When I first heard that you could buy quality notebooks at CVS (a chain of pharmacy/drugstores), I was skeptical. I figured they might have paper that worked with fountain pens, but it wouldn’t be anything special. Still, I wanted to investigate and see how good the paper really is. A notebook only costs a few dollars, so I figured I wouldn’t be out much if it turned out to be mediocre. So what’s the verdict? Read on to find out.
Here’s a detail of what the cover looks like.
First Impressions
My first impression of the CVS Caliber Composition Book was not that great. They look pretty boring, ordinary and uninspired. Regardless of what the outside looks like, it’s really what’s inside that counts. The paper is nice and smooth. To be honest, it kind of feels like a quality Japanese paper. It does have a bit of texture to it, but not so much that I’m immediately worried about it being rough to write on.
The Details
Here’s a bit of info about these notebooks
- Pages: 200 (100 sheets)
- Paper Weight: I don’t know, but if I had to guess I’d say around 70gsm
- Binding: Stitch binding
- Page Style: Lined
- Size: Approximately B5
Ink-handling characteristics (A table with the following properties can be found at the bottom of this post)
- Sheen: High
- Shading: Medium
- Bleeding: Very Low
- Ghosting: High
- Feathering: Very Low
- Dry Time: High
Other features
- Different Cover Color Options
- Available in wide or college ruled
- Useful information inside cover
Actual Use
Let’s start off by talking about the cover. As I already mentioned, it looks pretty boring. It does have a few good things going for it, though. The cover material, while not what I’d consider a hard cover, is quite sturdy and stiff, so if you find yourself needing to write standing up or with it on your lap, it should still work fairly well. It’s also just screaming to be covered in some fun stickers. Inside the front cover there is a place to write your class schedule, but the material is glossy so something besides a fountain pen will work best here. Inside the back cover is a bunch of useful information such as common conversions, measurements and a multiplication table, so if you’ve ever wanted to know how much a barrel of flour weighs (196 lbs) or how many penny-weights are in an ounce (20), you’ll have your answers.
While the cover may be boring, the paper is anything but.
The notebook has a stitched binding, so it should hold up pretty well over time. The pages are fixed in the notebook and are not perforated or meant to be removed. Despite the stitched binding, the notebook is only one signature so it has a hard time laying flat when opened. Of course, with a little encouragement it will lay flat, but don’t plan to write much near the center of the book, as the pages have significant bowing. These notebooks only come with lined paper.
These notebooks are only one signature, so don’t lay flat very well.
Now let’s talk about that paper. I had heard good things, but wasn’t sure exactly what to expect from this paper. So I’m just going to say it: this paper performs very similar to Tomoe River. You read that right. From a pure performance standpoint, it actually scores higher than the 52gsm Tomoe River. It shows a bit less sheen, but has less ghosting and bleedthrough.
The Caliber paper has a bit more texture than Tomoe River, so writing on it you’ll feel a bit more feedback. It also feels a bit more dry to write on. I don’t know a better way to explain it, but writing on a premium Japanese paper like Tomoe River feels a little slick and smooth, whereas writing on the Caliber paper feels a little more dry, like your pen is about to run out of ink (even if it isn’t). The paper also seems to have a bit less contrast than Tomoe River, meaning inks don’t quite have the same color saturation or intensity, which probably also has something to do with the dry feeling.
Still, this paper performs very well. Sheen and shading are fantastic, I could see no feathering or bleedthrough and ghosting was average. Dry times were not good, but that’s typical for paper that performs well in all other areas.
Paper Test – Front: Look at the sheen on Emerald of Chivor!
Paper Test – Back: There’s a decent amount of ghosting, but no bleedthrough.
One thing to keep in mind if you head out to pick up a notebook for yourself is that you should make sure to get one that’s made in Vietnam. I have heard people say that there are sometimes notebooks made in other countries and the paper is not the same, so a quick check on the back should help make sure you get the paper you want. Of course, selling notebooks is not how CVS makes money, so consistency in paper suppliers is not their top concern. With that being said, while CVS Caliber Composition Books are generally considered to have good paper, there is no guarantee that every single one will be the same or that they will always be fountain pen friendly.
Make sure to check and make sure the notebook is made in Vietnam.
