Why I like Econote better than Moleskine

Posted on December 16, 2010 by LJ Earnest
Categories: Out Of The Box

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A couple of weeks ago I had an urge to go back to paper as a planning tool (see Drawn Back to Paper?). I even went so far as to check out the Daytimer website, ogling the binders and all the little add-in sheets.

I decided that I really didn’t want to transfer my calendar and contacts back to paper. I like the way that my current system keeps itself up-to-date in various places with no effort on my part. What I wanted was the notebook experience: to be able to draw and scribble and think on paper. Nice paper, that is.

My Old Favorite: The Moleskine

The Moleskine notebook has been around forever. Apparenly lots of famous people have used them. (That doesn’t sway me in the least). The paper is smooth and thick and takes all sorts of ink well.

I’ve been a fan of Moleskines for the past few years. They have different sizes and binding locations that make them interesting. The covers are sturdy and put up with the abuse I dish out.

Unfortunately, with every Moleskine I’ve tried, I’ve abandoned it half-filled. Paging through tons of pages to get to where I am supposed to be annoys me. The drab black color of the covers depresses me, and puts me off writing. And the binding is not good for bending around. It works best lying flat.

Still, it has nice paper, and I had the urge.

But when I went to Barnes and Noble to buy a Moleskine, I saw something different…

The EcoSystem

Right next to the Moleskine display was a bright-colored stand filled with notebooks. I was attracted because the sign proclaimed, “100% Post-Consumer Recycled Paper”. That means it comes out of the paper fibers households send to the processing plant, not the stuff that is left over when paper is cut into reams.

I like the idea of being Green.

But here’s the kicker: they had all the sizes of the Moleskines, but in bright colors. I checked out the open sample, and the paper was great. And the cover was sturdy enough while being flexible.

I bought one in purple.

It wasn’t until I got back to the office that I found the best feature to me: every page in this note book is removable, not just the back 20 like the Moleskine. So that means when I no longer need my scribblings, I can remove them from the book, and they won’t impede my using other pages.

So I have a new favorite.

And because I am always willing to try new notebooks, I’d like to know what your favorites are? Share below.

Photo by Markus Rödder

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