Rubbish?

[tandaina]

So I've heard people gushing over Field Notes for ages and held off because they were reported to be not terribly FP friendly.

But as I've a bunch of fine nibs now I thought I'd *try.*

What junk paper! I got the cool ice, or whatever it's called, pack. Everything bleeds through it. Even my dang Uniball feathers and bleeds through onto the back and that's an ultra-fine point roller ball for heaven sake! Fountain pen ink is awful, and the paper so unpleasant to write on I wouldn't anyway. The only thing I can imagine wouldn't make a mess in this book is a pencil. I have to say I'm absolutely unimpressed and I'll never be tempted again.

Far better off getting Back Pocket Journals made in the same size. :\

Blah. Do the Field Notes folks here primarily use pencils in them? I'm totally confused how these notebooks have gotten so popular unless people just like collecting the covers and never actually *use* them?

[sgtstretch]

From what I've seen/heard each series uses a different paper. Some are more fountain pen friendly than others. That said, I haven't picked up an Field Notes notebooks because they all aren't FP friendly.

[Crazyorange]

I have the cool ice too. I wasn't impressed either. Just meh. Wet nibs bled through. I wouldn't buy field notes again. For $10 I'm not won over. I have nicer note pads.

[mhosea]

Ballpoint works OK on it.

But I'm with you. On the occasions where I've sent something back to Richard Binder for readjustment, he included a 3-pack of plain paper Field Notes on the return trip. Can't use them with fountain pens, not really.

[rdcalhoon]

I like Field Notes, but I'm not wedded to them. I fill a 48 page notebook in about 4 weeks. I like switching to different book each time so the good thing about Field Notes is the variety.

That said some have paper that Is almost as bad as Molskine. Others are ok with careful choice of ink and pen.

[rdcalhoon]

Fast drying paper is important in a pocket notebook.

[klpeabody]

I have limited experience with Field Notes, as I've used only the standard brown Kraft cover version. I haven't found it to be the best paper for FPs, but I have done ok with a Lamy Safari/ EF nib. I have heard feedback about the paper in the Cold Horizon edition, and it has not been very positive. As someone else mentioned, with the special Field Notes editions, they change the paper with each new version, so from what I understand the paper in some editions is better with FPs than others.

[Sailor Kenshin]

So I've heard people gushing over Field Notes for ages and held off because they were reported to be not terribly FP friendly.

But as I've a bunch of fine nibs now I thought I'd *try.*

What junk paper! I got the cool ice, or whatever it's called, pack. Everything bleeds through it. Even my dang Uniball feathers and bleeds through onto the back and that's an ultra-fine point roller ball for heaven sake! Fountain pen ink is awful, and the paper so unpleasant to write on I wouldn't anyway. The only thing I can imagine wouldn't make a mess in this book is a pencil. I have to say I'm absolutely unimpressed and I'll never be tempted again.

Far better off getting Back Pocket Journals made in the same size. :\

Blah. Do the Field Notes folks here primarily use pencils in them? I'm totally confused how these notebooks have gotten so popular unless people just like collecting the covers and never actually *use* them?

Well, no. I've filled more than a few of them, and every time I hit a pen show I pick up a pack. I like the plain brown wrappers with the tan-lined stock, but I have others as well.

They have been used to keep track of InCo, Happy Mail, pen trades and sales and PIFs. And more. In a fit of whimsy I've written letters on them. I guess the size seems cute.

[Inner Prop]

At the risk of hijacking the thread (and if I am, please don't punish me, just ignore me) what would be a notebook of similar size and price that's better for fountain pens? What about Scout Books?

[tandaina]

Back pocket journals. That's what I'm moving to permenantly. Ordered a pack with tomoe river paper. $10.50 for a fountain pen friendly 3 pack, 12.50 for tomoe river 3 pack. They are almost the exact same size as Field Notes, 1/4 inch difference. And super friendly to deal with today.

[Jon Szanto]

BACKPOCKET JOURNALS
ARE THE BEST JOURNAL
EVER MADE FOR FOUNTAIN
PENS SINCE FOREVER AND
STEVE CURNOW
IS A GREAT GUY!

