Moleskine Classic Notebook Breakdown Review

December 12, 2016

Moleskine Classic Notebook Breakdown Review

This is the traditional notebook I think most anyone would picture in their mind when the word notebook comes to mind. at 5 x 8.25 inches it is an ideal size of bigger than a small journal or notebook to stuff in your pocket yet not as big as a traditional binder or basic notebook with 250 sheets of paper you would get at your local office supply store. I think this is what makes this size the most popular of all other notebook sizes because it's that perfect inbetween size. Most likely if you have ever seen someone with a journal or notebook/planner this is the size you will typically see. No matter how great I think the size is however, if you need a smaller or larger size I can not convince you this is the one you want. But if you are looking for the perfect idealistic notebook among all others look no further.

The great thing about Moleskine is that you can usually spot one a mile away. They have a signature elastic band around the back and front that hold them together when transporting or resting and a back pocket for you to keep anything from smaller notes on scraps of paper, mini rulers, stickers, receipts and any other smaller flat items with the thickness of paper. (I personally find them useful when purchasing items for my business when I need to save the receipt.)

The outer material is a faux-leather and do not let the plain black color fool you. They come in almost every color of the rainbow if you search around so that you are guaranteed to find the color you are looking for. I like to have a color theme for each year where I pair my main notebook with a smaller one for specific journaling. The ruled lines are probably the most popular of the options but these notebooks also come in dotted, square, and blank depending on what you want to use them for. You may want a blank one for drawing, or a squared one so that you can make the perfect draft of a design, or even the dotted one to get the perfect calculation. No matter what the purpose Moleskine has you covered because when it comes to variety. I prefer the Moleskine brand above all others because of the endless options they provide. Every type of traditional journal in all the page type options come in a range of sizes from small, medium, large, and extra large. They also have different types of notebooks but for the sake of the variety they offer we will stick to examining this particular style in all of its sizes and page types.

The Moleskine notebooks come in 3 different page types. We will take a look at them here.

Ruled:

Squared (grid):

Dotted:

Plain:

If you are considering a Moleskine notebook first you should choose what page type you need then you can move on to your size. With so many variations out there it can be confusing but hopefully you are starting to see all the types that are provided.

Now I don't think you need a picture to show you size so I will just tell you.

Small/pocket size is 3.5 x 5.5 inches. This size is perfect if you want a tiny notebook perfect to slip in and out of your pocket. These can make for great notes and jotting down todo list with a very nice form factor that will turn heads. (See it on Amazon here.)

The medium while you would think would be the most used size of all the sizes is not. Its size is 4.5 x 7.2 inches and believe it or not it is the most unseen size Moleskine makes for whatever reason. I personally think they should have made the large the medium but that is just me. I know it sounds confusing but most likely the size you will want that most people purchase is the large. (See it on Amazon here.)

The large is 5 x 8.25 inches and is the most used size you will see everyone using. This is the traditional size you see when you think of a journal. (See it on Amazon here)

If you are the type of person who likes a very large notebook then extra large is the one you want. Coming in at 7.5 x 9.75 inches this should get the job done and allow you to pack in as much as you want. I personally believe it is too big for a journal but I could see it being perfect for those who draw and design. (See it on Amazon here.)

Now like I said these notebooks come in just about every color in the rainbow so search around if you are looking for a specific color. Now that you understand the page types and size you can make the perfect decision as to which you would like. There are many other specific use case types that Moleskine makes like Planners, Business notebooks, Evernote editions, lightweight cashier notebooks, notebooks with your favorite themes on the outside and even journals for specific occasions like food, travel, weddings, and more. They truly are the leaders in the industry when it comes to notebooks. After all they were originally created from the style of notebooks some of the great creators of all time used from all the way back in the 1700's. I am sure you will love a moleskine notebook the first time you use one. I have been using them for years and haven't looked back.

Here are some quick links to take a look at the size and page options for the notebooks.

Small Ruled

Medium (only available in mixed page types)

Large Ruled

Extra Large Ruled

Small Dotted

Medium Dotted (not available)

Large Dotted

Extra Large Dotted

Small Squared

Medium Squared (not available)

Large Squared