Review: Field Notes Memo Pad

The classic style of the Field Notes Memo Pad really caught my eye when they first came out, and I was anxious to get them into my hands as soon as possible.  The ordering process was simple, and once they arrived, I was not disappointed.  Here are the quick and dirty specs:

- 48 page memo book
- 3-1/2" wide by 5-1/2″ tall
- Rugged three-staple saddle-stitch process
- Perfect 3/16″ (5mm) graphed paper
- Manufactured and printed in the U.S.A.

And the best part for me - the graph lines were brown!  For whatever reason, I had never noticed that prior to ordering, and was very pleasantly surprised.  It fits the design of the notebook perfectly.

Performance wise, the paper is really nice and smooth.  I broke out as many different pens as I had on me at the time and went to work:

Front

Back (sorry about the blur - I couldn't get a good shot for the life of me)

As you can see, there is no feathering or bleed-thru no matter which pen I threw at it.  I didn't have a fountain pen handy at the time, so I will need to test that out further.

The only real item I would like to see improved is the thickness of the cover.  It feels a little flimsy to me, but I will say it gives the notebook nice flexibility.  I would just prefer a more sturdy cover to take a good beating in my backpack or pocket.  Other than that, this pocket notebook is excellent.  Between it and the Doane Utility Notebook, I have my pocket size notebook needs covered.

Grab a three-pack of Field Notes Memo Books from the Field Notes Shop for just $9.95 - bonus goodies included!

Inside

Front Cover

Back Cover

Comments

[Tom]

I was highly tempted by the Field Notes, but it was just too big for my pocket. I don't like the "standard" 3.5" x 5.5" notebooks for that purpose.

I do, however, love the Rhodia No. 11, 2.9" x 4.1" notebooks. It's got a great graph paper with light purple lines - no bleed through. The pages are microperforated for easy removal. The cover is designed to fold back over the bulk of the pages. Cheap, too - starts around $1.50.

[dowdyism]

I'm glad to hear you like the Rhodia notebooks Tom. I hope to have some soon to review.

[Steve]

The paper in Field Notes is amazing. Just about the best I've seen in a pocket notebook. I know the cover seems flimsy, but it can really take a beating. I carried one throughout a Georgia summer -- sweaty shirt pocket, sweaty jeans back pocket, banging around a cargo pocket -- it held up like a trooper. Takes on a nice patina over time, too.

[Z]

These look great, I'm tempted. And I'm curious, what kind of bonus goodies are we talking about here?

[dowdyism]

I got a Field Notes pen, pencil, and window decal. Just some fun little throw ins.

[Superpooky]

I'd been wondering about the goodies. I love that kind of thing from companies.

Not that I'll be getting the goodies in the UK, however Field Notes arre available online from The Paperie in the UK for around £7-8 for the 3 notebook pack.

I must admit, Rhodia and Claire Fontaine paper is hard to beat.

[Swift]

Can you recommend a good pen to pair with this memo pad?