RocketbookCore Reusable Spiral Notebook, Letter Size 8.5x11, Black - Dotted Pages, App-Connected, Erasable, Durable Cover, Ideal for School, Work, and Creative Projects

Hi! I’m a writer. I’ve spent 41 years on this planet so far, and I’ve spent 40 of those years with a pen, pencil, or other writing utensil in my hand. I write like I breathe: constantly and for the purpose of staying alive. Writing — hand, pen, ink, paper — is a part of every single day, for my personal enjoyment, for therapeutic purposes, and for academic and research pursuits, as well as for educating my daughter. As a result, I use a lot of paper. I’m not sure I can explain the volume of paper I’m talking about here, but let’s just agree that on a scale of 1 to 10, I’m somewhere north of all the numbers, deep in uncharted territory. Two nights ago when I couldn’t sleep, I wrote a four-page letter that I’m never going to send on the subject of (I kid you not) writing letters for the purpose of not sending them. I think that sums me up. For the purposes of this paragraph anyway.I’ve been curious about Rocketbook for a while now, and the ability to archive my handwritten work has been incredibly appealing. I picked up a full size notebook at a discounted price one day, figuring it would be worth a try, and I’m very glad I did!I have used stone paper and Frixion pens in the past, so I was familiar with how the basic concept worked, being able to use a damp cloth to wash away the writing. And as others have said, the pages do not feel like paper. The page is totally smooth. If someone handed me a sheet of it without any indication what it was for, I certainly wouldn’t think of writing on it. But it works out pretty well with the Frixion pens, and it wipes clean just like it’s supposed to, ready for another round of notes or ideas or lesson plans. It has enough pages that I can work on multiple tasks and still have clear pages for things that come up through the day. It is close enough to the pen-and-paper experience that I feel like I can connect with what I’m writing the way I need in order to do the work I want to do.I think I would really enjoy the executive size for my daily journaling, or the Fusion for my school preparations and planning. I will definitely be purchasing additional Rocketbook products in the future.When I was trying to decide whether to purchase the notebook, I saw a lot of reviews that listed drawbacks or said the Rocketbook wasn’t what it claimed to be. I decided to try it anyway, and I’m glad because what people were complaining about is pretty normal stuff when you’re dealing with a reusable, yet ultimately consumable, product.Everything we use can be used lightly and last longer, used heavily and not last long, be abused and break, or be set on a shelf safely in perfect condition. You really can’t expect a notebook to defy that reality. You get to choose how to use the notebook, and that determines what kind of experience you’re going to have.So let me tell you about several things that affect how I use my Rocketbook. They’re not drawbacks; they are simply things to know in order to set reasonable expectations and get the most out of a great product.To extend the life of my Rocketbook, I write with a light hand. I make sure my pen is not at an angle that causes it to scratch the page. I avoid using the eraser for more than a few letters. I archive pages as soon as possible. Every few days, I clear all the pages. I keep the notebook flat or stack it between my laptop and my clipboard if I slip it into my backpack. I make sure not to bend or crease the pages.If you write with a naturally heavy hand or often scratch the paper with your pen, you may find indentations lingering after each use or scratches quickly adding up, which can cause the pages to deteriorate more quickly.Erasing with a damp cloth cleans away the ink. Using the eraser in the pen is convenient, but it uses friction and heat to remove the visible ink. Moderate use of this eraser is perfectly reasonable and won’t cause problems. A lot of this type of erasing can alter the surface of the paper in such a way that it wears out faster.Archiving and clearing all the pages every few days ensures that I haven’t neglected to catalog my notes or work, and keeps the ink from sitting on the pages too long. If you leave ink anywhere for too long, it will eventually leave some ghosting behind, regardless of whether the surface is intended to be erasable or reusable. Avoiding that ensures the pages come clean easily.Being careful not to crease the pages or the notebook is just reasonable, since I want it to be flat.I can see that the pages will eventually show wear and I will probably retire this Rocketbook at some point in the distant future, in favor of a newer one. And I won’t mind doing that because I will have used it well! It will be able to boast of lasting far longer than any other notebook I’ve ever owned, and of saving many many trees.