Blog · Everyday Carry
Paper Republic Grand Voyageur Pocket Review After Two Months
Why I moved from the Traveler's Company Passport to the Paper Republic Grand Voyageur Pocket, and the three-notebook Field Notes system I carry in it.
The Paper Republic Grand Voyageur in the pocket size is the cover I moved to after the Traveler's Company Passport. It's one of the tools that I carry with me everywhere I go. It's an investment, but for me it was worth it.
I've been using it for 2 months now, and I've been loving it.
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Short answer: pick the Paper Republic if you want to carry several Field Notes and a pen in one soft leather cover. Stay with the Passport if its size already works for you.
Why the Traveler's Company Passport did not work for me
One of the main reasons that the Traveler's Company passport size didn't quite work for me was honestly, the size. It's a little small for me. I did use it.
The Midori paper is one of the nicest papers out there, and I do enjoy writing on it a lot. But this size just never clicked.
I started using Field Notes about a year ago now, and I've been really enjoying the experience of the pocket size of 3 and 1/2 by 5 and 1/2, and just the thickness, everything just feels right.
And when you're trying to develop a habit, when you're trying to create something that is going to last a long time, that feeling is at least to me super important.
The leather is very nice. It's nice and thick. And honestly, it is a great pocket notebook, and for the right people this size is just perfect.
I was just looking for something else in my setup.
I really wanted something that I could put my Field Notes in. Carrying the pocket is nice, but having a system that I can put multiple notebooks was something that I wanted to explore a little more.
Paper Republic vs Traveler's Company Passport
| Paper Republic Grand Voyageur Pocket | Traveler's Company Passport | |
|---|---|---|
| Notebook size | Fits my Field Notes (3.5 x 5.5 in) | Smaller Passport refills |
| Leather | Softer, more malleable | Thicker, stiffer |
| Back of the cover | Flat on both sides | Metal clip and a knot on the back |
| Best for | A multi-notebook Field Notes system | A compact single-notebook carry |
The Traveler's Company does feel a little stiffer. It does use a thicker leather.
Nonetheless, the leather on the Paper Republic is definitely softer, more malleable. It feels smoother on the hands, and I actually prefer this leather over the Traveler's Notebook.
The Traveler's is maybe a little more rugged. If you're thinking about traveling, it may be a little better, and again, that's in the brand.
The Traveler's does have this metal clip on the back. And when you lay it flat, it's something that gets in the way, as well as when you are writing, there's a knot in the back. So that's something that doesn't give you a pleasant writing experience.
I don't have that issue in the Paper Republic. It is flat on both sides, so the writing is super clean. The clip sits better on this one.
The downside is you do get a knot. I've been meaning to just loop it through and put it in the back, and then it would just be out of the way. So that's something that is easy to fix, and I just haven't got around to it.
Best for a clean writing surface: the Paper Republic. Also consider: the Passport if you want thicker, more rugged leather for travel.
Why it fits Field Notes
The size comparison between the Field Notes and the Paper Republic notebook is super similar, and the height is the same. So that was one of the things I was looking for. After watching tons of videos online, I realized that's going to fit my Field Notes, and that's exactly what I was looking for.
So I decided to pick one up. I filled it up.
My main goal was to fit Field Notes. And one of the nice things is the cover is actually a little wider, once I get everything in there, than the notebook. So without the pen there is ever so slightly some extra leather that goes beyond the notebook.
So that was perfect, because I could put my fountain pen in there and it was not sticking out the side. It kept it semi-protected, and this is how I carry it wherever I go.
The pen I carry these days is a Vanishing Point. I sometimes carry the clip. This is not something that lives in there, but it's nice when I want to hold the pages down.
It holds it well and actually allows me to write if I'm on the go super easily.
The leather and patina are super nice, and it's developing that beautiful character that I enjoy about leather.
My three-notebook system inside
In terms of notebooks, it's Field Notes all around. I have a Field Notes National Parks Edition. That's my catch-all and anything notebook.
Another one is my master index. So every day I write just a simple reminder of what happened during the day, and if there's something important that I want to keep from one of the notebooks, I use the index to tag it.
I have some collections that I use in my collections notebook in the back, and it just allows me to see where the information is.
I've been exploring a little bit with how many notebooks to carry with me. And right now this three pocket notebook system is working well. I did have a mind, body, and soul system for a little while, plus the catch-all.
So I was carrying four notebooks with me at all times, but I realized I wasn't really using the mind and the body as much. So those became their own notebooks.
And one of the beauties of that is that I get to explore different notebooks and different paper and different sizes, and it is fun to do that. I'm not stuck with the Field Notes everywhere, and it allows me to explore some of the other options out there.
Is the Paper Republic Grand Voyageur Pocket worth it?
It is definitely not a cheap product. It cost a lot of money. It's an investment, but for me it was worth it.
I wanted something that I could use notebooks in different ways. I was still in love with the leather feel that the passport size was giving me, and I wanted a little more.
Their notebooks are great quality. The paper is super nice. Nothing to complain about.
The leather is very durable, very nice. It is flexible, and it honestly feels a lot better in the hand than the Traveler's Company.
Verdict: worth it if you already write in Field Notes and want to carry more than one. Skip it if one Passport notebook already covers your day.
The gear worth a look
- Paper Republic: the cover I carry every day, holding three Field Notes and my pen.
- Passport size: the Traveler's Company cover I compared it against, with thicker leather and hardware on the back.
- Field Notes: the 3.5 x 5.5 inch notebooks my whole system runs on.
- Pilot Vanishing Point: the fountain pen that rides in the extra leather along the edge.
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Related reading
- Lochby Mini Field Journal vs. Paper Republic Grand Voyageur
- Pocket Notebook Covers: 7 I Have Carried and What Each Is For
- Galen Leather TwinFlip Review: Is the $85 Pen Case Worth It?
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Paper Republic Grand Voyageur Pocket fit Field Notes?
Yes. After watching tons of videos online, I realized that's going to fit my Field Notes, and that's exactly what I was looking for. The height is the same.
How many notebooks do you carry in it?
Right now this three pocket notebook system is working well. I was carrying four notebooks with me at all times, but I realized I wasn't really using the mind and the body as much.
Can it carry a fountain pen?
Without the pen there is ever so slightly some extra leather that goes beyond the notebook. I could put my fountain pen in there and it was not sticking out the side.
Is the Paper Republic better than the Traveler's Company Passport?
For my Field Notes setup, yes. The leather on the Paper Republic is definitely softer, more malleable, and it is flat on both sides, so the writing is super clean. The Traveler's is maybe a little more rugged, and if you're thinking about traveling, it may be a little better.