Remember my stack of notebooks? Well, thanks to a chunky package from Personalised Stationery that arrived today, and my latest Spotlight Stationery subscription box, I now have an even bigger pile of blank paper to work my way through. Woe is me, eh?

Fortunately, I started a new job last week so I’ve had plenty of cause to fill up some pages as I take notes in meetings and on calls, and manage my somewhat-chaotic to-do list.

The notebook I picked was the Baron Fig Confidant. After half filling it, I’m pretty pleased with my choice and I can recommend it. But there are a few things to look out for.

  • Smaller size: The Confidant is just that bit smaller in both dimensions than your typical A5 book. If you’ve spent years with A5 notebooks, this creates a bit of an odd sensation of feeling cramped; you’ll rattle through the pages a bit quicker, too. On the flip side, it’s that bit more portable.
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It’s not how big it is, it’s what you do with it that counts. Amirite? Amirite?!

  • No elastic loop: I’ve come to rely on the elastic not only to keep the notebook closed in my bag, but to clip a pen to as I walk between meetings. The Confidant has no loop, and I’ve come to miss it.
  • Tactile cover: The fabric finish of the cover is really very smart — it comes across as that bit more designed than your average notebook. Although the crinkling on the spine is still a bit annoying. The grey contrasts nicely with the cheerful yellow bookmark.

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  • Toothy paper: This is perhaps the most important thing to note. It may not feel like it under the fingertips, but under the nib the texture of the paper is quite noticeable. I happen to like it, but you may not.
  • Ink-resistant printing: The dots that make up the dot grid are fairly big, they’re pale, and most of the time ink seems to roll right off them, leaving bizarre little grey dots in the middle of your letters. Worth noting, though, that the paper is really fountain-pen friendly. I haven’t been bothered by any bleeding, feathering or show-through.
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See the ink has skipped over the dot at the top of the ‘O’?

The Confidant has a very definite feel to it — one that’s surprisingly distinct from many of the other notebooks I’ve used over the years. It’s a premium product, but in a stripped-back, lightweight way. Thin hard covers, no pocket, no elastic closure, smaller pages. If you’re more Lotus than Bentley, Bauhaus than Rococo, you’ll feel right at home.