It is around ten months since I reviewed the Leuchtturm 1917 for the first time (you find that review here). This is the smaller pocket size version – only difference is the size; all other features as the bigger one. This has the dotted paper, but can also be had with lines, squares or blank. I was overall positive even if I saw a few drawbacks, as the transparency of the paper:

“The feathering is in most cases very slight or none. It handles the Diamine Royal Blue – the big bad featherer – very well, with only slight feathering. It handles wet nibs… in an impressing way – without bleed through or feathering. The only drawback in this respect is that the thin (but dense and non-flimsy) pages are a bit transparent. On the other hand I’ve yet to find a notebook that is fool-proof in this regard”

I made the review before I had tried the Quo Vadis Habana (review here) which set a new standard – both quality and build. The Habana is practically foolproof when it comes to fountain pens. No feathering or bleed through even when you throw wet and broad pens and feathering prone inks at it. (OK – if one really is determined to make it bleed or feather one probably succeeds, but with normal use)

So. Then the game ought to be over and this review redundant? No. I have a little stash of notebooks in my drawer and when I should choose which notebook to use as a travel journal for my upcoming trip the Leuchtturm became my choice. Partially because I already had it and it seemed silly to buy another one; partially because it has some features that makes it real good for travelling purposes (or any purposes where one effortlessly wants to organize different kinds of content:

• Table of contents – not only one, but three pages where one can list the content. Very good both for planning a journey and during the journey.

• Numbered pages. Very good when one is travelling. Then it’s easy to organize the journal without a lot of effort. I like to have one “diary” part and then sections over different places to jot down tips and such. Works very well with the table of contents.
• Perforated rip-out pages in the end of the notebook. Perfect during the journey.
• Stickers to put on the cover and spine if one wants to make it easy to catalogue different travel journals.
• A pen loop can easily be added which is very handy (especially with the featured Pilot M90) when one is travelling. They are bought separately and can easily be attached to the front or back.
• The paper quality doesn’t match the Habana, but during travels I will not use broad, wet pens much to jot down notes and it handles narrow nibs well.

The smart little pen loop that can be added to the Leuchtturm.

Nice dots and numbered pages.

Ink test: Most pens fared well. The bleeders were the Conway Stewart, the Talentum & the YOL. The others didn’t bleed. The  featherers were the CS – loaded with a well known featherere (Diamine Royal Blue) and the Talentum (loaded with Iroshizuku Fuyu-Syogun which also is a feathering prone ink.)

In all this is a notebook with some nice features that makes it special and very usable for those in need of organizing their notebook without spending time on customizing them themselves. The paper is reasonably fountain pen friendly and tackles fine and medium nibs that doesn’t drool on the paper quite well. I still find it a nice acquaintance and a complement to the beloved Habana.

…and the postcards is from my late grandmother’s stash of postcards which I am happy that I took care of. A document of time.