The Xonex Ru

It's nice to have some color!!

After receiving a Moleskine notebook as a gift a few years ago, I started to learn about the fantastic world of little notebooks.  I began to find little books all over the place and tested them as I found them. The Xonex Ru is intended to be an alternative to the Moleskine and in some areas, it fills that niche well.  I also must mention that I like the name, because the main feature of these notebooks is the pouch in the back. The "kanga-ru" is it's namesake, and I always enjoy creativity like this. And now, on to the notebook itself!

Just a bit bigger, but in the world of small notebooks, it feels like a lot

The paper, which is the most important part of a notebook like this, is much better than that found in Moleskines. With standard fountain pen ink, there is no bleedthrough.  There is some showthrough however, which I realize can be a dealbreaker, depending on your use.  Of other note is the cover, which isn't hard like the Moleskine's.  This cover is made from a latex infused cardboard, which is sturdy, but by no means as sturdy as most other little black notebooks. It does have a pouch in the back, which seems to be much more durable than that found on the Moleskine, and of course has a black elastic band to keep it closed.

At a third of the price of a Moleskine, it has some benefits and some drawbacks.  The most noticeable for me is that it is a little bigger than most black notebooks. As I mentioned before as well, it also isn't as sturdy, which depending on your use can be a problem.  The Ru comes in a few different colors, which I know is a problem some people have with Moleskines, but paper quality seems to be better than Moleskines, but not as good as Rhodia's notebooks. Overall, I think the notebooks are a good alternative to Moleskines, with different strengths and weaknesses.  I think that I'm going to use mine all the way before I make my final decision, but my Ru is definitely a contender on the notebook list.  Hopefully I can provide an extensive review with a full decision in the future, after extended use.

My only other issue with these notebooks is how scarce they seem to be. I found mine at The Container Store (of all places!), and I know that they can be found online at Amazon.com, but if you're anything like me, you don't want to buy a notebook brand until you can physically feel it in person.

I must note that the logo in the bottom right corner irks me somewhat...

Eternally Inked, 

The Classicist