Field Notes Notebooks Review

The new Field Notes Drink Local Edition
The new Field Notes Drink Local Edition
The new Field Notes Drink Local Edition Back Cover with Coasters
The new Field Notes Drink Local Edition Back Cover with Coasters

As I have stated before in my Field Notes Calendar Review I didn’t like Field Notes right away because the paper was not fountain pen friendly.   Not too long ago I saw a friend’s collection of limited edition Field Notes and I stopped caring so much about the paper.

Let’s talk about the paper; it’s okay, not great.  I use my Field Notes with fountain pens and and there is some bleed through and very minor feathering with juicy pens.  Some editions have slightly thicker paper than others but in general Field Notes do not do that well with fountain pens.

Field Notes

As you can see there is quite a lot of bleed through from the Montblanc and some minor spotting with both of the Auroras.
As you can see there is quite a lot of bleed through from the Montblanc and some minor spotting with both of the Auroras.

I love the Futura typeface and all of the interesting and amusing things that they print onto the covers.  I also really like that they list how each Field Notes was manufactured and what materials were used.  Here is the cover of the California County Fair Field Notes:

Field Notes County Fair

Field Notes County Fair

Field Notes County Fair
Practical Applications : #16: Animal Husbandry Techniques

Field Notes County Fair

Field Notes measure 3.5″ x 5.5″ and come with 48 pages of blank, ruled, or graph paper.  There are more variations in the limited editions, for instance, the Drink Local Edition has an amber colored grid paper and the Night Sky Edition used a reticle graph paper.  You can subscribe to their Colors Subscription for $97 a year and you will get 4 quarterly shipments with two three-packs of the most recent limited edition as well as two three-packs of the standard Field Notes for a total of ten three-packs per year.

This is my modest collection of Field Notes
This is my modest collection of Field Notes…no Butcher Blue here

There are not many collectable paper products out there and certainly none that have been executed as well as Field Notes.  If you are into pens and paper Field Notes are pretty hard to resist…I am contemplating a second Colors subscription.

I usually carry at least one Field Notes in my Midori Traveler’s notebook as they are really easy to slide in an out when I don’t need all the other notebooks in my Midori.

Field Notes in Midori

Here are some great Field Notes reviews:

(I have no affiliation with any of the sites linked below)

A Penchant For Paper – Field Notes Memo Books

Not Enough Bits in This Byte –  A Review: Field Notes vs. Moleskine

Inkophile – Field Notes Journals or Moleskine Cahiers

Pencil Revolution –  Field Notes Review, Part II: The Notebook.

Stationery Review – Field Notes – Squared Memo Book

Staedtler Triplus Fineliner Review

I have been using a Staedtler Triplus Fineliner since my school days and it is still one of my favorite fineliners.  The Triplus fineliner comes in 30 different colors and features a long thin triangle-shaped barrel with a metal encased tip.  The tip is on the softer side but manages to still feel precise and ultra smooth.  The Triplus fineliner puts down a very clean and crisp line that Staedtler measures at 0.3mm.  I enjoy writing with this pen but others may find the line too wide.  By changing pressure you can get some line variation.

Staedtler Triplus Fineliner

The Triplus fineliner also features “DRY SAFE” technology that allows the pen to be uncapped for days without drying out.  I haven’t tested this claim beyond 30 minutes but others have and attest that the Triplus wont dry out after a few days of being uncapped.  It is worth noting that the ink is neither archival nor waterproof.

For a pen of this type, the Staedtler Triplus fineliner lasts a long time and at $1.30 a piece you can’t go wrong.  Also if you buy these pens in a set the box turns into a pen stand which is awesome.

Here are some great reviews of the Staedtler Triplus Fineliner:

(I have no affiliation to the sites linked below)

The Pen Addict – Staedtler Triplus Fineliner 0.3 mm Review

Fitness and Filofaxing –  Review: Staedtler Triplus Fineliner

A Penchant for Paper –  Staedtler Triplus Fineliners

Journaling Arts – Review: Staedtler Triplus Fineliners in a Moleskine Sketchbook