Here is another review of a notebook which was graciously sent as a sample. Thanks bunched to the Field Notes crew!

I have been a bit of a pessimist when it came to “pocket” notebooks. Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of having pen and paper at hand when you need it, and I use pockets every single day (phone, keys, wallet… who doesn’t?) but when I have checked out “Pocket” sized Moleskine’s, or A6 pads, they are just too big. Add a pen to that, and unless you have magic pockets, it’s just annoying.

Enter Field Notes memo books. Weighing in at 3.5″ (89mm) x 5.5″ (140mm), and having only 48 writable pages (12 sheets, stapled in half, writing on both sides) they seriously are “pocket”-sized. Actual pockets.

Along with the mixed pack, they also threw in a “general-purpose band of rubber” and a Field Notes click pen. The band is definitely general-purpose, and is a decent size. I personally wouldn’t use it, as most of the pens I like have a good firm clip, but for stacking notebooks in bags, it’d be excellent.

I have chosen to review the squared version, as I have not personally used a squared notebook before. As you can see, there is quite a bit of information printed in the covers. On the front, there is a “Property Of” sections, “Pertinent Coordinates”, Start and end date sections, and a contact email address in case of loss. In the back cover, there is a quick “Field Notes” story, a list of 30 possible uses for the notebooks, all the specifications used in the production of the notebooks, and a ruler along the side.

The paper is nice and smooth, and writes well. It feels about 80gsm, and deals with bleed and show-through fairly well.

I have been carrying a single notebook (the squared one) and one of my favourite Pilot V5 pens in my pocket ever since I opened the package, and it has come in handy more than once. It has also inspired me to start sketching, which is something I hope I continue.

The cover is made of a fairly sturdy “card”, and survives pocket travel quite well. I have noticed some scuffs in it where my pen has been clipped, but doesn’t that just add to the romanticism of old notebooks? You pull them out from a draw in years to come, and imagine what each scratch, tear and nick was caused by.

These notebooks are great, and when I finish the mixed pack, I will definitely grab another 3 of my preferred kind. Speaking of, you can purchase these from a number of places, such as the Field Notes Online Store, Notemaker, and I even found a place in Brisbane called The Outpost. Generally, a 3-pack would set you back about $10-12, but it will vary.

So I have told you what I do with mine, but here is the question… What do you do with your Field Notes? Why not be a little proactive and Answer in the comments!