Comparison Moleskine Minions Ruled Pocket Yellow vs Ciak Natural Ruled Notebook Pocket Grey

The grammage of the paper used in the notebook primarily depends on its thickness and durability. In addition, this parameter often determines the quality in general: thick paper usually belongs to a higher price range than lighter paper. For comparison, it can be noted that the thinnest packaging paper has a grammage of about 20 g/m², the density of a standard “office” paper is 80 g/m², and 150 g/m² material is already referred to as cardboard.

Keep in mind that a more grammage and, accordingly, thicker paper correspondingly increases the thickness of the product (ceteris paribus).

The type of binding (cover) used in the notebook.

— Soft. In this case, it means that such a binding is able to bend quite strongly and straighten again without visible traces. This is one of the main advantages of such covers: for example, when tightly packed in a bag, a notebook can easily fit the environment, bending to the desired shape. Of course, the flexibility of bindings is not infinite, and the degree of protection they provide is generally somewhat lower than that of hardcovers. However, this degree is sufficient in most cases, and this type of notebook cover is by far the most common. They can be made from almost any material (see below), except for metal.

— Hard. Hard covers that do not lend to any serious bending without damage. Such covers are usually thicker than soft ones and better protect the contents of the notebook from various adverse effects. At the same time, they are less convenient, and therefore have not received significant retail spread. The most commonly used material for hardcovers is cardboard.

— Spiral. This category includes notebooks where the pages are bound with a characteristic spiral wire threaded through the holes on each sheet. The main advantage of such bindings can be called the ability to easily tear out any page (whereas other types of bindings use paper clips or stitching with thread, and this i...s not so easy to do).

— Cardboard. A kind of paper that differs from the regular paper in greater thickness and, accordingly, rigidity. The main advantages of cardboard are ease of production and low cost. At the same time, its protective properties are quite modest: for example, water resistance is usually out of view, and stains from various liquids (for example, tea) instantly appear on such a cover. In addition, after bending, a characteristic wrinkle remains on the straightened cardboard, spoiling the appearance. As a result, this material is used relatively rarely and mainly in the simplest versions of notebooks.

— Leather. A very advanced material that combines good protective properties and stylish appearance — thanks to that, a leather notebook can also play the role of a fashion accessory. Leather covers are available in various colours and textures (smooth leather, suede). As for the protective properties, it is worth mentioning water resistance and temperature extremes. At the same time, this material is sensitive to scratches and rather demanding to care for: you need to occasionally treat it with protective agents and follow special conditions for cleaning and drying. If not, deformations and cracks are possible, spoiling the appearance of the product. And the cost of the skin is quite high.

— Ecopolymer. In terms of practical specs, this material is a type of plastic; the word "eco" in the name indicates the safety for the env...ironment claimed by the manufacturer. The ecopolymer is durable enough, moisture resistant, easily cleaned of dirt, it can be given almost any colour, and this material is inexpensive. Among the cons can be noted the predisposition to scratches.

— Metal. If we talk about notebook covers, then metal can be attributed to exclusive materials. It is durable, resistant to moisture, temperature extremes and dirt, practically does not bend, while giving the product a stylish original appearance. At the same time, the use of such notebooks is associated with a number of inconveniences. For example, the edge of the cover, if handled carelessly, can easily scratch the furniture, and the cover itself often creates unnecessary noise (this is especially unpleasant on glass surfaces). Because of this some other reasons, this option is very rare.

The availability of own pockets, located, usually, from inside the cover of the diary. Of course, you can’t put a large item into such a pocket, but they can be very useful for business cards, individual sheets of notes, etc.