Baron Fig Confidant: Flagship Size, Pages & Paper

Drawing of the Baron Fig Confidant Flagship to scale: a light grey cloth hard cover, 196 mm (7.7 in) tall and 137 mm (5.4 in) wide, with a yellow ribbon, and opened flat on dot grid pages with a perforation line near the fold — The Flagship Confidant closed and opened at its perforated back pages (1 mm = 1.1 px).

Product facts

Product: Baron Fig Confidant Hardcover Notebook, Flagship (blank, ruled or dot grid)
Brand: Baron Fig
Brand origin: United States
Made in: Taiwan^*
Material: Textured fabric hard cover, thread-bound, acid-free fine grain 90 gsm paper
Released: 2014^*
Price range: $$$$20–75 per notebook

Notes on these facts

Made in Taiwan: per Pack Hacker's spec list for the Flagship Confidant; Baron Fig's own page says only "Made by Baronfig". A Mountain of Ink review of the Askew edition says Confidants have been made in Taiwan, China, Portugal and Germany, so origin may vary by edition or batch. Check the label on your copy. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Baron Fig's store listing for the Confidant dates from June 19, 2014, and the earliest reviews we found (Quartz and The Pen Addict) are also from 2014.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.

Key takeaways

The Flagship Confidant measures 5.4 × 7.7 in (137 × 196 mm): 7 mm wider but 14 mm shorter than a Moleskine Classic Large.
It has 192 pages, and the last 12 are perforated so they tear out without loosening the binding.
Baron Fig lists the paper as 90 gsm, versus 70 g/m² in a Moleskine Classic and 80 g/m² in a Leuchtturm1917 Medium.
Baron Fig sells it blank, ruled (7 mm) or dot grid (5 mm), thread-bound to open flat, at US$28 for the Flagship on October 20, 2026.
Pack Hacker lists Taiwan as the country of manufacture; one reviewer reports several countries across editions.

What is the Baron Fig Confidant?

The Confidant is Baron Fig’s hardcover notebook: a cloth-bound hard cover, 192 pages of 90 gsm paper and a ribbon bookmark. The Flagship is the original, medium size.

Baron Fig started as a small New York startup; Quartz profiled it in 2014, and The Pen Addict reviewed the Confidant in June 2014. Baron Fig’s press kit says New York Magazine named it a “Best Bet” all-purpose notebook in September 2015.

Baron Fig Confidant specs

Spec	Confidant Flagship
Size	5.4 × 7.7 in (137 × 196 mm)
Pages	192, the last 12 perforated
Paper	90 gsm, acid-free
Rulings	Blank, ruled (7 mm) or dot grid (5 mm)
Binding	Thread-bound, opens flat
Cover	Textured fabric hard cover
Colours	Apple Cider, Blue Slate, Charcoal, Fig Wine, Light Gray
Barcode	853205006038 (Flagship, dot grid, Charcoal)
Extras	Ribbon bookmark
Made in	Taiwan (per Pack Hacker)

Baron Fig’s product page gives the size, page count, perforated pages, paper, rulings and binding; Pack Hacker gives the metric size (19.6 × 13.7 cm) and origin. Tools and Toys reported that Baron Fig later added two more Confidant sizes; today Baron Fig lists the Flagship at US$28 and the larger Plus (7 × 10 in, 208 pages) at US$32. At US$28, the Flagship sits in our $$$ band ($20–75).

To-scale drawing: Baron Fig Confidant Flagship at 137 × 196 mm with 192 pages, beside a Moleskine Large at 130 × 210 mm with 240 pages and a Field Notes memo book at 89 × 140 mm with 48 pages — The Flagship Confidant beside a Moleskine Large and a Field Notes memo book (1 mm = 1.1 px).

Why 192 pages instead of 240?

Baron Fig chose thicker paper over a higher page count. In Quartz’s 2014 profile, a co-founder said competitors offered around 220 pages of thinner paper, so Baron Fig went with better, thicker paper and cut the count to 192.