Conclusion
Finding fountain pen friendly paper that you can pick up at a local drugstore sounds like fantasy, but it is actually possible if you live near a CVS. In fact, from a cost/performance point of view, this paper rates in the top 5 I’ve ever tested, right up there with Black n’ Red, Life L, and Mnemosyne. You won’t find different size or page layout options, but the price is definitely right. Whether you’re a student on a budget or just want an inexpensive treat the next time you’re at the drugstore, consider giving a CVS Caliber Composition Book a try.
The paper only comes in lined options and looks like it’s student-ready.
If you’d like a bit more information about how I test papers and notebooks, I wrote an article about my paper rating system.
CVS Caliber Composition Book Review
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Sheen (higher is better)
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Shading (higher is better)
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Bleeding (higher is better)
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Ghosting (higher is better)
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Feathering (higher is better)
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Dry Time (higher is better)
Fountain Pen Love Overall Rating
Pros: Great paper at a very low price
Cons: Not very exciting, only comes in lined options
Value Rating: 3.57 Stars, Cost per A5 sheet: $0.04
Who this notebook is for: Someone who wants an inexpensive, no-fuss, fountain pen friendly notebook.
Upgrade to this notebook from: A cheap composition book
Upgrade from this notebook to: Clairefontaine Basic notebook
Comments 16
Love this! Gotta get me some CVS notebooks! 🙂
Author
Definitely! It’s hard to go wrong with these.
The spiral bound Caliber notebook’s paper is excellent as well.
Author
That’s good to know! I haven’t tried it, but would assume it’s the same paper. Thanks for the info!
I just tested a page in my fresh out of quarantine CVS caliber composition book, John. It’s as good as you say.
It takes everything I can throw at it without feathering or pooling or doing anything else undesirable. My shading inks even shade on this paper.
It cost me $9.75 shipped because COVID-19. But, I’ll likely buy a few more of these after the apocalypse.
You rock brother. Keep up the good work finding us new paper and notebooks!
Author
Sweet! Sorry to hear you had to pay so much for it with shipping, but it’s good to know that it’s available the next time you find yourself at a CVS. Thanks for letting me know your experience!
I picked up one of the chunky spiral caliber notebooks today and honestly, I’m impressed. I was pleasantly surprised at how much my ink sheens and how little show-through there is. I was gonna give this notebook to my roommate but it’s tempting to keep it for work notes now, dang.
Author
Glad you were able to pick one up and are enjoying it! I’d say hang on to it and grab another one for your roommate. 🙂
Unfortunately, I picked up a CVS Caliber notebook – made in Vietnam – a couple of months ago and did not have the same experience. The paper did not take an ink well at all as it lacked any absorbency. Paper was rough and overly textured. Tis the story of heartbreak of pharmacy and big box store composition books. Hit and miss, even on the same shelf and box. Heros and Zeros.
Author
Oh really? That’s too bad. I had hoped they had consistent quality, but it’s true that since paper is not their main concern, quality will take a back seat to price and availability. Oh well, at least it wasn’t a huge expense!
I have been looking at cheap notebooks and found that it matters where the paper is made. Ones with made in Vietnam and Colombia seems to be the better ones. Just that drying times are pretty long. Watch where your hand rests on the paper!
Author
I also think it definitely matters where the paper is made, Osman. Vietnam consistently seems to be the best for use with fountain pens. I don’t think I’ve ever tried any from Colombia, but I’ll keep my eyes out for it!
I finally got around to picking up a Caliber notebook at my local CVS. This is an amazing find on your part. My results were excellent with no bleed through at all. I’m sold on this paper, and yes, I did make sure it was made in Vietnam. The only thing that was a little uncomfortable for me was the feeling that I could be pulling off a little bit of paper as I bear down. Rhodia feels more sturdy and much smoother, but price-wise, ya can’t go wrong with Caliber. You-da-man! THANKS!
Author
Glad to hear it, Rich! I can’t take credit for finding these notebooks. I had heard them discussed at pen meetups and had to see if they lived up to the hype. I, like you, was very happy to discover that they do!
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I’m late, I know, but I might be able to provide some insight as to why Vietnam seems to consistently have good fountain pen paper: from what I’ve heard off of people who grew up in the country, it’s actually pretty common for kids in school to use fountain pens for notetaking and handwriting practice. Makes sense that they’d have notebook paper that takes well to fountain pens.
Author
Sounds like a pretty good theory, Jacob. Definitely make sense!