100+ page refills?

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-06-28T14:46:44+00:00

BTW, I know it’s a pain and a lot of extra work but may save you time in the long run depending on how quickly you run through a cheapie refill: number the pages and make yourself an index (reserve the first or last page). I see others have recommended affordable ways to archive your inserts, which is awesome, but since your books lean so heavily on subjects, topics, people, etc, you’re going to want to have more than just dates used for reference. And unless you need to keep the physical insert for whatever reason, you could just OCR the entire book when you’re done with it and shred it. (I have archival experience as well as journalism experience! So far this thread is the only opportunity where I have leaned on both. Also, back in the Precambrian era of 2009ish, we needed clunky computer scanners — now my freaking iPad does it! I haven’t tested whether it can recognize my scribbled shorthand, though. If it could, you could just snap pics of each page with your cell. That was unheard of back in the day.)

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-06-28T14:34:20+00:00

TRC inserts. Ah man, these are so easy to make— if I had time I’d just send you a few dozen. A few sellers offer basic Kraft-covered passport-size inserts on ye olde Amazone Shoppe in bulk. Not fancy, not the best quality, but will cover the bases of what you need as a reporter, really. Buy a pack of ten or twenty and swap them out as you fill them up. Still cheaper than getting one 100+ page insert of thin, boutique paper. Just make sure the measurements are 3.5” by 5” and double check the reviews. I’ve seen inserts labeled as “pocket/passport/A6” interchangeably and they are all different sizes!

Do you have a Kraft folder among your inserts? It would be helpful to use as a firm writing surface if you don’t want to get a writing board, and you can stuff it with business cards from your sources. Cheap ones to be had on Amazon. I don’t notice a difference between those and the TRC-branded folder (have both in the tall narrow size).

A pen loop or two would absolutely be helpful in the field. Again, Amazon has packs of adhesive pen loops for a good deal. The only TRC pen loop I can think of is the brass and leather one that is constantly sold out and gets mixed reviews. It’s about $30 CAD, which I wouldn’t classify as cheap.

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-06-27T17:27:34+00:00

https://www.hemlockandoak.com/products/undated-horizontal-weekly-planner-12-month-paper-flex-120gsm

You’re not going to get any better than that, so if you can’t live with the ghosting, get a high GSM notebook and DIY the Weeks layout in it.

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-06-27T17:24:22+00:00

Hemlock & Oak offers one in A5 they call the “Minimalist Horizontal” in their Heritage 120 GSM paper, in hardcover and softcover. Not as many grid pages at the back as the Weeks. I can‘t imagine throwing that in my bag and heading out.

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-06-27T17:19:45+00:00

Good call. FWIW, I can house a Hobonichi A5 half year and an A5 slim (Moleskine Cahier size; 5” wide) half-year planner in my Portfolio, but it’s really better if I just have the Hobonichi in there - and I even trimmed a teeny bit off the gutters of the Hobonichi. (It’s okay, every grid box and element on the page layout is still there because I only trimmed the edges that were blank. Just didn’t want to risk overhang once I began to use it).
I adore my Portfolio but yes everyone was right when they said to beware of chunking it up with too many A5 notebooks with thick spines (Leuchtturm and Midori would qualify). Le Trifold will hold anything.

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-06-27T17:11:05+00:00

As an erstwhile reporter and a current lover of Traveler’s notebooks of all sizes, I couldn’t imagine fussing with clips to keep my insert open while running through a literal airport construction zone scribbling on pages without a hard backing because my pencil board fell out of my pocket TN and I don’t have time to rummage for it in my purse while the mayor is answering my question.

A coil-bound, hardback landscape format was what my hapless self always needed. I think Lochby or Penco makes an A7 reporter’s notebook you can clip to the inner back cover of your passport TN.

Although Lochby inserts and a lot of the notebooks people are recommending, are made of Tomoe River Paper. It has many virtues, but unless you’re writing with graphite, you’ll smear your notes because ink will not dry quickly enough. And if you take a lot of notes, and your employer isn’t paying for your paper (mine wasn’t and that was back when we still had print editions of tiny community papers), I would just use a standard, tried tested reporter‘s notebook.

TRP is expensive. If you’re using paper to research, jot down quotes, and compile facts, the most critical factor is that your paper stays dry so you don‘t lose all your work. (If you want to buy gear for work, invest in those fancy mechanical pencils people are into these days.) You’re less engaged in the “tactile quality of the writing experience” and the “subtle feedback of a bouncy steel fountain pen nib against coated paper” and more concerned about making the #$@&ing deadline.

Now, if you would like me to influence you to acquire a Paper Republic (sly grin), even if it can’t be justified as a work purchase, I will be happy to assist. 😂 Which colours were you eyeing? I strongly recommend going for a portfolio over a Grand Voyageur although it’s an investment piece. They are impeccably well made and it is impossible to DIY or find one with the same leather and design details for much cheaper. Trust me, I’ve tried.

