Dingbats* Notebook for Bullet Journaling Review (super smooth paper!)
It’s not very often I find a dot grid notebook with good paper. The Dingbats notebook… the paper is SO SMOOTH to write on.
This is not a sponsored post. I purchased the notebook myself and all opinions are my own. If you like this notebook I bought it off Amazon (affiliate link). If you purchase this notebook using my affiliate link I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only affiliate with products I use and recommend.
Quick facts
- Size: 5.5″ wide x 8.25″ high (there are other page sizes to choose from)
- Faux leather cover (multiple cover colors to choose from)
- Sewn bound
- 100 GSM Cream paper
- Perforated pages
- 29 Dots horizontal and 40 vertically (5mm dot grid)
- 1 Ribbon bookmark
- No page numbers
- No index, legend etc.
Price: $22 USD
The notebook I purchased is from their Wildlife Collection (which has more page sizes and color covers than their Earth collection). However, the earth collection has numbered pages, index, key, future log i.e. is designed for bullet journaling. If I were to purchase again I’d choose one of the Earth collections notebooks (I was distracted by the purple cover….) This page from their site has a good comparison.
Let’s take a closer look!
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There are quite a few cover options and page sizes. I opted for the A5 purple hippo (love it), there was also red, blue, green etc.
Approx 0.75″ thick
A notebook that isn’t just plain on the inside – this one actually has a design on it. I can’t work out what it’s supposed to be though – panda paw prints?
No index, future log, contents page etc. at the front:
Cream paper with 5mm dot grid spacing. Love the dot arrangement – none of the dots are too close to the edge of the page
The pages lay flat on their own no matter where you open the notebook.
The pages are perforated although I tried to tear one out and it wasn’t really budging (I consider this a good thing as I prefer non-perforated pages anyway).
Pocket folder at the back (doesn’t look that big in the photo below but it does expand quite a bit).
Pen Testing
The paper is the smoothest I’ve ever come across in a notebook. It’s as smooth as the Rhodia tear off pads (affiliate link) I’ve used in the past – I’m assuming the paper will work well with brush pens.
There was light ghosting on the back of the page – not terrible but just enough to be noticeable.
Pros of the notebook
- Wider than most dot grid notebooks
- Paper that’s so smooth to write on
- Portable size
- Various cover colors to choose from
- Ribbon bookmark
- Multiple page sizes to choose from
- Pen loop
Cons of the notebook
- No page numbers
- Cream not white paper
- Only 1 ribbon bookmark
Would I use this notebook?
Yes. I already liked the notebook for it’s wider page size and different color options for the cover. And then when the notebook arrived and I finally got to try out the paper… If the paper was a bit thicker / less prone to bleed through, I’d buy this notebook in every color.
If you like this notebook I bought it off Amazon (affiliate link) If you purchase this notebook using my affiliate link I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only affiliate with products I use and recommend.
More dot grid notebook reviews:
Planning Tips:
- 7 Bullet Journal Weekly Planner Spreads you probably haven’t thought of
- 7 Reasons why I don’t use stitched notebooks for bullet journaling
- 10 Discbound notebooks for planning or bullet journaling
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Great review, thanks for the comparison of the different versions. My husband prefers Dingbats notebooks for their thick, fountain-pen friendly paper and perforated pages, but I’m so disappointed that that none of the options offer white paper, only cream.
Dingbats end pages are hoof/paw prints that correspond to the animal on the front cover. That pattern on the end pages of your notebook? Hippo paw prints!
Ohhh that makes so much more sense!
When I journal, I use many different fountain pens with a range of different inks, as well as Pitt pens, Rotring and Copic, and the occasional Stabilo Boss and Swing Cool highlighters. Last night I did my ‘Pen Check page’ at the back of my new Dingbats notebook, to test for bleed through. I am amazed – not a single bleed through. This means I can use my full set of pens for the next 6 months. Wow! Thank you Dingbats – this is a rare product and I already love it. Would you consider white pages instead of only cream ones. Thank you.