We wrote on six notebooks with eight pens to see which paper holds up.
Paper weight is measured in grams per square metre. Heavier paper is usually more opaque and takes wet ink better, but weight is not the whole story.
The test
We wrote the same sentence on six notebooks with a ballpoint, two gel pens, a rollerball, a fineliner, a highlighter, a brush pen and a fountain pen. Then we turned the page.
70 gsm
Kokuyo Campus paper surprised us. It is thin, but so smooth and well coated that only the fountain pen and brush pen showed through. For gel pens and pencils it is excellent.
100 gsm
Our planners use 100 gsm paper. Gel pens and highlighters were invisible from the back. The fountain pen showed a faint shadow.
120 gsm and above
The Dot Grid Journal took everything, including the brush pen, with no bleed. The 150 gsm cotton paper in the Leather Journal has more texture and a slower drying time.
Our verdict
For class notes, 70 gsm from a good mill is plenty. For journaling with markers or fountain pens, choose 120 gsm.