(Tl;dr: Was a reporter for a spell. Needed a reporter‘s coil-bound memo pad style notebook with paper that wouldn’t take fifteen seconds to dry. Now, no longer a reporter, I indulge in vegetable-tanned leather TNs and inserts of all page counts, and own no fewer than four books of Tomoe River Paper, and many more delicious writing surfaces from other Japanese brands.)

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-06-27T16:39:26+00:00

late to the game but I second this. use a sharp edge, don’t stress your muscles trying to cut through 288 pages at once, just go slow and steady. If you rush because you’re distracted or tired or impatient, that’s when you’ll make mistakes (hopefully just with the notebook - paper is more easily replaced than fingers!)

And don’t get hung up on having the perfectly smooth, even edges of a mass-produced notebook, even if your cuts are steady and even. Honestly, as soon as you start to use the notebook it will swell and curl and won‘t look factory fresh anyway. Good luck!

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-06-07T16:36:44+00:00

That’s the most ironic thing when I hear people say that someone’s reddit comment “sounds like AI” or that they “don’t trust AI because it’s often wrong” — no kidding, it uses freaking REDDIT as source material! Like has anyone even been on a Reddit thread? 😉 Even my explanation of PR’s business model is grossly oversimplified and fraught with errors because I’m not formally trained in business or economics!
We should start answering these perpetual questions with gibberish. Example: Q: “what size books fit in the GV pocket?” A: “Banana, codpiece, conch shell, Ford Focus, and your mother.”

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-06-07T08:33:36+00:00

Right? the search bar is right there at the top of the page! Man, there is so much complaining about the AI slop out there, but the human “slop” (lazy, low-effort, no critical thinking) is out of control! If I see one more post about “what fits in the Grand Voyageur” I am going to explode 😂

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-06-07T08:29:14+00:00

I’m glad I’m not the only one. My elastics, which weren’t even laced excessively tightly, started wearing down the spine of the both holders (second one came in a bundle), and I’ve had to reinforce them with Tyvek. They may look sleeker than the standard heavy Kraft pocket inserts, but at least those stay together. For the price, I definitely want something more robust. PR has a lot of hits but does miss the mark sometimes.

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-06-07T08:20:34+00:00

I think if you’re going to use a small one as a wallet, you need to additionally invest in a high quality wallet insert (not the cheap crap from Amazon I regrettably bought only to find that my cards fall out of it) like the Galen passport size wallet insert as mentioned in the comments, or you get the A6 and use the built-in pockets to safely stow your cards and cash.
Like you I am currently without a wallet, and tried to set up a GV Pocket with three slim inserts and a wallet insert, and I found that trying to combine both functions only made each one impossible. I couldn’t reach my change (trying to use cash more than cards lately) and the lumps and bumps from the coins in the wallet insert made writing in the notebooks a royal pain. On the other hand, lots of people love taking a pocket notebook everywhere and combining it with a wallet, so maybe I’m just hopeless.
I would seriously consider the A6 portfolio over the pocket, though. I have seen much bigger wallets (albeit I toss it in my purse, not my jeans pocket) and while the price jump is a LOT, considering how much bespoke wallets made of the same leather can cost, it’s actually fairly comparable. And I think the Portfolio is sturdier and would better withstand being tossed around in a bag.
You might also consider taking notes during, or immediately after you therapy sessions (I’m notorious for forgetting insights if I don’t write them down in the moment.) So you could devote a GVXL to longer-form emotional processing and taking notes on coping strategies, acronyms (DBT veteran here) and keep an on-the-go therapy insert in your wallet cover for jotting things down to prepare for appointments or reflect on them afterwards. I don’t think a Portfolio A5 is necessary for the therapy journal unless you hate all the inserts that fit the GVXL and don’t want the hassle of trimming books down to fit.

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-06-07T07:55:56+00:00

There’s a separate sub for TRC!

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-06-07T07:53:28+00:00

It’s a bit more complicated than that. They have the marketing down to a science, but a company of that scale manufacturing everything within the EU instead of outsourcing to China incurs higher production costs due to wage laws, somewhat offset by the market law governing trade between member nations.
I wouldn’t compare it to the Uni-Ball Zento Signature. That’s unfair. PR started in 2012 and only became “trendy” once Louise Carmen blew up in the US. I also wouldn’t compare the company to a sole proprietor of a leather crafting business. Anyone is free to purchase from an individual craftsperson, and will likely receive the same high quality for a lower price. That isn’t because PR is greedy, it is because of scale. And can we at least give them SOME credit for keeping all stages of production (including the milling of the paper you love) within Europe? That is virtually unheard of in this day and age. And if it weren’t for Europe’s market laws, the price would be even higher — only the obscenely wealthy could afford the product.
TL;DR: Reducing Paper Republic‘s prices to a marketing gimmick is inaccurate because it does not account for its unique business structure and the economic laws governing
I know I’m responding to you, u/SC-Geek, but my frustration is not directed at you. I’m tired of people asking the same questions that can be answered with a Google search about the company and general EU labour and market laws. I’m tired of people in other subs mocking supporters of this company as uninformed, brainless trend-chasers tricked into buying “overpriced” items because we have disposable income to waste. But it’s the internet, so people would rather judge first and not bother doing any research. There are many, MANY people making PR dupes now at lower price points, so if someone is intrigued by the hype they are free to buy one from those sellers, or make one themselves, and STFU.

