LIFE Ramune notebook turns beloved fountain pen paper into daily-use format

Jeff Abbott ran LIFE’s Ramune notebook from an extra-fine steel nib to a wet Sailor King of Pen broad nib, and the page stayed clean, with no feathering. That performance shows how LIFE’s familiar L Writing Paper moves from a letter-pad curiosity into a notebook you can actually live with every day.

A familiar paper in a more usable shape

Ramune is a relatively new notebook, but the material inside is not new at all. The paper was already on Abbott’s radar back in 2018, when it appeared in a different letter-pad format, and that history matters because the paper already had a reputation among fountain pen users before Ramune existed. What LIFE has done here is less invention than repackaging: the same respected writing surface, now in a form that looks and behaves more like a daily notebook.

The notebook uses the company’s original L Writing Paper White as the main text paper, and the lineup includes A6 and B6 sizes with grid and horizontal-ruled versions. That gives it the kind of range fountain pen users actually need, whether the goal is pocket carry, desk notes, or a compact journal that doesn’t feel like a precious object you have to save for the “right” moment.

Paper first, then everything else

What makes Ramune compelling is not the novelty of the cover, but the way the paper behaves under real writing conditions. That is the sort of test that matters to fountain pen people, because it covers both ends of the spectrum: dry, precise nibs and juicy, high-flow nibs that quickly expose weak paper.

The surface is smooth, and the lattice pattern does not get in the way of writing. Just as important, the ink color itself comes through well, which means the notebook is doing more than merely surviving the nib test. Across other items using the same L Writing Paper, LIFE describes it as compatible with ink and resistant to bleed-through and smudging, with a smooth writing experience as part of the appeal.

That does not mean the paper is invincible. Abbott notes that a Schmidt rollerball refill came closest to showing through the back, which is a useful reminder that fountain pen-friendly paper and everyday office refills do not always behave identically. Abbott treated Sharpies as outside the scope of the test.

Binding and format shape the experience

Ramune’s skip-ring binding is one of the details that makes the notebook feel thoughtfully built rather than merely branded. The design keeps hands from catching on the rings, and Abbott picks up on the practical effect of that center gap in the binding. It leaves a wrist space in the middle of the book, which he thinks makes the notebook a little friendlier for left-handers while also giving it a distinct visual identity.

That same binding choice also tells you what Ramune is for. This is not a rugged throw-it-anywhere notebook, and the spiral setup is not ideal if you want to toss it into a bag with no concern for wear. The tradeoff is a cleaner writing posture on the page, a desk-friendly profile, and a format that feels designed around actual note-taking rather than indestructibility.

LIFE also sells a sister product called Cinnamon, which uses cinnamon-colored lines and the same skip-ring concept. Together, the two notebooks suggest a small but deliberate family of paper-forward products, with Ramune leaning into its Ramune-colored lines and Cinnamon giving the same structure a warmer visual identity.

The price question is part of the story

Ramune lands in an interesting place on price. Abbott puts the A6 version at $9.25 and the B6 at $10.50, both with 60 sheets, while LIFE’s Japanese listing gives the B6 version at 600 yen with 60 sheets and 5 mm grid blue lines. That spread makes clear that this is not a bargain notebook, even if it is still far below the cost of most premium pens or inks.

The bigger LIFE picture

Ramune also makes more sense once you place it beside LIFE’s broader notebook catalog. Noble Note remains the company’s pride and joy, made by artisans in Tokyo’s downtown area with split-fold binding and the same L Writing Paper. LIFE describes the notebook as a long-term-use object. Other lines like Pistachio and Vermilion also use L Writing Paper.