Best Field Notes Alternatives for Fountain Pen Users

Field Notes are definitely my favorite. That's what I carry in my everyday carry, in my Paper Republic Grand Voyageur. That's the notebook that stays with me and that I use the most.

I like them to be compact and I just really wanted to see what else was out there. I've been exploring pocket notebooks for quite some time now and just wanted to see what other pocket notebooks are out there that I can use in my system.

If I were thinking of Field Notes alternatives, I really wish Field Notes used more fountain-pen-friendly paper, like the LOCHBY pocket-size notebooks with the Tomoe River paper, or the Kinbishi paper in the Dialog notebook.

If I had to give some memorable options, these two are phenomenal. The Dialog and the LOCHBY pocket-size notebooks.

Field Notes alternatives compared

Why Field Notes are still my favorite

I subscribe to their quarterly subscription and it just wears out super nicely.

You can tell my current one has been worn out and abused, and some of the spine is starting to peel off. It is not quite fully complete, but I've been using it quite a bit and it shows some of the wear and tear that it has been able to sustain.

I'd really get bored if I used the same type of notebook over and over again. I need something that I'll be able to swap, something that looks unique and I'm able to see the uniqueness in all of those.

### Can you use fountain pens in Field Notes?

Field Notes are not known for fountain-pen-friendly paper.

If you have the right combination of nib and ink, you can get away with using them with fountain pens.

When I keep using them, I still use fountain pens. In my current one, I wrote with a fountain pen a couple of days before filming.

I see minimal ghosting and maybe a little bit of bleed-through in some of the heavy spots, but nothing too concerning in my opinion. It is something I can deal with.

That is one page from daily use, not a controlled test. I will still continue to use fountain pens with them, because they are just fantastic notebooks.

Best for everyday carry and variety: Field Notes. Skip it if fountain pen performance matters more to you than the designs.

LOCHBY Pocket Journal: the fountain pen pick

The other thing I use quite a bit is the LOCHBY pocket-size notebook in the LOCHBY Pocket Journal cover. This one is still pretty fresh and is where I capture some ideas and some random notes.

It's Tomoe River paper, so it's super nice with fountain pens and it just allows me to write more with my fountain pens.

The Pocket Journal is a waxed canvas cover, and it comes with one pocket-size Tomoe River notebook.

The design is very plain. It's designed to live inside the cover. So the actual pattern is pretty simple, but the paper is fantastic.

I actually have the bigger version of these in my Traveler's Notebook in the regular size. That one is my journal and memory keeping notebook that I enjoy writing with quite a bit.

This is another extremely popular notebook, especially as LOCHBY has gained popularity with their covers. I own a few of those.

I also own the LOCHBY Mini Field Journal and some others. I bought all of these myself. Same with the Paper Republic.

Best for fountain-pen writing: LOCHBY Pocket Journal with its Tomoe River notebook. Skip it if the changing artwork on a pocket notebook is part of why you carry one.

Dialog Notebook: the structured pick

The third one on the list is the Dialog Notebook. These were sent by Dialog for me to check them out.

I still haven't gotten around to actually using them, but this one uses Kinbishi paper. It is a popular notebook that has become part of my feed, and that's what I wanted to try.

It does have a grid with some markers for the midpoints. The page numbers are on the bottom and right side, so it works in either orientation.

Best for structured notes: Dialog Notebook. Skip it if you want a verdict based on months of writing, because I have not put that time in yet.

When A6 makes more sense

I also have the Leuchtturm1917 Bullet Journal Pocket. I have it in a cover, which I got from Etsy a few years ago. I use it as my prayer journal.

It is designed in a horizontal format, and I use it as it is intended and write down more comprehensive notes.

What I like about this A6 format is you get a full page as if you're writing in an A5 notebook. So it feels very intentional. It looks great and handles fountain pens really well.

This one's still pretty fresh. I only have a few pages.

I feel it fits this setup quite nicely. I have Catholic prayers, so I'm able to keep them all together and it's a nice compact package.

I will say the passport size just definitely did not click with me. I tried it a few times, tried to see if I could make it work, but it was just a little too small for what I wanted to use it for.

To me, A6 is a little larger. It's just a little too large for me to be pocketable, but still a great notebook nonetheless.

Also consider for longer entries: Leuchtturm1917 Bullet Journal Pocket. Skip it if the notebook has to fit comfortably in a pocket.