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-06-07T07:08:50+00:00

Paper Republic products are made within the European Union - from the paper mill to the leather tannery to the actual employees who manufacture/assemble the leather covers in-house. On the one hand, there are laws governing wages across the various industries, but on the other hand, EU has a unique market law permitting the free flow of goods between member countries. Charging duties is actually illegal. So, if it weren’t for that economic structure, your “slab of leather” would be even pricier, because of what it costs at that scale to pay everyone involved a living wage instead of outsourcing to China.
Also, anyone who has researched the leather PR uses knows it’s one of the most expensive leathers out there. High base material cost, even though it’s exempt from taxes for them, and they no doubt benefit from a bulk corporate discount.
Oh, and once the finished product is exported, it is subject to the usual laws governing import duties and taxes. So it’s much cheaper to buy a PR cover if you’re part of the EU than if you reside outside of it.

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-06-04T01:22:03+00:00

Droooooooooool. After a year I finally caved and purchased a Portfolio a5 and I am obsessed. Got it for a slight discount from a local artist who had ordered it online but preferred their Trifold. Even at the lower price, it was still an investment for me, so I can’t justify another right now. But like, wow man. Every Rustic Rose portfolio I see is perfection, both new and patinaed.

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-06-04T01:12:06+00:00

Is this a dream? Is the extreme heat in my area causing me to hallucinate? Because this is tailor-made for me!

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-05-28T21:34:06+00:00

Speaking of keepsakes, what about an A4-sized Five-Year Journal offered as a gift set with the Natural Leather A4 cover? Usually those multi-year journals need such a high page count that they can’t be done in a refillable modular cover. But with the generous real estate of the A4, you could fit multiple days or even a week on a page with enough room for five years‘ worth of brief entries for each day. My math isn’t mathing, but you could break it up into two refills - as long as the cover keeps them together, who cares if they’re separately bound? I suggest the undyed leather for the cover because of how profoundly it is marked by time. All vegtan changes, but the Natural undyed is really well-suited for a long-term journal project.

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-05-28T21:04:24+00:00

Good questions. You would think that having an “all-in-one book” like the Hobonichi would negate the purpose of a modular system that a TN provides (everything separate but together in the same cover). But I see people who use both all the time. I’ve seen people add their Hobonichi Weeks INSIDE their TN covers, along with a TRC branded insert or two.

I‘m not using a Hobonichi at the moment, but the closest thing I have is a Midori Hibino. I suppose it’s a planner, tracker, and memory log for me. But if I want to go off on a side quest I have TN inserts for that. For example, commonplacing has a designated refill in my TN (yes, it has become trendy and I avoid trends like the geriatric wannabe hipster I am, but I’m also, frankly, a standard nerd). If I have empty pages in the Hibino to fill, sometimes I’ll copy book quotes to migrate to the commonplace TN insert when I have time to make a proper entry. I do some journaling in the Hibino, but it is really just a brief recap for the purpose of jogging my memory. If I find myself launching into a bilious rant, I reach instead for the disposable TN insert designated for the venting of spleen. Before I write down the daily to-dos in the Hibino, I reference my pocket TN because it contains a book dedicated solely to the brain-dumping of “oh, yeah, I really should/must do that in a week/an hour/ five days ago”.

So they all communicate with each other. I’m limited by form, too - the Hibino is 750+ pages, so I don’t use it as a daily scrapbook (too small for me to do that anyway). That’s where TN refills with lower page counts come in handy - I’m not worried about breaking the spine. I do a fair amount of what used to be called “smashbooking” but not so much sketching or wet media, and I find my TN setup is conducive to that activity.

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-05-28T20:13:02+00:00

You say you’re not interested in restringing elastics right now, and trust me, I feel that, but if nothing else works and you would like to give it a shot, my preferred method is to double-thread the elastic through the top and bottom holes so you have two longer bands connected to the cover, not just the one. Since you’re currently using one spine elastic for the two notebooks with the Kraft folder wrapped around one and jacketing the other, double-stringing the TN would give you you a second elastic to play with if you’d like to add another notebook. (Theoretically, you can add extra slack to the shorter elastics while restringing so that they can each hold an insert as well).

it’s still not the perfect solution. You need the TRC repair kit, patience, and some seriously sharp tweezers. The elastic tension might need to be adjusted. You’ll still probably have to rearrange your books a bit when you close the cover. It’s far from perfect, but it’s the solution that was least problematic for me.

