The Write Notepads Engineer Notebook is the notebook of my young Pen Addict dreams. And it’s pretty darn great for my older self as well.
When I was a kid, I used to hunt down engineering notebooks from the LSU campus bookstore. This is the store where many of stationery discoveries originated from, and finding those odd looking, brown-marbled cover gems was always a highlight. You weren’t going to find these on your middle school supplies list, that’s for sure.
The Engineer Notebook is Write’s take on this classic design, and they have done it right. From the cover - made from wear resistant Oilboard - to the light yellow paper, to the grid on top of grid format, this notebook is a retro dream.
So, how does it handle our modern tools? Pretty well, unless you are a fountain pen die-hard. Write’s pocket notebooks are notoriously fountain pen friendly, but the same doesn’t apply for this paper. Write mentions as much in the product description, which I greatly appreciate from them. In practice, my extra fine nibs worked well on the page, and medium and greater nibs feathered a good amount. I wouldn’t enjoy writing page after page with a wide, wet nib.
What I would enjoy is writing with everything else in the Engineer Notebook. Gel, ballpoint, rollerball, pencil, fineliner - all were excellent. The paper has a little tooth, which makes pencils feel exceptional, but not enough to notice with even the finest of standard pens.
Now, there are a ton of notebooks on the market that fit the description of average with fountain pens and great with everything else. So, what makes this one a notebook you should consider? Quality, design, and nostalgia.
Write Notepads put a lot of thought and care into the production of the Engineer Notebook. The square size (7” x 7”) is unique, as are the paper color and grid layout. And there is an even larger 8.5” x 11” Memo Pad option. I’m clearly a fan, and have the pens, pencils, and ideas to fill it with. You will have to to determine how you will use it, and what you will use in it.
Regardless of anything else, Write has added another great product to an ever expanding product lineup, and I look forward to seeing what’s next.
(I paid regular retail price from Write Notepads for the product in this review. I also have a separate business/wholesale relationship with the company.)
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