The perforated last 12 pages are for notes you want to hand over or file. Tearing them out doesn’t loosen the binding, as tearing a normal page can.

Is Baron Fig paper good for pens?

It’s good for pencil and most everyday pens, but reviewers report show-through with ink. The Pen Addict found it excellent for pencil and saw ink show through on the back of the page.

The Well-Appointed Desk’s 2015 review judged it better-quality paper than most A5 notebooks sold in bookshops at a similar price. At 90 gsm, the paper is heavier than the 70 g/m² Moleskine Classic sheet, but much lighter than 160 gsm journaling paper. For heavier paper, see our best notebooks for fountain pens.

Which ruling should you pick: blank, ruled or dot grid?

Pick dot grid for a mix of writing and drawing, ruled for plain writing, and blank for sketching. Baron Fig currently sells the Flagship Confidant in all three, with 7 mm ruled lines and a 5 mm dot grid, and the cover is the same whichever you choose.

Dot grid is the usual choice for bullet journals, because the dots guide lines without crowding the page. If you want heavier paper for markers in a dot grid book, the Archer & Olive A5 uses 160 gsm sheets.

How does the Confidant compare to Moleskine and Field Notes?

The Confidant sits between the two: heavier paper and fewer pages than a Moleskine, and four times the pages of a Field Notes.

	Baron Fig Confidant Flagship	Moleskine Classic Large	Field Notes Original Kraft
Size	5.4 × 7.7 in (137 × 196 mm)	5 × 8.25 in (130 × 210 mm)	3.5 × 5.5 in (89 × 140 mm)
Pages	192 (12 perforated)	240	48
Paper	90 gsm	70 g/m²	Finch 60#T
Cover	Cloth hard cover	Hard cover, elastic	Kraft card, stapled
Price band	$$$	$$$	$

Moleskine and Field Notes figures come from our guides to each.

Which should you choose?

Choose the Confidant for a clean desk notebook with better paper than a Moleskine and pages you can tear out. The Flagship’s shorter, wider page suits desk notes and sketches.

Choose the Leuchtturm1917 Medium if you want numbered pages and an index, or a Field Notes for your pocket.

For a gift journal with a decorative gold-tooled cover, see the Paperblanks Black Moroccan Midi.

Where are Baron Fig notebooks made?

Pack Hacker lists Taiwan as the country of manufacture for the Flagship Confidant. A Mountain of Ink review says Confidants have been made in Taiwan, China, Portugal and Germany, so origin may vary by edition.

Baron Fig itself is an American brand. Check the label on your copy for its country of manufacture.

Frequently asked questions

What size is the Baron Fig Confidant?

The Flagship Confidant measures 5.4 × 7.7 inches, or about 137 × 196 mm. That is a little wider and shorter than a Moleskine Large (5 × 8.25 in).

How many pages are in a Baron Fig Confidant?

192 pages. The last 12 are perforated, so you can tear them out cleanly. A Baron Fig co-founder told Quartz in 2014 that they chose thicker paper over a higher page count.

What gsm is Baron Fig paper?

Baron Fig lists the Confidant's paper as 90 gsm and acid-free. That is heavier than the 70 g/m² paper in a Moleskine Classic.

Is Baron Fig good for fountain pens?

Reviews are mixed. The Pen Addict found the paper excellent for pencil but saw ink show through on the back of the page with pens. We haven't tested it ourselves.

Where are Baron Fig notebooks made?

Pack Hacker lists Taiwan for the Flagship Confidant. A Mountain of Ink review says Confidants have been made in Taiwan, China, Portugal and Germany, so check the label on your copy.

Is Baron Fig better than Moleskine?

It depends what you want. The Confidant has heavier 90 gsm paper and perforated pages; the Moleskine Large has more pages (240), an elastic closure and a back pocket, per our Moleskine guide.

Sources (9)

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