{"id":5438,"date":"2021-09-10T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-10T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/?p=5438"},"modified":"2024-01-15T13:27:52","modified_gmt":"2024-01-15T18:27:52","slug":"unseating-firma-flex","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/unseating-firma-flex\/","title":{"rendered":"Unseating the Firma Flex Notebook?"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Three years ago, I wrote about my favorite notebook at the time, the Franklin-Christoph Firma Flex<\/a>. It remained my favorite notebook for years, until, sadly, it was out-of-stock for an extended period of time late last year and early this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In that time, I went looking for a replacement notebook. This was partially because I wasn’t sure if the Firma Flex would ever be available again and partially because I’ve been looking for a notebook with paper that will better show ink shading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

In a fortuitous happening, Rhodia finally released the Goalbook with white paper. Before the Firma Flex, I’d said that if the Goalbook came in white paper, it would be my favorite notebook<\/a>. And I wasn’t wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I still love the Firma Flex. It’s a fabulous notebook. But one of the best parts of using a fountain pen is the ink properties. And, for me, shading is the best ink property. Therefore, the white paper Goalbook, with it’s acceptable level of shading visibility, just edges out the Firma Flex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, it the Rhodia Goalbook my dream notebook? No. To take that spot, it would need to have much less ghosting, and a slightly better display of shading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don’t use shading or sheening inks, I’d suggest the Firma Flex over the Rhodia. The lack of ghosting is a truly wonderful thing. But if, after much deliberation, you decide shading is more important to you than a lack of ghosting \u2014 as I have \u2014 then the white paper Goalbook is the way to go. There is, thankfully, muh less ghosting than Tomoe River, though. At least I’m able to use both sides of the paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparative Mini Review<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Rhodia Goalbook (White Paper)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Rhodia<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Price: $29.95 + Shipping<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Availability: Atlas Stationers<\/a> | Goulet Pen Co.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pages: 224 + Planning Pages<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colors: Orange, Black, Silver<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Binding: Hardcover, Sewn<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Size: A5<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ruling: Dot<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bookmarks: 3<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#ed Pages: Yes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paper Texture: Smooth, not silky<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bleedthrough: 0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ghosting: 3, writing shows through, but isn’t fully readable. Stamps, dark lines show significantly<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feathering: 0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Franklin-Christoph Firma Flex<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Franklin-Christoph<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Price: $11.50 + Shipping<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Availability: Franklin-Christoph<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pages: 192<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colors: Black<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Binding: Hardcover, Sewn<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Size: A4, A5, A6<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ruling: Blank, Lined, Graph, Dot<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bookmarks: 1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#ed Pages: No<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paper Texture: Matte, very slight tooth<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bleedthrough: 0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ghosting: 1 – Only very heavy, dark blots show through.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feathering: 0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I still love the F-C Firma Flex. It’s a fabulous notebook. But, Rhodia finally released the Goalbook with white paper. Does it unseat my top notebook?<\/p>\n

Keep ReadingUnseating the Firma Flex Notebook?<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5497,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[414],"tags":[89,206,329,282],"class_list":["post-5438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-paper","tag-5star","tag-franklin-christoph","tag-paper-reviews","tag-rhodia","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/notebooks-IGSm.jpg?fit=288%2C288&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8Z77k-1pI","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1972,"url":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/fc-firma-flex\/","url_meta":{"origin":5438,"position":0},"title":"Franklin-Christoph Firma Flex Notebook","author":"Rachel","date":"August 22, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I've finally found my \"perfect notebook\". Check out my thoughts on the Franklin-Christoph Firma- Flex Journal Notebook.","rel":"","context":"In "Paper"","block_context":{"text":"Paper","link":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/category\/stationery\/paper\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Firma-Flex Front Cover","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/notebook-Front-208x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5737,"url":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/cocoa-paper-cover\/","url_meta":{"origin":5438,"position":1},"title":"Cocoa Paper: Quality Custom Cover","author":"Rachel","date":"October 20, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"I've been trying to find my perfect notebook cover. This cover from Cocoa Paper is pretty awesome. Read my post to find out what makes it great.","rel":"","context":"In "Paper"","block_context":{"text":"Paper","link":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/category\/stationery\/paper\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The front of the cover.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/20211013_153110.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/20211013_153110.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/20211013_153110.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/20211013_153110.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10713,"url":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/dethroned-favorites\/","url_meta":{"origin":5438,"position":2},"title":"Dethroned Favorites","author":"Rachel","date":"July 21, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Inspired by a YouTube video, I'm looking back over some dethroned favorite pens, inks, and papers.","rel":"","context":"In "Fountain Pens"","block_context":{"text":"Fountain Pens","link":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/category\/stationery\/fountain-pens\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lamy Safari Dark Lilac","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/lamyDarkLilac.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/lamyDarkLilac.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/lamyDarkLilac.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/lamyDarkLilac.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/lamyDarkLilac.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/lamyDarkLilac.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1667,"url":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/fp101-8\/","url_meta":{"origin":5438,"position":3},"title":"Fountain Pen 101: Paper","author":"Rachel","date":"June 29, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Welcome back to Fountain Pen 101. 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I'll have to revisit this in 2023 and see how I did with these resolutions.","rel":"","context":"In "Fountain Pens"","block_context":{"text":"Fountain Pens","link":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/category\/stationery\/fountain-pens\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pens in a display box in a display case","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/20220113_173313.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/20220113_173313.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/20220113_173313.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/20220113_173313.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5723,"url":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/fp-series-updates\/","url_meta":{"origin":5438,"position":5},"title":"Fountain Pen Series + Updates","author":"Rachel","date":"November 30, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Since I finished my last Fountain Pen series post in October of 2018, I've written several updates. 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