RhodiaRhodiarama SoftCover Notebook - 80 Dots Sheets - 9 3/4 x 7 1/2 - Sapphire Cover (117558C)

I purchased "A5 Orange Notebook - Dotted Pages" for a Biology course which has required trips into our school's wildlife reserve to observe and note flora and fauna, along with pictures. I intended to paint pictures into my notebook but I didn't want bold, ugly lines running across the page, nor did I want a sketchbook so I whittled down my options down to dot-grids. Then for paper quality I had to do quite a bit of research and found Rhodia.Since it was my first time buying and trying their notebooks along with being a college student, I went with the more cheaper option. I regret not buying a hardcover version.I think it goes without saying that it's extremely nice paper. All of my inks and paints went on extremely smoothly and had minimal if any feathering.There is ghosting but it depends on how dark and deeply saturated your inks are and along with how much ink your pen lays down at a time.For example, a fine nib (0.5) would lay down much less ink and would ghost less than a medium (0.7). The same goes for paint, although I have not yet "seriously" tested it out and only laid down a few test splotches. Being wet, the paint does warp the paper but it does smooth out after you clamp it shut. Personally I like this as it makes the journal feel like it has more character being worn in and all.The cover is waterproof, smooth, soft and foamy with their iconic brand embossed/indented on there. Mine's did NOT have the black inking. You can indent the cover and the indentation will spring back up as a result of the thin layer of foam. As being foam, the notebook is of the softcover variety. You would need more support if you're bringing it out to the field as I intend to.There's a pocket in the back and a ribbon, all matching colors.The paper is produced by the French company, Clairefontaine who also produce their own line of journal/notebooks. The paper is around 90gsm or 60lbs, vellum textured, cream/ivory colored.There are 80 sheets of paper = 160 pages, NOT including the "title" and "end" pages (colored pages before/after the actual writing paper).Compared to the absolute BEST fountain paper I've tried (Apica) and the worst (newspapers @1/10, loose leaf/cheap notebook papers @2/10), I'd rate this a 9/10. A bit thicker (maybe 90 or 100gsm) and it'd be absolutely perfect.I wouldn't recommend this to anyone; this is needed/ Give Rhodin/Clairefontaine at LEAST a try.

I've been using Moleskine notebooks for the last few years and loved them, but I have had people tell me they are overpriced in light of the quality. I never had an issue with Moleskines until I started using fountain pens--this is where paper is put to the test. I've tried three different types of Moleskine with fountain pens, and the paper is totally different. But unless you are using the Cahier notebooks, with fountain pens (or anything else that writes very wet), you are going to experience scratchiness, tons of ghosting, and/or a fair amount of bleeding.With Rhodia, you pretty much know what you are getting. All of their products have one of two weights of paper. Both are heavy, very smooth, and pretty ink-resistant. I love this paper.As for this notebook in particular: the cover has a nice leather-like look and feel (better than the leatherette Moleskines). The spine is a little lumpy, but nothing I can't live with. I have note used the hardcover Webnotebooks; I assume they are at least this quality, and they have a few more sheets in them.If you are using fountain pens, or if you just want to try a notebook/journal with some very smooth paper, give this a try. At the price I paid, these cost about 2 cents more per sheet compared to the A5 Moleskine hardcover, and the paper quality is so much better that it's well worth it.