I have no affiliation with Mr. Steve Curnow, except that I've met him a few times, and I chat with him and message him on Facebook and hung out with him at breakfast after an earthquake and it isn't like he backs a truck up at my house and dumps thousands of the fine journals in my driveway. But you should buy some, they really are great.

Curnow Bookbinding

[bjai]

I prefer rhodia. It's the one thing that made the sheen on my rouge hematite show when even the nice MD paper on the midori traveler's notebook failed! So I will now produce my own fp friendly inserts for my notebooks out of rhodia dot pad.

[Bogon07]

If you want to have some "real fun" try using a fountain pen on the Field Notes Expedition edition. The 'paper' is of the resin/stone paper type. Your ink may dry sometime in the next decade and you often see the ink feathering out in a dramatic display of Chromatography.

Apart from those the other versions seem to take most ballpoints & gel pens quite well.
Sometimes a very wet liquid ink rollerball will feather or bleedthrough big time.
Some Field Notes editions are reasonably tolerable of FountainPens if you find a good combination of ink & nib.

Rhodia & Clairefontaine make small size notebooks in a similar style along with a few different Japanese brands like Apica which are fontain pen friendly.

[Tracy Lee]

BACKPOCKET JOURNALS
ARE THE BEST JOURNAL
EVER MADE FOR FOUNTAIN
PENS SINCE FOREVER AND
STEVE CURNOW
IS A GREAT GUY!

I have no affiliation with Mr. Steve Curnow, except that I've met him a few times, and I chat with him and message him on Facebook and hung out with him at breakfast after an earthquake and it isn't like he backs a truck up at my house and dumps thousands of the fine journals in my driveway. But you should buy some, they really are great.

Curnow Bookbinding

Buf if he WOULD back a truck up and dump thousands you would totally let him. So would I, so. Would. I. Awesome little journals.

[Dreck]

Jon Szanto generally seems to know what he's talking about. It'd be nice if he weighed in on this thread and gave some actually helpful recommendations, instead of being so darned ambiguous...

[dannzeman]

I've gotta agree with Jon on this one. I've reviewed the BackPocket Journal on the main site and use the Tomoe River Edition exclusively.

[Jon Szanto]

Backpocket Journals
are doubleplusgood.

[tandaina]

Just wanted to say, I emailed the lovely gentleman at Back Pocket Journals and explained what I needed (field notes sized tomoe river books). He told me how to pay via paypal.

And I proceeded to utterly *wiff* the math and overpay them by $1. $1. Because of that he sent me an entire extra journal and didn't make me feel like an idiot at all. Wonderful customer service. I will never buy another small journal again.

[sharmon202]

So I've heard people gushing over Field Notes for ages and held off because they were reported to be not terribly FP friendly.

But as I've a bunch of fine nibs now I thought I'd *try.*

What junk paper! I got the cool ice, or whatever it's called, pack. Everything bleeds through it. Even my dang Uniball feathers and bleeds through onto the back and that's an ultra-fine point roller ball for heaven sake! Fountain pen ink is awful, and the paper so unpleasant to write on I wouldn't anyway. The only thing I can imagine wouldn't make a mess in this book is a pencil. I have to say I'm absolutely unimpressed and I'll never be tempted again.

Far better off getting Back Pocket Journals made in the same size. :\

Blah. Do the Field Notes folks here primarily use pencils in them? I'm totally confused how these notebooks have gotten so popular unless people just like collecting the covers and never actually *use* them?

I don't think I've seen anything negative about Field Notes before, I was afraid I was the only one. I bought 2 sets of three and probably my last. My significant other uses them to keep track of hours worked, they are pretty sturdy for that. Seems gimmicky, all these versions. While they are fine for non-fp use I do not understand the "collecting" thing. No knock meant on anyone who does or who likes them, I just do not understand the hype about them. Takes all kind a kinds ya know.

[fncll]

I love the Back Pocket Journals because I love Tomoe River paper. BUT, drying time on Tomoe paper can be (sometimes dramatically) longer than more absorbent papers, which might or might not be a problem depending on how you use your journals. I literally carry it in my backpocket and decided to just change my daily carry to an XF (or Japanese F) with ink I know to be quick drying.

Of course, that pen and ink combination works fine in journals with cheaper paper such as Field Notes, Moleskine, and a zillion other brands I have tried... YMMV, etc