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this product because the idea seemed too good to be true. I read tons of reviews before purchasing and while they were generally positive, there were some that had me worried. I took note of the reviewers who stated that the pen included didn't work very well and they had to buy another Pilot Frixion pen. To be one the safe side, I also ordered a two pack of the 07 Pilot Frixion ball pens. I'm glad I did, but not for the reasons you think. I'll get to those later...My detailed review is below, but for those of you looking for a quick overview, here's the bottom line:The Rocketbook notebook exceeded my expectations. I'd even classify it as amazing!! The pages are coated with a synthetic polyester blend which provides a fluid writing experience and the ability to scan the page and send to almost any destination is one of it's best features. I highly recommend it to everyone from students to writers to business professionals and everyone in between.For a more in-depth review, here are my thoughts...First, the RocketBook Notebook.I love it! In fact, it's NOT too good to be true! It's just as advertised. I'm one of those people who buys a ton of notebooks/journals but then is afraid to write in them. They're so pretty, I don't want to mess them up! Yet, I still buy them. I also buy lots of pens and markers. It's an addiction... I journal regularly and have done so since 2003. I have several notebooks full. I love the feeling of pen on paper!My favorite pen for journaling is the Pilot G-2 with 1.0 thickness. I love the smoothness of the ink and I never have a problem with smearing despite being left-handed. I wish they made the G-2 pens with 1.0 thickness in multiple colors, but sadly, the 1.0 thickness only comes in blue and black. (I hope someone from Pilot is reading this!)I've considered going electronic with my journaling but I think handwriting tells part of the story. When I go back and read past journal entries, my handwriting provides additional insight into my feelings at the time. I can often tell what mood I was in when an entry was written just by flipping through the pages. The same can't be said for journaling on a computer and that's what makes the Rocketbook so perfect!The Rocketbook allows the pen and paper feeling (only better) with the added security of knowing my thoughts won't be lost if I misplace my journals.As others have stated, it doesn't feel exactly like pen on paper. Personally, I think it feels better! The pages are slick, the ink is smooth, and the writing is fluid.The pen included with the Rocketbook Notebook is a .05 clicky pen and I didn't like it. I admit that I didn't give it much of a chance. When I opened the package, the first thing I did was use the pen to test out the first page. I only wrote a couple of words. Disappointed, I put the notebook and pen aside. Was this another purchase I'd never use?A couple of days later, I decided to try again. The only difference was that I used the pens I purchased separately, the Pilot Frixion Ball pens. The Rocketbook requires Pilot Frixion pens. Instead of the 05 clicky style pen that's included, the Frixion Ball pens I purchased are 07 and have caps. I don't own or use any other pens with caps (or erasers) so I don't have to worry about using the wrong pen. When I want to write in my Rocketbook all I have to do is grab the pen with the cap and start writing. I didn't think I'd like the 07 since I prefer 1.0, but I have no problem with the Frixion 07 in my Rocketbook. It feels great! Now that I'm used to the feel of the Rocketbook, I'll have to give the 05 another try.I've been using my Rocketbook for a couple of weeks with no problems. The ink takes 15 seconds to dry, but that doesn't seem to be an issue for me. Fifteen seconds isn't long and once it's dry, it's set! I used the cloth to wipe away the ink several times on the same page over the past several days and have yet to experience ghosting.The Help section of the app states that notes should be erased frequently (with the cloth). Notes left longer than a couple of weeks may result in staining or ghosting. Today I used the cloth to wipe away notes that I'd written on a page several days ago and I had no problems with ghosting or wiping away the ink. The 05 clicky pen that's included has an eraser. So does the Frixion Ball pen with/cap.The eraser on the Frixion Ball pen is on the end of the pen, not on the cap, so to erase you have to take the cap off. The eraser should be used sparingly. According to the app, abrasion from erasing may damage the coating on the pages. The last time I used an erasable pen was back in junior high school. Do you remember the PaperMate pens that supposedly erased, but didn't? After using the eraser you could still see the ink. For those of you who like to erase, the Pilot Frixion erases just like a pencil. The eraser is a nice bonus, but it's not a necessity for me, especially when I can use the cloth to erase.I love the Rocketbook Notebook and I look forward to using it for all my writing needs.