When you buy your first Traveler’s Notebook (TN), you will immediately look for accessories (especially refills) that you feel you need. The first brand that you will look into would be the manufacturer of the TN, Traveler’s Company. Traveler’s Company has a wide array of choices when it comes to their refills. Nevertheless, we ask ourselves if we should go for their brand or look for a third party brand that could be better.
In 2019, Traveler’s Company added the Dot Grid refill (026) in their line up. When I learned that they already had their own dot grid refill, I immediately got my hands on one for around $5. Was it worth the wait and money? Read more to find out.
Notebook Specifications
- Regular TN size
- Staple-bound
- 5mm dot grid
- Midori MD paper
- 32 sheets (64 pages)
- H210mm x W110mm x D4mm
The Cover
The cover is very simple. Nothing flashy. No labels or branding in either the front and the back. The cover is made out of cardstock but still on the softer side. You could use it independently of a Traveler’s Notebook leather cover but it could easily be damaged if not handled properly.
Keep in mind that there is a front page that has a frame where you can use to label your refill.
The Paper
The Traveler’s Company refills are made with white Midori MD paper, which is bleed resistant and feather resistant paper. It has 5x5mm dot grid which is standard for most dot grid notebooks. The margins of the 026 refill start at ~2.5mm, which might not sit well for some.
With other pens, it performed well. No feathering and no bleed-through (except for the Sharpie, which bled through the next page just a little bit). The notebook is a bit “toothy”, which is something that you would notice when you use pens with a finer nib. If you write with a broader nib, you might experience lesser to no feedback compared to writing with a fine nib.
There is show through and this might be comparable to the Leuchtturm1917 notebooks. This may or may not be a dealbreaker for some.
This 80gsm paper is also fountain pen friendly. Just like the Tomoe River paper, the Midori MD paper also shows off characteristics of ink (i.e. sheen).
Final Thoughts
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Paper Quality5/5 AmazingNo bleed-through, no feathering, can handle fountain pen ink and watercolor. A bit on the toothy side but still generally smooth.
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Value for Money5/5 AmazingIf you take this from a pay-as-go perspective, the notebook is pretty cheap since it retails for around $5. However, if you count the cost per page (64 pages), it costs around $0.07 (Leuchtturm costs $0.08/page + hard cover). I factored in the paper quality of this notebook (which is close to the Tomoe River), so I feel that the cost is justified.
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Durability4/5 GoodIf used without a leather cover, the notebook is susceptible to damage.
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Design5/5 AmazingIt's simple and minimalistic. The simplicity makes sense because if you use this notebook with a leather cover, you wouldn't need to see the design of the notebooks anyway. The slim margins weren't my favorite thing in the notebook. I was not also thrilled with the edges of the pages because they were a bit sharp.
The Good
- Excellent paper quality
The Bad
- Sharp corners
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