After many reader requests to do a pen test of the Archer and Olive notebook, here is my review!

Quick facts

• Size: A5
• Hardcover
• Sewn binding
• Multiple cover colors & designs to choose from
• Bright white pages
• 2 Ribbon bookmarks
• Pen loop
• 160 GSM paper

Price:

• $36 USD with gold page edges
• $31 USD without the gold page edges.
• Free shipping to the USA when you spend $75 or more
• $9 – $40 for shipping to Australia (depending if you want express & insurance or not).

I purchased the notebook during Black Friday sales for $31 USD (including shipping) which converted to $46 AUD. 

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my link I’ll receive a small commission in exchange for referring you.

Let’s take a closer look!

To enlarge the screen of the video, click the square icon in the bottom right hand corner of the video (it will say ‘full screen’ when you hover your mouse over the icon).

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The Cover

There are a few different covers to choose from. Most of them were sold out at the time of my purchase (I was after the navy blue with the constellation), so I settled for this red cover:

Love those gold foil pages. The cover has a fabric type material and feels really sturdy.

Approx 0.75″ thick

Bright white pages! But no page numbers 🙁

5mm dot grid spacing

Pen Testing

The paper is really thick and smooth to write on. After doing a pen testing and turning the page… I understood the hype around this notebook. No ghosting or bleed through for any of the pens or highlighters. There was some minor ghosting for only one of the MAMBI stamps.

If you skip to 2:47 in the video above (or here) you’ll see what I mean about no ghosting.

Pros of the Notebook

• Portable size
• Gold foil edging
• Multiple cover colors to choose from
• Bright white pages
• 2 Ribbon bookmarks
• Pen loop
• Thick paper with no ghosting or bleed through

Cons of the Notebook

• Expensive
• No page numbers
• No index / contents page
• Both ribbon bookmarks are the same color

Would I use this notebook?

I like this notebook and I do understand the hype about the paper with pens not bleeding through but there are other notebooks that have just as good paper quality (or almost as good paper quality) for a much cheaper price (e.g. Vivid Scribbles, Buke Stationery). So while I like the notebook and will use it, if I were you, I wouldn’t go out of my way to pay the expensive price for it, especially if you live outside the USA.

If you’d like your own Archer and Olive notebook, here’s the link to their website (my affiliate link).

More bullet journal notebook reviews:

• Practical Paper Co. Custom Dot Grid Notebook
• Scribbles That Matter Notebook
• Erin Condren Softbound Dot Grid Notebook

Bullet Journal Tips:

• Bullet journaling in my custom Agendio dot grid notebook
• 12 Monthly planning bullet journal spreads (you can do in 5 minutes or less)
• Quick, simple and functional bullet journal decorating tips

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