The cover that holds it together

I moved from the passport size to the pocket size, and into the Paper Republic Grand Voyageur. This has been my workhorse and has been fantastic.

I have my daily jotter, a notebook where I write all sorts of things, paste stuff in. There is a plastic insert and a second notebook, which I call my collection notebook. Any lists, anything that I want to keep with me, that's where that lives.

I keep a pen with me. Right now I have the Traveler's Company ballpoint pen.

It has a Uni Jetstream insert. I also use a Traveler's Company writing board to keep the pen in place.

One of my favorite features is I'm able to fit the pen within the cover, so it is protected, and it just feels like a complete package and it belongs. So definitely my favorite cover of them all.

The beauty of pocket notebooks

The other beauty about pocket notebooks is you can really get a wide variety of options out there. We were stopping at a lot of shops on a recent trip to the UK. You're able to find some really cool notebooks.

One has Edinburgh Castle on the cover. It's a blank notebook, nothing special. I'm not even sure what paper it has.

But it is just a cool notebook to have and reminds me of when we went to Scotland. I also have one from Loch Ness, similar concept, blank pages, nothing super special.

The Coffeenotes notebook I found in London uses paper made from recycled coffee cups.

I actually used one of their notebooks for my travel journal while we were there. The paper held up really nicely.

One with a book design my wife got for me, I believe last year, is from Flame Tree Notebooks and has some gold accents that shine depending on how the light hits it. It's just a really cool design that you don't see very often.

I've been thinking about using it for some book notes, but I haven't really gotten around to it.

So that's the beauty of pocket notebooks. You can find all sorts of different pocket notebooks.

Portability is the point

The outcome for pocket notebooks is portability, rather than the structure. You keep them in your pocket, or you get a cover that keeps them a little more protected or you have a couple more features and you're able to have a whole journaling, planning system with you at all times.

I just like the compact stationery. That's what led me to create my little compact kit. Everything else I carry is on the Shelf.

The most important thing is carrying these things with you, using them, and making sure you're taking value from writing.

Watch the full video for the flip through of every notebook.

The gear worth a look

• Field Notes: the pocket notebook I carry and use the most, on a quarterly subscription.
• Paper Republic Grand Voyageur: my workhorse cover in the pocket size, with room for two notebooks and a pen inside.
• LOCHBY Pocket Journal: a waxed canvas cover with a pocket-size Tomoe River notebook, where I capture ideas and random notes.
• LOCHBY Mini Field Journal: another LOCHBY cover I bought myself.
• Dialog Notebook: Kinbishi paper, a 5mm grid, midpoint markers and page numbers on two edges. Sent to me by Dialog.
• Traveler's Company Notebook (Regular): the larger LOCHBY notebook in my regular-size Traveler's Company cover: my journal and memory-keeping notebook.
• Leuchtturm1917 Bullet Journal Pocket (A6): my prayer journal, in a horizontal format that opens to an A5-size page.
• Traveler's Company Brass Ballpoint Pen: the pen that fits inside my cover, with a Uni Jetstream insert.
• Coffeenotes Notebook: made with recycled coffee cups, and my travel journal in the UK.

Some links above are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The Dialog Notebook was sent to me by Dialog. Everything else here I bought myself.

Related reading

• Lochby Mini Field Journal vs. Paper Republic Grand Voyageur
• Best Pocket Notebook for Everyday Carry? I Carry Three Instead
• Monteverde Innova Ti Review: Titanium Pen for Daily Carry

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Field Notes alternative for fountain pens?

For me, the notebook in the LOCHBY Pocket Journal. It's Tomoe River paper, so it's super nice with fountain pens and it just allows me to write more with my fountain pens.

Can you use fountain pens in Field Notes?

If you have the right combination of nib and ink, you can get away with using them with fountain pens. I see minimal ghosting and maybe a little bit of bleed-through in some of the heavy spots, but nothing too concerning in my opinion.

Is an A6 notebook pocketable?

To me, A6 is a little larger. It's just a little too large for me to be pocketable, but still a great notebook nonetheless.

Why carry Field Notes if the paper is not the best for fountain pens?

I'd really get bored if I used the same type of notebook over and over again. I need something that I'll be able to swap, something that looks unique and I'm able to see the uniqueness in all of those.