Leuchtturm1917 A5 notebook review
Numbered pages and a table of contents, which sounds fussy until you try to find an entry from two months ago.
A thread-bound A5 hardcover notebook with 251 numbered pages, a blank table of contents, eight perforated detachable sheets and an expandable back pocket.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Size | A5 Medium, approximately 5.75 inches wide |
| Pages | 251 numbered pages |
| Paper | 80gsm acid-free, with high ink compatibility to help prevent bleed through |
| Binding | Thread bound, opens flat |
| Extras | Blank table of contents, 8 perforated detachable sheets, expandable gusseted back pocket |
| Cover | Hardcover, FSC MIX paper from responsible sources |
Specifications above come from Leuchtturm1917's published specifications. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- Numbered pages plus a table of contents turns a journal from a pile of entries into something you can navigate, which matters enormously once you have filled two or three.
- Thread binding that opens flat means you can write across the gutter and the book stays where you put it, which is the difference between using a notebook and fighting it.
- 80gsm acid-free paper handles most pens without ghosting badly, and acid-free matters if these are going on a shelf for years.
- Perforated sheets at the back are for the pages you want to tear out and give away or throw away, which is a real part of shadow work.
- The back pocket takes the loose card, ticket or note you would otherwise lose.
Where it falls short
- 80gsm is good paper and it is not fountain pen paper. Wet nibs and heavy inks will show through, and if you write with a broad fountain pen you will feel it.
- It costs several times what an unbranded notebook costs, and the words you write are identical either way. The premium buys navigation and durability, nothing else.
- A hardcover A5 is not pocket sized. If your practice depends on carrying it constantly, a softcover or a smaller size suits better.
- The numbering is only useful if you actually fill in the contents page, which most people abandon by page forty.
- A beautiful notebook can become a reason not to write, because the first page feels expensive. If that is you, buy something cheap and write in it today.
What owners report
The consistent theme in published owner reports is that people who journal seriously buy these repeatedly, and the numbered pages and contents page are always the reason given. That kind of repeat purchase is the most reliable signal a notebook can generate.
The consistent complaint is paper weight for fountain pen users, who describe ghosting with wet inks. Everyone else describes the paper as good. Both can be true, and it tells you exactly which group should look elsewhere.
Who it suits
- Anyone journaling regularly enough to want to find an old entry.
- People who keep several notebooks and want them indexed.
- Writers who need a book that lies flat on a desk.
Who should skip it
- Fountain pen users with wet nibs, who need heavier paper.
- Occasional writers, where the premium buys nothing they will use.
- Anyone whose barrier is starting rather than organising, who should buy the cheapest notebook available and begin.
Alternatives worth considering
Thick ivory pages, an elastic closure and an inner storage pocket, in the format most people picture when they think of a journal. No page numbers and no contents page, which is the whole argument between the two. We compare them directly.
Check price on AmazonA plain A5 notebook for a fraction of the price. If what is stopping you is that you have not started, this is the honest recommendation: the practice matters and the paper does not.
Check price on AmazonCommon questions
Leuchtturm1917 or Moleskine for journaling?
Leuchtturm if you want to find entries again, because numbered pages and a table of contents make a journal navigable. Moleskine if you prefer the paper feel and the elastic closure and do not care about indexing. The paper is close enough that most people choose on the numbering. Our comparison covers both in detail.
Does Leuchtturm paper handle fountain pens?
80gsm acid-free paper copes with most pens well and shows ghosting with wet nibs and heavy inks. If you write with a fine or medium nib it is fine; if you use a broad or a stub with saturated ink, look for a notebook with heavier paper.
Do I need a special notebook for shadow work?
No. What matters is that you write, regularly, honestly, and somewhere you will not be read by accident. A good notebook makes the habit more pleasant and a cheap one holds the same words. Our guided journal versus blank journal comparison covers whether prompts help more than paper does.
What are the perforated pages for?
The last eight sheets tear out cleanly. In practice people use them for lists they need to carry, for letters they write and do not send, and for the pages they want out of the book once written. That last use is a real part of shadow work and it is worth knowing the pages are there.
Is a blank, dotted, ruled or squared notebook better?
Whichever stops you thinking about the paper. Ruled suits continuous writing, dotted suits people who mix writing with diagrams and layouts, blank suits drawing. There is no correct answer and switching format is not progress; writing more often is.
Keep reading
- Leuchtturm1917 vs Moleskine
- Guided vs blank journal
- The journaling app
- Moleskine Classic review
- The Artist's Way review
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.