|||
Through nearly 10 years at my current job in the grocery business, there have been a lot of different pocket notebooks. Their primary function is to capture relevant details of the day and keep a running task list, as well as track my in/out times. Entries are short and quick. A typical page lays out like this:
Any notebook can do this. That said, I’ve tried many different varieties and there are two types that have seen the most use.
First is the passport size Traveler’s Notebook. I used dot grid at first but switched to lined since I prefer that across notebooks overall.
I love the size of this notebook. They are thin and easy to carry. With a good outer cover to prevent from getting too chewed up, these were a highly reliable daily user. Tomoe River paper made for excellent writing with any kind of pen, but it especially helped to show off fountain pen inks. Looking back at old work notebooks like this and seeing the spectrum of different colors still makes me smile. Trying to pick out particular or favorite inks can be fun as well. Dry time could sometimes be an issue, necessitating a brief wait before flipping a page or closing the notebook so as not get too many smudges.
One drawback to the side bound notebook using staples or stitches can be holding it in one hand while writing. Across various roles at work, being on my feet and on the move is a constant. There isn’t always something solid to put a notebook on and so holding a notebook like the TN passport, small as it is, can be awkward and make notes less legible as you manage the writing and holding simultaneously.
Wire bound notebooks can alleviate this with one side folding behind the other so you don’t have to hold anything bigger than the one page you’re using. Tomoe River couldn’t really be found in an off the shelf wire bound option, so I had to consider other paper options.
These notebooks from Mnemosyne and Midori provide excellent paper, come in lined format, and are relatively affordable if you shop around. The smaller overall page size and tighter line spacing made things feel more cramped, which was a minor bother but I got over it. There is, however, one persistent problem that kept cropping up with use at work.
Can you tell what the problem is? No? Let’s look from another angle.
Warp speed, Mr. Sulu.
The plastic covers, though very durable, flexible, and comfortable, are easily deformed by the forces applied from being in your pocket all the time. Once they take a set like this there’s no getting it out. Does this affect anything about writing in the notebook? Not really. It’s more an annoyance than a roadblock. What was more off putting was how quickly this happened. The notebook shown above was at work for a bit over three weeks. So, while functionality was not significantly impacted, I just didn’t like this characteristic of these notebooks and it led me to keep looking for an alternative.
I landed on Clairefontaine Pupitre (above, left). This pocket size of the Pupitre presents a lot of what I want for a work notebook and it performed very nicely. I like the rigid chipboard backer under the rear cover and how well it held up against being sat on while in my back pocket. When it was used up and I wanted to get another, I encountered something I didn’t expect.
While Clairefontaine is widely available, this size/style variant isn’t sold at many places. Joe carries them at the Gentleman Stationer but many U.S. retailers with scores of Clairefontaine SKUs don’t carry it or seldom have them available. Amazon is an option but I’d rather get them from a place I know and would likely be buying other items from at the same time. The satisfaction of thinking I could settle on the Pupitre as long term choice was undone by not being able to find it in stock at places I shopped when I needed one. Enter Field Notes.
The Field Notes Heavy Duty (above, right) is something I had kicking around for a few years. I used one here & there at home, tossed it in a drawer and forgot about it. After striking out on the search for more Clairefontaine, I dug out the Field Notes in hopes it might be close enough.
Field Notes (left) and Clairefontaine top spiral bound pocket notebooks. Not much between them, right?
They are a near match at first glance. Small details differ, though, and there’s nothing we love more than small details on our stationery.
Clairefontaine laying on top of Field Notes
The Field Notes is a smidge wider. Not going to fit much more in that space than a single letter or number.
Field Notes (left) and Clairefontaine line spacing
Field Notes has lines spaced 1/4” apart, while Clairefontaine is spaced at 7mm. It’s a minute difference on the single line but ends up giving Field Notes one extra line per page.
Clairefontaine chipboard (left) is a bit thicker than Field Notes.
Both notebooks have chipboard to provide a more stable writing surface when held in your hand. Clairefontaine has one piece inside of the back cover. Field Notes has two pieces of chipboard serving as the front & back covers. I had questions if the chipboard as cover material would soften and wear down from going in and out of a pocket frequently but it holds up quite well. It also has a pleasant feel in hand compared to plastic.
Clairefontaine binding (top) vs Field Notes
The wire binding on both notebooks is plenty tough. Clairefontaine’s binding is slightly larger diameter but that doesn’t present any practical difference in usage.
You may be yelling at whatever device you’re reading on for this comparison to get to a certain salient point — writing on the paper.
Before talking about the writing experience, it’s worth noting Field Notes has a non-standard page setup in these Heavy Duty notebooks. The side you’ve seen up to now is regular lined, but the reverse side looks like this:
That’s 1/4” graph with fainter 1/8” lines inside. It’s much busier compared to the lined obverse. I don’t love it but I can live with it.
On balance, I’ll take Clairefontaine’s standard 90gsm paper over many other papers that cater to fountain pens. It’s excellent to write on and incredibly consistent. Field Notes paper is well regarded but doesn’t cater to what fountain pen enthusiasts may be looking for. It’s not trying to be the choice for swatching the hottest new batch of inks replete with dual shaders, super sheeners, and shimmer monsters, but you know that going in.
What have I found in using Field Notes paper with (almost always) fountain pens compared to Clairefontaine? The difference is immaterial within the context of my job. Choosing pen and ink combinations to serve the work you’re doing with them is one of the best features this hobby provides. Finer nibs and less dramatic inks work better with Field Notes paper and the things I write down in these notebooks. By no stretch does that mean nib & ink choices need be boring or less pleasing to use. Besides, there are a thousand other combinations of pen, ink, and paper waiting at home to indulge me if needed.
If a genie granted me some wishes, one would be to put Clairefontaine’s paper in the Field Notes cover. That could make the ultimate pocket notebook to use at work. For now, anyway.