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Just how waterproof is this waterproof notebook? We put it to the test, SoraNews24 style

Katie Pask Jul 1, 2020
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We give this notebook the wet and wild treatment!

When you’re looking for a new notebook, what qualities do you look for in the paper? Thickness? A glossy finish? Smooth to the touch? Well, for true stationary aficionados, the best kind of paper is, without a doubt, waterproof paper. Whether you’re caught out in the rain while writing meaningful poetry, or you suddenly get a stroke of inspiration for song lyrics whilst in the shower, a waterproof notebook is an absolute must-have item.

Us writers here at SoraNews24 are also in dire need of such a notebook. Of course, we all have perfectly normal working computers, but for times where we’re getting down and dirty on the job, such a notebook would be ideal to catch the showers of our sweat. So it was with this thought that we came across the “Water Repelling Notebook“. This isn’t a new product by any means, but how well would it actually work? We decided to put it through the wringer.

The notebook, made by stationary company ‘Apika’, claims to use ‘Rain Guard‘ paper. The notebook costs 250 yen (US$2.30) for 70 sheets, which may be a little pricey for a normal notebook, but sweaty folks like us would probably be more than willing to splurge on such a necessity.

To keep the experiment fair (we’re serious about science, after all) we compared the waterproof notebook to two ‘control’ notebooks; one from Muji and one from 7-Eleven.

Our experiment consisted of three rounds: one round using an oil-based pen, one round with a water-based pen and the final round with a pencil. In all three rounds, the paper would be doused with water and then fiercely rubbed, to see how well it could hold up. How would the Rain Guard paper do in all three situations? The Muji notebook was made from 50-percent recycled paper, so sadly for Muji it seemed the battle was over before it had even begun. But let’s see!

▼ It’s soaking time!

There didn’t seem to be a huge difference between the three; the lettering seemed to keep their shape, more or less. So we gave the paper a bit of a rub.

Amazing! The soggy Rain Guard paper withstood the fierce rubbing and the lettering didn’t smudge at all! If it could hold up to this much water, a little bit of rain or sweat would be no issue at all!

So the oil-based pen held up well to the drenching, but how about water-based pens? Let’s find out!

Uh oh! Looks like Muji might crash out of the competition here! Even before we turned on the water, the Muji paper didn’t look like it would survive the round. The Rain Guard paper wasn’t looking too hot either, with the lettering smudging at the bottom. What will happen when we make it rain?

As you can see, the Rain Guard paper writing gets even more smudged. Could this be the 7-Eleven paper’s round?! Time to start rubbing!

The rubbing seems to have ‘erased’ the smudged ink, and the writing is legible again. This is definitely impressive, seeing as both the Muji and 7-Eleven paper just disintegrated against our vicious rubbing. ‘Rain guard’ paper wins this round! An unbelievable comeback from Rain Guard!

The final round was using pencils. Pencils are, by design, made to be erased; they’re certainly not as durable as their pen counterparts. Would the Rain Guard paper be able to withstand the final watery test?

▼ The final stage is set!

As usual, MUJI crashed out of the competition early. Thanks for participating, MUJI!

And now, for the much anticipated rubbing…

As you can see, it didn’t give under our fingering at all. It didn’t rip or crumble, and the writing was perfectly legible, even after the soaking and the rubbing. It really is an impressive little notebook!

Are you someone who likes to take notes in the rain, in the shower or in a pool? Are you someone who sweats so profusely that you can’t read what you’ve written down on normal, boring paper? If so, this nifty little notebook may just be the thing you need! Alternatively, if you can’t get your hands on one of these bad boys, you can try out this life hack next time you spill something on your favourite bit of stationery. Stay dry out there, folks!

Images: ©SoraNews24
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