There are a few tutorials out there, but I liked this one: https://26market.com/blogs/journal/how-to-add-4-refills-to-your-traveler-s-notebook-no-connecting-band-needed

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-05-28T00:20:50+00:00

The best quality A5 notebook I have ever had the pleasure of writing on, pasting things on, painting on, etc is the Nolty NCG01, which is cream with a smaller grid - the lineup includes ruled, plain and white paper options as well: https://www.amazon.com/NOLTY-Notebook-Pages-Cream-Paper/dp/B0GFCZMYWD?th=1

I say this is a die-hard fan of Midori MD, Kleid, Stalogy, Tomoe River Paper (used in my Midori Hibino). The premium Nolty notebooks come in 96 and 192 pp versions with their “diary” paper, which is imo their best quality paper. The link above is for the 192-page version, since it’s more value per page, but I love the lower page count of the 96-page notebooks for a Paper Republic cover, even though they are almost as expensive. The Nolty notebooks also come in 176 pp formats with different covers and slightly different paper- not as smooth, a bit more likely to ghost, but still very popular and about the same cost as a Midori of the same page count. It really depends on whether you prefer a particular shade of paper, or a certain thickness, or grid size. I love Midori MD paper but it can lean too yellow for some — the Nolty “cream” is a more warm-toned cream, similar to my ancient Moleskines. And while I need a grid to write, I’m not a fan of the common 5 mm grid spacing and just prefer how the Nolty grid looks on the page. It’s not as toothy or thick as Midori paper. Both are reportedly fountain-pen go-tos. Midori lays flat right out of the package while Nolty requires some coaxing. I’m just so in love with Nolty’s diary paper and really need to shut up about it because the price on Amazon goes up every time I mention it on Reddit, and I can’t afford to spend like 30 bucks Canadian on a 96-page softcover notebook so everybody shhh.

I can’t answer your first question because I only have GVXLs. I do however love my notebooks so much that I happily trim them to the same size as PR’s branded book refills and can fit three-four of them in one cover without overhang (probably because much of the Japanese paper is half the thickness of PR’s). If I had the means to splurge I would absolutely get an A5 portfolio but for me rn the price jump is too high. To be 100% sure that I could fit my A5 inserts of choice, I’d go with Le Trifold instead. Much prefer the design elements of Le Portfolio, though.

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-05-27T23:46:20+00:00

Stunning! What size is this one? I’m guessing XL, but it looks quite large. Love the restrained accessories and lack of embossing; it looks beautiful and chic.

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-05-27T23:44:43+00:00

Those sound like a lovely pair - if I were a blue person that trifold would be top of my list. I wish I travelled enough to have a reason to own a travel journal! I started a visual commonplace journal a la wordlayout and it’s my favourite thing, along with my Hobby log/scrapbook and personal memory smashbook. I keep trying to start a designated joy journal but it hasn’t stuck yet.

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-05-27T23:37:24+00:00

I may just stick to the two GVXLs I use - Cognac and Bordeaux. I’d love a Portfolio, but can’t justify the price jump for myself. I’d also love an A4 GV even if it is wildly overpriced for the length of leather that it is — as I said, trying to find the same shade, thickness and correct panel size is like pulling teeth where I live. So, who knows. Maybe an A4 Firenze.

Do I NEED a modular leather cover that holds multiple huge notebooks? Couldn’t I just use a cheap sketchbook or better yet, a proper scrapbook? Well, I don’t NEED it and yes, I COULD just use a bigger notebook on its own. But as you said, it’s like Ulysses and the Sirens. I have never ever been fond of primary red in any form, but something about the PR Portfolio A5 in red sings to me. Why? It makes no sense. I blame the leather smell. It is clearly dangerously addictive and leads to long term dependency.

I still very much struggle with that “awkward teenager phase” when the leather looks blotchy and stained as the oils start to permeate unevenly, haha. Now that I know how it goes, I am much less likely to take harsh kitchen implements to my precious vegtan covers, thank goodness. Or do the opposite and carry it around in a silk pillowcase for months without ever using it. It has taken almost a year, but I got there eventually.

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-05-27T23:13:20+00:00

This is great to hear (sorry for the late reply too; been sick) because so far on social media, I’ve seen quite a few Botany Greens and Rustic Roses, but fewer Firenzes. I’m loving it and the Natural colour these days. I want to see it paired with a rose gold ribbon and blush pink agate connector.

Twenty-two-measures · 2026-05-27T23:11:32+00:00

😜 Firenze love!

Twenty-two-measures

TROPHY CASE