Back for a three-pack of these little guys after filling up my first one. Been journaling/bullet/writing everything by hand for many years and have tried many notebooks. This is my favorite. Been through them all and this is by far the best for my needs. The thing I like most about this journal is the size (smaller than my previous favorite, but still large enough for everything I need) and lay-flat binding. The binding is awesome because you can lay a full-size ruler across both pages at the same time. Toss it in the bag, good to go. Dotted pages are THE WAY! If you like little, durable journals that offer great flexibility in page layout you will not be disappointed with this one. Thanks for an excellent product Northbooks. I hope you sell a lot of these.

I purchased a pack of the dotted books when they were released and only recently opened it (had a backlog of other northbooks) and was disappointed to find out that the paper was significantly thinner than the tan and grey covered northbooks. I started taking notes with my fountain pen but ended up having to cut the page out because the ink bled through. If you use pencil or basic ball-point then it's a fine notebook and I love the lay-flat design. But wet inks beware!

The A5 X Dotted Bullet Notebook is a great notebook. The A5 size makes it easy to carry. I have other A5 size planners, but they are much thicker and don't as easily fit in my bag. The dotted format allows for greater freedom in setting up each page. I tend to use a hybrid form of bullet journal, planner and general notes from meetings. Having pre-printed page numbers is awesome; makes it easy to reference important notes in an index.

On the overall build the thick black cover looks professional and provides a great level of protection when throwing it in my bag. The exposed spine looks a little unfinished, but I kind of like that aesthetic. The lay flat design is nothing short of excellent.

As others have commented, do yourself a favor and just buy the 3 pack. You won't regret it. You can thank me later!

I have been using various versions of Northbooks notebooks for different purposes for a couple years now. I haven’t been disappointed in any of them, but this is my favorite for overall journaling.

The coptic-style binding allows the book to lay truly flat, and the numbering on the pages saves me some time for indexing purposes. The dots and numbers, while subtle, are distinct enough to be seen clearly even in lower light.

On top of all this, the cover is heavy enough to provide a good backing for writing without a firm table or desk to lean on.

I’ve had this book for a couple weeks, used it pretty heavily, and it’s holding up really well. Good thing I got the 3-pack right off the bat!

I've been a big Northbooks fan for a while now and am currently journaling in my fourth Northbooks dot notebook. The regular soft cover notebooks are great, but the AX 5 is, well, sublime. What's so great about this notebook?

1. Heavy card stock cover – a huge improvement over the semi-satin (fingerprint attracting) finish on the regular soft cover

2. Numbered pages – perfectly done...functional but inconspicuous

3. Thin blank margin around the dot grid – yes to this in every conceivable way. brilliant.

4. Lay flat binding – no, really. it lays 100% completely flat and stays that way without the need to hold it down. true love.

People always admire my Northbooks notebooks and I have recommended them countless times. The first time I bought one I was worried it wouldn't be durable enough, but I have been amazed at how well they hold up, even though I carry them in multiple bags and use them daily, in all manner of conditions. If you are like me and can't imagine carrying around a heavy, clunky, hardcover notebook, if you love the feel of a card stock cover, if you notice the little details and they make a difference, then you are really going to love this notebook. Do yourself a favor and buy the 3-pack straight off. You won't regret it. :)