A reliable notebook is a lifelong companion. If you are like us, your place is littered with notebooks from Moleskine to Rhodia. What we’re looking for in a great notebook is one that is flexible without feeling flimsy, stylish, easy to open and close and refills are easy to buy. That sounds like an easy task when you are at the stationery store, but it is surprisingly difficult to find just the right one. We have had notebooks barely last a month before the spine breaks or are so stiff you can only write on the right half of the page.

We have covered many notebooks on Dapper Guide from the luxurious Allan journal to the affordable MUJI notebook and our latest favorite is the Midori Traveler’s notebook. The Traveler’s notebook is a simple notebook designed in Japan and made in Thailand, made with tanned cowhide leather and it’s a customizing dream. There is an elastic band that holds the refill notebooks of up to 8 inches by 4 inches. You can literally put any refill you want in this. We have yet to expand on the standard refills, but have seen these altered with everything from pen holders, calendar inserts and pen pouches. This blank slate of a notebook can be as elaborate or as simple as you like. Like most leather goods this journal deserves to be beat up and will age beautifully. Use this as a wallet, calendar or notebook.

Price: $60
Source: McNally Jackson

(Image credit: Bruce Leong/Dapper Guide)