Notebook Review: Midori MD Light

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In this review, I will review both of the A5 grid and the blank versions of the MD light (because the only difference is the ruling).

The Midori MD Light is a 48-page notebook that is typically sold in a pack of three. It is a staple-bound notebook that is packaged with notebooks of the same ruling.

The paper on the MD Light is cream-colored, similar to the Leuchtturm1917. It’s not as white as the Tomoe River but not as yellow as the paper in the Rhodia Goalbook.

The set also comes with sticker labels that can be used when archiving old notebooks.

The Cover

The cover is simple. Nothing fancy, just a cream-colored card stock. Of course this type of material can damage easily. A small spill can easily ruin the cover.

To protect them, you can always purchase notebook covers. Midori sells notebook jackets for their MD notebooks but you can always opt for a traveler’s notebook cover.

It has a small debossed label that describes the type of paper used – which is the “MD paper”.

Dimensions

This notebook is a standard A5 sized notebook (8.3″x5.8″) and is 0.1 in thick (24 sheets).

Paper Quality

The quality is outstanding. No bleeding, no feathering. I’ve tried highlighters, fountain pen ink, and brush pens and they performed really well. The only pen that bled through (but did not feather) was the Sharpie, which was something that I was expecting).

The MD paper was able to handle large ink swabs and a pool of ink without bleeding through the paper. When I do large ink drops on the Rhodia (90gsm) and the Tomoe River (52gsm), I would always need a writing mat (or a piece of thick paper) so that it won’t bleed through the subsequent pages. I was relieved when I didn’t have to do that with the MD notebook.

Fountain Pen Use

Definitely fountain-pen friendly! I use the MD Light as my Ink Journal and it’s just as good as the Tomoe River paper. The MD Light shows off ink characteristics really well – especially with inks you wouldn’t think had a bit of sheen.

For Other Pens and Markers

I’ve only tried the Tombow dual brush pen, Tombow drawing pens, and a Sharpie. They all performed well with the paper.

This Notebook is Best For…

1. Fountain pen use
2. Watercoloring
3. Bullet Journaling
4. On-the-go journaling

Score Rationale

• Paper Quality – 10. No bleed-through, no feathering, can handle fountain pen ink and watercolor. Minimal show-through.
• Value for Money – 9. I think it’s pretty affordable considering the quality of paper. The price varies depending on where you are in the world. It probably sells for around $7-$8 in Asia but $13 in the US.
• Durability – 7. Because of the card stock cover, The notebook itself can easily be damaged in a bag. If I were to carry this around in my bag, I would need to use a notebook cover. If you need to protect your notebook, you might need to buy a separate notebook case for it.
• Design – 9. I like the minimalist style but this might not appeal to everyone. It’s only sold in one color – which is almost the same color as the sheets in it.

Final Thoughts

I use my MD notebook for my Fountain Pen Ink Journal. I didn’t pay attention to the cream colored paper but when I started the #30Inks30Days challenge, I realized that white paper would be so much better for ink sampling and testing.

I’m not sure if the cream paper had an effect on the actual color of the ink but it doesn’t seem to be that different (unlike some yellowish papers).

Overall, I think this is a great notebook. Ever since I learned that the paper could bring out the sheening properties of the ink, I immediately migrated my ink journal (from a Rhodia) to this set of notebooks.

The MD paper has just the right amount of smoothness but it’s not as smooth as the Rhodia/Clairefontaine paper. I like papers that have a bit of tooth just because I like actually feeling that I’m writing on paper. Some may or may not like that and prefer the buttery smooth texture like Rhodia.

Where You Can Buy This

You can get it from JetPens.com or on Amazon ⤵️