Blog · Everyday Carry
One-Backpack Travel Stationery Kit: What I Actually Carry
When I travel, I travel light: no checked bag and no big carry-on, just one backpack. This is the stationery I pack in it.
My one-backpack travel kit is a Paper Republic notebook cover with Field Notes, a pen pouch, and a Kindle.
If I had to pack the minimum: one black pen, one brush pen, and one highlighter.
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I put this list together from a hotel room in Atlanta during a three-day conference. I travel with just one bag, so every piece of stationery has to earn its place: enough fountain pens, pens, pencils, and notebooks that I don't feel like I am missing anything, and nothing more.
| Item | What it does on the trip | Minimum kit? |
|---|---|---|
| Paper Republic with Field Notes | Master index, catch-all, collections | Yes |
| Zebra Sarasa, vintage edition | Green gel pen | |
| Kaweco Sport Olivine | Green fountain pen, fine nib | |
| Blackwing pencil | Pencil of choice | |
| TWSBI Eco | For longer journal entries | |
| Zebra Mildliner, olive | Highlighting | Yes |
| Pentel Multi 8 | Eight colors for quick sketches | |
| Tombow Fudenosuke | Hand lettering and lines | Yes |
| Pilot Vanishing Point | In my pocket | |
| Big Idea Design Base Line Bolt Action | Backup black pen | Yes, or the Vanishing Point |
| Kindle Paperwhite | Reading on the plane |
The notebook: Paper Republic with Field Notes
One thing comes on every trip: my Paper Republic notebook cover with my standard Field Notes inside.
Nothing about it changes when I travel. It is my go-to notebook setup: I still track things in my master index notebook and write everything else in my catch-all notebook.
Before leaving, I made sure the notebooks had enough blank pages to last the three days of the trip. My collections notebook holds any new information and reference material I pick up.
It is not especially compact, but it carries very well in a backpack, and I have no complaints about it at all.
If I were in a pinch and had to minimize what I brought, I would grab just this notebook cover and a pen, and that would probably be all I need for a few days.
The pen pouch
I debated whether to bring my whole pen pouch. I had a little extra space in the backpack, so it came along.
The first pen in the pouch is a green Zebra Sarasa gel pen from the vintage edition.
I love the green color, and it is a great writer that I enjoy using a lot.
Next is my Kaweco Sport in the Olivine color, a green fountain pen with a fine nib. It is currently inked with Kaweco Palm Green.
My pencil of choice is a Blackwing, which I recently modified a little. It writes very smoothly.
The pencil also travels well. I don't need to worry about the point poking into something or breaking.
The TWSBI Eco is the second fountain pen in the pouch, also with a fine nib. I use it for journal entries and anything else I want to write at greater length.
For highlighting, which I do often, I carry a Zebra Mildliner in the olive colorway.
A recent addition is the Pentel Multi 8, a lead holder that carries eight different leads in one body. It replaces a bunch of colored pencils and lets me sketch or color something quickly with one tool.
The Tombow Fudenosuke brush pen handles hand lettering and lines, and it is a great waterproof option.
I also brought my Pilot Vanishing Point fountain pen. It rode in my pocket rather than the pouch, ready whenever I needed to write something.
As a backup black pen, I brought my Big Idea Design Base Line Bolt Action. Its waterproof ink dries super quickly and doesn't smudge at all.
Finally, I pack one emergency ballpoint, the only ballpoint in the setup. I fitted it with a Uni Jetstream refill, and with that small modification it writes like a dream.
The minimum kit
If I had to pack as little as possible, my one black pen would be either the Big Idea Design Base Line or the Vanishing Point, and choosing between those two would be hard.
My pick for a short trip is the Big Idea Design Base Line. It is compact, it travels more easily, and it handles being tossed around, so I don't have to be as careful with it.
I would pair it with the Tombow Fudenosuke and my Mildliner. Those three get me through everything: the black pen for writing, the Tombow for headings, and the Mildliner for highlighting. The two pens are waterproof, so the Mildliner does not smudge their ink.
These three are my absolute minimum. I could probably get away with a single pen, but with these three I can enjoy a few days away from home without missing anything.
Best for a short trip: the Big Idea Design Base Line, the Tombow Fudenosuke, and a Mildliner.
Work notebooks and a Kindle
I was working during this trip, so I also packed the Field Notes that holds all my YouTube notes and ideas, plus two of my work notebooks.
I left my calendar inserts at home because I didn't think I would need them for three days.
One work notebook holds all my work notes. The other tracks projects, with big-picture project notes and meeting notes.
That project notebook also has an inbox and a waiting list of things I need to follow up on with other people. I took both work notebooks out of their usual cover for the trip, and they traveled slim.
The last item is my Kindle Paperwhite. Reading is how I pass the time when I travel.
I added a metal ring so it attaches to a tripod or my phone stand, which lets me set it up in front of me on the plane or in the hotel.
It comes with me everywhere and has worked really well for me.
Verdict: one notebook cover, one small pouch, and a Kindle are enough for a work trip in a single backpack. If space gets tight, the pouch comes down to three tools.
The gear worth a look
- Paper Republic: the go-to notebook cover that holds my Field Notes on every trip.
- Field Notes: master index, catch-all and collections.
- Zebra Sarasa Clip Gel Pen: the green gel pen, vintage edition.
- Kaweco Sport Olivine: the green fountain pen, fine nib.
- Kaweco Palm Green Ink: the ink in the Olivine.
- Blackwing 602 (Short) Set of 12: my pencil of choice.
- TWSBI Eco: fine nib, for longer journal entries.
- Zebra Mildliner Highlighters: the olive colorway, part of my minimum kit.
- Pentel Multi 8: eight leads instead of a bunch of colored pencils.
- Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen: hand lettering and headings.
- Pilot Vanishing Point: the pen in my pocket.
- Big Idea Design Base Line Bolt Action Pen: the backup black pen and my pick for a short trip.
- Amazon Kindle: my Paperwhite comes on every trip.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What stationery do you bring when you travel with one bag?
A Paper Republic cover with my standard Field Notes, my full pen pouch, and a Kindle Paperwhite. On a work trip I also pack two work notebooks and a Field Notes for YouTube ideas.
What is the smallest travel stationery kit that still works?
Three tools: the Big Idea Design Base Line for writing, the Tombow Fudenosuke brush pen for headings, and a Zebra Mildliner for highlighting. I could get away with a single pen, but with these three I can enjoy a few days away from home without missing anything.
Which pen is the pick for a short trip?
The Big Idea Design Base Line Bolt Action. It is compact, travels easily, and handles being tossed around, so I don't have to be as careful with it.
Do you bring a Kindle?
Yes, a Kindle Paperwhite comes on every trip. I added a metal ring so it attaches to a tripod or my phone stand, and I can set it up in front of me on the plane.