Field Notes Expedition Review

Field Note Expedition

The Field Notes Expedition was not well received as the paper does not agree with many pens.  The Expedition edition uses a synthetic plastic paper and cover which makes the pages and cover tear resistant and waterproof.  The pages have a grey dot pattern.  I haven’t used any other waterproof papers so I don’t have anything to compare it to but I really like these Field Notes .

As you can see below, this paper is not the most pen friendly.  I have found that regular (non-gel) ballpoint pens and pencils work the best. Writing in the notebook feels like writing in cold butter; it is so smooth and pleasant that even the finest points feel great on this paper.  I dipped the notebook in water after doing a smear test and the plastic pages were completely fine, however, most of the ink was not.

Smear test followed by water test
Smear test followed by water test

1. Zebra Arbez Piitro Ballpoint – Smeared but not affected by water

2. Field Notes Brand Bic Clic Ballpoint – No smear no issues with water

3. Pilot G-Tec-C3 Gel Pen – Smeared but not affected by water

4. Caran d’Ache Technograph HB Pencil – Lightly smudges but is comparable with regular paper

5. Uni Woodnote Gel Pen – Very slight smear but not affected by water

6. Marvy Le Pen Drawing Porous Tip Pen – Smeared and affected by water

7. Pentel Energel Rollerball – Smeared and affected by water

8. Noodler’s Konrad w/ J. Herbin Eclat de Saphir – Smeared badly, ink completely gone with water

9. Platinum Preppy Fountain Pen – Smeared badly, ink completely gone with water

10. Platinum Preppy Sign Pen – Smeared badly, ink completely gone with water

11. Stabilo Bionic Worker – Smeared badly and affected by water

12. Staedtler Triplus Fineliner – Smeared badly and affected by water

13. Morning Glory Mach 3 – Slight smearing, ink completely gone with water

14. Itoya Paperskater – Smeared badly and affected by water

15. Ohto Graphic Liner – Smeared but not affected by water

16. Sakura Pigma Micron – Smeared badly and affected by water

In addition to the Field Notes Bic Clic pen below I have found that the Pilot Down Force, Lamy Dialog 1, and the Parker Jotter all worked well on this paper.

Field Note Expedition

Here are some great reviews of Expedition Field Notes:

(I have no affiliation with the sites linked below)

Pocket Philosophies – Finding the Right Pen for the Field Notes Expedition Notebook

Pencil Revolution –  Field Notes Expedition Edition: Smeary? 

The Well-Appointed Desk – Expectations and Expeditions, Field Notes that is.

The Pen Addict – What is the Best Pen for the Field Notes Expedition Edition

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