone who sleeps with it and it’s another notebook. Give it to someone who’s careful and understands the value of having a notebook always around and it’s going to be in the same condition for ever.

I never spend more than $10 on a notebook. I still have my first one bought 4 years ago.

mitch says on May 4th, 2009 at 2:34 pm

ppl buy Nike’s and believe they can fly like Mike. subconsciously, they tend to., etc.

same with moleskin i guess. you’ll ‘want’ to Use it more because of its brand value.

if you’re the type who’s superficial and Knows it and can use that as skillful means, then go for moleskin. aesthetic value however, isn’t All superficial. if it makes the Habit stronger to use the notebook, it may be worth it.

mitch says on May 4th, 2009 at 2:42 pm

personally, i use a small Spiral notebook, the ones that open from the top. i keep it in my backpocket, with a pencil.

when i take it out, i dont even need to unfold anything. i can really use it to write stuff.

switch says on May 4th, 2009 at 11:59 pm

It looks a little exlpensive,but also very utility.and very beautiful

Paul Dickinson says on May 5th, 2009 at 2:41 am

I’m going to take the plunge and buy one today. They are expensive but do look good!

Joe says on May 6th, 2009 at 2:03 am

I think Moleskine are nice notepads. When I had a nice job I bought a pack of three and used them some. They are convenient and nice, but I would say they are a bit of a luxury. Now I am in NYC and I find myself writing a lot on the subway, I found a journal with a hard back and a NYC MTA map in the back. I love my Redbook. Additionally, I use my phone’s notes feature for lots of things, since my phone is one of just a few things I know I will ALWAYS have on me.

Jon Beebe says on May 6th, 2009 at 11:14 am

I don’t personally have a moleskine, and never planned on buying one due to the comparatively large price tag, and I’ve never been the type to buy things for the “prestige” or brand-name factor, so that just added to the not-wanting-a-moleskine basket … but I decided to go into reading this post with an open-mind, because I’ve never owned a moleskine so I can’t completely disregard them.

And after reading this post I actually agree with a lot of things you said, most in fact. I especially like how you managed to think extremely “outside of the box” when it came to some of your explanations. I particularly liked your “moleskines are expensive” reason, because at first glance, that doesn’t seem like much of a good reason at all–but all the points you made are very valid.

So with my open-mind, I’ve concluded that moleskines are definitely worth the money if that’s what you need to be the best at whatever it is you’re writing. I’ll give an example of how the “feeling” of something can totally impact your personal productivity (and more specifically, mine in this particular example)…

When I first started my blog, I absolutely hated the wordpress WYSIWYG editor (for those that don’t know, the part where you type your blog post into wordpress), it was small, seemed to be kinda buggy, and was just plain “uncomfortable”, especially with all the other “stuff” floating around everywhere.

So I found Windows LiveWriter and it actually downloaded my blog’s theme and it made it look and “feel” like I was typing a post directly onto my blog. It felt great, and as a result, I was eager to make new posts, and not only that, my articles were much better and more thought out.

I was comfortable so it lowered down the amount of procrastination I was used to experiencing pre-post, and it also allowed me to focus my thoughts fully on the actual article, rather than what I could write to get out of the wordpress editor as quickly as possible!

Your post really got me thinking and honestly… I kinda want a moleskine now lol

[OT] Your blog is a really awesome read (judging from your subscriber count I’m pretty sure you already know that), but your insightful articles just added another to that count ;-) Thanks for providing great free content.

Horacio says on May 6th, 2009 at 11:43 am

It is, it is just so a brilliant product! Satisfy me whenever I use it or go back on pages… And the price… well, you get what you pay for. And taking into account that if you use your Moleskine for almost two years (yes, I have a 18 months diary http://is.gd/xf32) price is fair. Just awesome… And I like these posts btw… it will be great to start a Topic with histories like the one up from Rob Dorn! Let me assure you: you never enjoy so much your everyday notetaking, writing, sketching and idea plasming until you try a Moleskine.

David Rapoza says on May 6th, 2009 at 12:52 pm

Moleskine’s are great! I use them everyday for working on my pencils. The paper is so smooth, like bristol vellum. I can’t see too big a reason for any non-artist to strictly use them, but if you do like rendering full figure drawings then they are second to none!

Tony Wanless says on May 6th, 2009 at 3:02 pm

Here’s another reason. It’s a special book for special thoughts!
In my creativity consulting I advise people to use moleskins as an “idea log”, a special place to record ideas. Because it’s expensive, it’s special, and you’ll use it only for that special purpose. That way, you’ll likely refer back to it regularly.

molds says on May 7th, 2009 at 3:16 am

you are right,I agree with you.

Brad Tanner says on May 7th, 2009 at 6:45 pm

There’s no need to pay a lot of money for a good notebook. You can get value for a reasonable price for a place to keep your ideas. Get a Paper Assistant.

Check it out here.

Brad

noway, jose says on May 7th, 2009 at 7:59 pm

I like the format, too, so I recently bought a stash of clone notebooks (won’t say what manufacturerer or where); they offer the same features, actually have paper that is more agreeable towards fountain pens and cost only — half the price. Without doubt manufactured somewhere in China, but the M. are too, aren’t they.

marztar says on May 9th, 2009 at 5:14 am

why are default avatars faceless females?

Jeff says on July 3rd, 2009 at 12:13 pm

If you need to pay $10 for a notebook to prompt greater care for it, you’re not in control of yourself lol – this is the fantasy of many companies: create a mundane product and charge 10x the market value. Either way, enjoy what led to the writing, that’s what matters.

best,

Jeff

Leather Diaries says on July 29th, 2009 at 3:05 am

Interesting!

A diary or a personal journal is your most intimate confidante. You can confidently share your secrets with it knowing that your personal diary will not talk to someone. So you should be very careful about your personal dairy. Leather is one of the most versatile materials that finds application in many areas. I would suggest to maintain a leather dairy instead of any normal dairy.

Cynthia says on September 8th, 2009 at 6:36 pm

With a street price of about $10, a Moleskine journal is hardly an expensive item, especially when you consider how long you’ll use it. Many people use their notebooks for half a year or more which costs less than $2.00 a month. What else can you get for $2.00 a month? A pack of cigarettes or a lunch out cost more than that, and once those items are gone, they’re gone for good.

The few extra dollars you spend over the cost of a cheapie notebook is money well spent when your Moleskine journal holds together and the paper accepts pen and pencils smoothly, without clumping or skipping.

Some of the cheap notebook have a waxy paper making the ink skip which is frustrating when you need to write fast. Cheap notebooks tend to have super thin paper that can only be used on one side since the ink shows through the back.

Give me a Moleskine any day and I am happy to use it. Even if if costs an outrageous $2.00 a month to own.

Molecover says on October 10th, 2009 at 6:38 am

Hi Cynthia, it is nice seeing you outside of the realm of Twitter! =)

We could not agree with you more in regards to your assessment of Moleskine notebooks being low cost.

When you use a notebook for 6 months, you actually want it to last for 6 months without breaking down prematurely. Though we believe Moleskine notebooks are the best of their type on the market, we also have found that even they break down during the last 3 months of use(especially along the spine). This is why we have created products for the Moleskine community like Molecovers and Moletape that to help protect the notebook while being reusable on future notebooks.

For anyone new to out work, you can view it at http://www.molecover.com We hope you enjoy viewing our products as much as we did making them!