» Hardcover or Softcover Journals- Which do you prefer?
Rhodia user China from the UK wrote to us asking if there might be a possibility of a soft-covered Webnotebook in the future. Hmmmmmm….
In my house, (750 sq ft) table space is at a premium and when I write I often find myself in the easy chair with a journal propped open on my knee. Hardcover journals work much, much better in this scenario but there are occasions when I will specifically seek out a softcover product. I like to use the skinnier staple bound soft cover journals as individual project books- like when I was developing material for the mandala workshop I taught this past summer.
Knowing that people like different products for different reasons, tell us which you prefer and why – hardcover or softcover journals?
Comments
Hi Stephanie, I have to say that there isn’t a perfect notebook for everything, there are notebooks for every occasion.
I use hardcover and softcover notebooks, and each has their uses. Softcover is less durable, but weighs less and is transported easier. Moleskine released softcover notebooks so I guess that there is a good market for these.
I thought I preferred softcover until I got my Rhodia Web Notebook. Then, when I received a Quo Vadis Habana notebook, I was sure: hardcover’s the way for me.
For notetaking (completely different), I still prefer disc-bound softcovers.
I prefer both: larger sizes seem to work better in hardcover, as long as they lay flat when open. Anything small enough to fit in a pocket I seem to prefer thin and soft-covered, with two exceptions: top-bound reporter style notebooks that I’m likely to hold in my hand and No.8, 10, and 11 Rhodia pads.
Great question. Until recently I would have unequivocally said hard cover – all the journals of my youth were hard cover because I always wrote lying face down on the bed, or on my knee, as you described. But I do like thinner, staplebound books for specific projects – Apica, for example; I use that as a thesis journal because it slips easily into a larger folder.
Right now, I’m in love with the Exacompta Basics sketchbook, which surprises me because I’d always preferred hardcover sketchbooks.
A softcover webnotebook – this sounds odd, but I would only be interested if it were blank or gridded. For me, lined=private journal, which again, I much prefer in hard cover.
I prefer hardcovers. Easier if you want to take notes and don’t have a table. Also more elegant.
For journaling and sketching I prefer hardcover, as I am frequently working outdoors. I often carry the books around in my backpack and the hard cover is best because it does not get as tattered with this treatment as most soft covers will. But for notes (such as for school) and books that I will mainly be using while working indoors at a table, then softcover notebooks work as well.
I like hardcover books the best. I find that soft covers get too badly damaged too easily, and that makes me feel bad. It’s weird, I know. But I don’t like hurting my books, and I carry one around EVERYWHERE.
I found that ALL my journals and calendars are hard cover, going all the way back to the beginnings with Franklin Covey day-per-2-pages (which I still use.
Having a ringbound hardcover calendar book makes it easy to pop out today’s page and use it on a clipboard, then put it back at the end of the day. And I do a lot of laptop writing on the go – and I REALLY need the firmness of a hardbound book for that so I can read my writing the next day AND so my fountain pens won’t skip!
Even my portable prayers blank book (write the prayers in by event as needed) is one of the nicely decorated hardbound books with the wrap around cover that closes magnetically.
I didn’t NEED the fancy snap on that one: I bought it for the decorated (public-prayer-appropriate) art around the outside.
Rev/Dr J.
Both. For notetaking at conventions, I prefer hard bound that will fold back on themselves, like the Habanas. For personal journaling, the tactile feel of soft leather is more relaxing and sensuous. For my writing, I prefer the notebook fold back on itself, which is why I keep reverting to the staple or cloth bound Clairefontaines. I associate hard backs with travel and portability, while the soft bound go with writing on desks or lap boards.
I do my journalling on hard cover notebooks. Moleskine has been my Journal for 3 years and now I also got Quo Vadis Habana and a locally produced fountain pen-friendly hardcover journal, the Scribe. For notetaking during meetings, I like using spiral-bound notebooks. :)
I’ve always preferred hardcover notebooks. They tend to take abuse a bit better than softcover ones, with a few exceptions.
Anything I’m going to use mostly for writing, I prefer hardcover – as long as it opens/lays flat. If it’s going to be more of a sketchbook, then softcover is better for me. Either way, I *seriously* dislike spiralbound or three-ring loose-leaf or discbound or similar products. I much prefer my notebooks/journals to look like finished books.
What I’d really love to get ahold of, tho, would be something like the notebook Johnny Depp’s Ichabod Crane uses in the movie “Sleepy Hollow”. That was one neat-looking journal!
Hardcover, so I always have a firm writing surface available, and so my notebooks don’t get beaten up as much. I’ve even made heavy covers for a couple soft ones so I could use them more easily.
Hard cover, because I’m not always at a desk. In addition, flexible notebooks tend to get mauled in the small bag I use.
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