My Top 5 Notebooks and Journals

Choosing a top five notebooks and journals list is harder than it sounds, especially when you have used a lot of them over the years. This roundup is personal rather than purely technical. It is about the notebooks that keep coming back: the ones that feel good to write in, hold up well, or bring a particular mood to journaling.

The five picks here cover different uses. Leuchtturm1917 is the best all-around notebook. Quo Vadis Habana is the smooth paper option. Epica is the beautiful leather journal. Galen Leather brings Tomoe River paper and craftsmanship. Moleskine remains the familiar classic, even with its paper limitations. Together, they show how different a “favorite notebook” can be depending on what you want from the writing experience.

Quick verdict

If you only want one safe recommendation, start with Leuchtturm1917. It has better paper than Moleskine, a sturdy build, useful formats, and enough color options to feel personal. If fountain pen smoothness matters most, the Quo Vadis Habana is the one that stands out. If you want a notebook that feels special before you even write in it, Epica and Galen Leather are the more emotional choices.

Moleskine is still here because it is iconic and easy to use, but it is not the strongest paper performer. That does not make it useless; it just means you need to match it with the right pens. For everyday gel pens, pencils, and simple journaling, it can still be satisfying.

1. Leuchtturm1917: the best all-arounder

Leuchtturm1917 is the notebook that makes the most sense as a general recommendation. It is not the most luxurious option here, and it is not the most dramatic, but it gets the balance right. The paper is usually around 80 GSM, ivory colored, and pleasant enough for daily writing. It is also more fountain-pen-friendly than Moleskine for many people, especially with finer nibs and reasonable ink choices.

The build quality is another reason it stays high on the list. Leuchtturm notebooks tend to hold up well, and they come in enough colors and rulings that you can actually pick something that feels like yours. The cream paper is also easier on the eye than bright white paper, which matters if you write a lot.

2. Quo Vadis Habana: the smooth paper pick

The Quo Vadis Habana is the choice for people who care most about the writing feel. It uses Clairefontaine paper, which is known for being extremely smooth and fountain-pen-friendly. In the video, this is the notebook used for morning pages, and that makes sense. Morning pages are all about flow: writing without friction, without overthinking, and without fighting the page.

The Habana is also slightly larger than A5, giving you more room without becoming too big to carry. That extra space can make long-form journaling feel less cramped. If you dislike scratchy paper and want the pen to glide, this is the notebook in the list that most directly serves that need.

3. Epica leather journal: the beautiful keepsake

The Epica leather journal is the one to choose when you want the notebook itself to feel special. It has a medieval, handmade, old-world look that changes the mood of writing. This is not a minimal office notebook; it is the kind of journal you reach for when you want the act of writing to feel a bit more ceremonial.

It is also refillable, which makes the leather cover more practical. Once the insert is finished, the cover can keep going. That helps justify the more premium feel because you are not just buying a single stack of pages. You are buying a cover that can become part of a longer journaling practice.

4. Galen Leather Tomoe River: the premium paper setup

Galen Leather earns its place because it combines leather craftsmanship with Tomoe River paper. Tomoe River has a reputation for being thin, smooth, and excellent with fountain pens, especially if you enjoy seeing ink properties like shading and sheen. It gives a very different experience from standard notebook paper.

This is the more refined, stationery-lover choice. It may not be the most practical notebook for everyone, because thin paper and premium leather are more specific preferences. But if you enjoy the details of writing tools, paper, and leather covers, Galen Leather feels like a natural favorite.

5. Moleskine: the classic with caveats

Moleskine is still on the list because it remains familiar, simple, and enjoyable for casual journaling. The format is clean, the notebooks are easy to find, and the design has a certain charm. But it also has the biggest paper caveat in this roundup. Compared with Leuchtturm1917, Quo Vadis, and Tomoe River options, Moleskine paper is more likely to disappoint fountain pen users.

That does not mean it is a bad notebook for everyone. If you use pencils, ballpoints, hybrid pens, or drier gel pens, it can still work well. It is best treated as a convenient everyday notebook rather than a technical paper-performance champion.

Pros and cons

How to choose from these five

The easiest way to choose is to start with your pen and your use case. If you use fountain pens or very smooth gel pens, prioritize Quo Vadis or Galen Leather. If you want one notebook for work notes, journaling, lists, and general everyday use, Leuchtturm1917 is the safest pick. If the notebook is meant to feel like a keepsake, Epica makes more sense than a standard hardcover. And if you mainly use simple ballpoints or pencils and just want a familiar notebook, Moleskine can still be perfectly useful.

FAQ

Final Thoughts

This top five works because each notebook has a different job. Leuchtturm1917 is the dependable all-rounder. Quo Vadis Habana is for smooth writing. Epica is for atmosphere. Galen Leather is for paper and leather lovers. Moleskine is the classic everyday option that still has a place if you use the right pens.

If I had to point most people toward one starting place, I would still choose Leuchtturm1917. It gives the best balance without needing too many warnings. But the real lesson from this list is that favorite notebooks are personal. The best journal is the one that makes you want to keep writing.