I’m incredibly weird and picky about notebooks. I bought this one in red for my first bullet journal, in March 2018, and immediately fell in love. There’s something humble about it - it’s not fancy, not hardcover, doesn’t have any real bells or whistles, and that somehow made it the perfect thing to get started with bullet journaling. I admit, I get intimidated by pretty journals and stationery - it feels like you’re going to mess it up. Not this. It’s inviting somehow. The leatherette cover is soft and feels good to hold. It opens up completely flat without damaging the spine - I don’t know how they do it. I also hardly ever use up a notebook entirely, or keep up a journaling practice, but I wrote on the last page of that first red rhodiarama in May of 2019. I tried to move onto a different brand after that but it just wouldn’t do, so I bought another one of these in turquoise and I’m back to journaling. I’m telling you, these things are magic. I use mostly sharpie pens, plus occasional highlighter and posca marker. Sometimes highlighters bleed through very slightly, but other than that, I’ve had no issues. The paper is soft and lovely to write on. I love how it’s slightly off white rather than just white, if that makes sense.Amazon isn’t letting me put pictures on this review for some reason so I’ll just describe what the 2018-2019 journal looks like after daily use for a year. It’s a little scuffed along the outer spine and edges, but it’s held up really well.

I switched to this notebook after finding my A5 bullet journal a little cumbersome and love it! The journal lives in my handbag and is sturdy enough to live up this challenge. The attached elastic band has never slipped off, and holds the book tight enough that nothing can slip inside and damage the pages. It's small enough not to be a bother and now comes everywhere with me. There is a relatively large cardboard wallet in the back pocket which I have shoved stuff in before and the elastic has still held. I stick a lot of things in my journal and as you can see in the photograph it only adds to its charm.The notebook will fold out flat to write in, though you need a little persuasion. I have practically folded it inside out before and you can't tell. Washi tape and glue tape rollers stick in the book fine. Just be aware that the pages are on the thinner side, so if you coat one page in washi tape don't expect to able to write smoothly on the following page - you'll get stuck in the bumps. I only use biros and coloured pencils in my journal, neither of which go through on to the other side. If you use a pen heavy-handedly it will leave a ridge in the opposing page (you can see this in the picture of January's cover page).I'm tempted to get a few more of these just to use for general writing. I'm extremely happy with it and believe it could serve multiple purposes admirably.

An excellent quality book which is ideal for journals. Unlike a certain market leader it isA) genuinely French rather than made in ChinaB) bleed-proof. I’ve used a variety of pens, from fountain pens to brush pens and the paper holds the ink well with no bleed or see through.The B5 size is ideal for writing and drawing in a journal and line spacing good for those whose eyes are over 40.My only two criticisms - some of the prices are ridiculously high for what is essentially a superior exercise book.And the cover is a pig to write on if you want to label the spine. Most inks smear. How about supplying with orange labels (to match the end covers)?

As a diligent Moleskine user, I have always stuck with the brand, yet I found that the paper has become so thin over the years that you can even see pencil marks. I decided to branch out, initially about to go for the Leuchtturm 1917, but I'm so happy I did not go with the crowd. I decided to buy a Rhoda A5 and I will never go back. The size is perfect, the paper cannot be compared to the two bigger brands - it is so thick and smooth, whilst having a huge range of colours for the silky soft cover. I was sceptical of the dots, initially thinking they were too prominent on the page, yet when I received the Rhoda I was happily surprised - perfect for bullet journaling. All and all, I have no idea why the Rhodia is not top of the notebook charts!! love love love

I'm a heavy user of notebooks in my professional life and get through several each month. I use Moleskine, Leuchtturm 1917 and Rhodia the most, as they are all high quality and hard wearing. Of the three, the paper in the Rhodia journals is head and shoulders above the others, and can be relied on to take all sorts of ink easily and without any bleed through. The 'webbie' (A5 squared) is legendary and for good reason, and this larger soft back version (which uses slightly thinner paper) is also superb. You get similar features to the competitor brands - a ribbon for page marking and a large pocket on the inside back cover - but the paper is so much better.

This notebook is BEAUTIFUL. It's really pocket-sized and has a really soft-touch cover with Rhodia logo embedded in the centre. The inside covers are lined in plain orange card with a expanding slot on the back inside cover (never really know what to put in these though!). The paper inside is cream with a dark grey dotted grid. A really wonderful notebook. Rhodia always delivers excellent quality - anyone who loves notebooks will love this one too. It's completely delightful.