Field Notes: Original Kraft 3-Pack - Ruled Paper Memo Books - Lined 48 Page Pocket Notebooks - 3.5" x 5.5"
Features
| Brand Name | Field Notes |
| Unit Count | 3 Count |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 00858493003011, 21679238414526 |
| Manufacturer | Field Notes |
| UPC | 858493003011 |
| Item Weight | 3.2 ounces |
| ASIN | B0034KDEMO |
| Ruling Type | Ruled |
| Special Feature | Soft Cover |
| Specific Uses For Product | Checklist, Grocery List, Note Taking |
| Binding | Office Product |
| Paper Size | 3-3/10 x 5-1/2 |
| Pages | 48 |
| Number of Items | 3 |
| Item Dimensions L x W | 5.5"L x 3.5"W |
| Number of Sections | 3 |
| Color | Ruled Paper |
| Theme | Book |
| Style | Ruled Paper 3-Pack |
| Pattern | Solid Color |
| Cover Material | Paper |
- POCKET NOTEBOOK, PERFECTED - At 3.5"x5.5," this Field Notes Original Kraft memo book 3 pack of journals is perfectly sized to fit in the pocket of your shirt, pants, or purse. As always, the inside covers feature our usual Specifications and Practical Applications.
- RULED PAPER JOURNAL - This 48-page journal notebook is designed with best-in-class versatility. Inside you'll find 48 pages of lined paper, printed using soy-based ink, for daily bullet journaling, tracking midnight ramblings, or writing thoughts or poems.
- ACID-FREE, BRIGHT WHITE - Each field journal features responsibly manufactured 60 lb (90 GSM) Finch Opaque body paper, which is a pleasure to write on, as it's smoother and more substantial than the typical notepad or composition notebooks. The acid-free pages maintain a bright white color to preserve sketches, observation logs, or to-do lists.
- RUGGED & DURABLE COVERS - Stash your Field Notes notebook in your pocket, car, or backpack for everyday carry. The cover is made from 80 lb kraft cardstock from French Paper Co. in Michigan and handles rough treatment without tearing or curling. It’s bound together by saddle stitch and three staples that support a flat lay to make quick entries easy and efficient.
- PROUDLY PRINTED & MANUFACTURED IN THE USA - We take great pride in our complete and transparent origin stories. Each of our thin notebooks and journals is bestowed with evidence of our artisan-first processes, like locally printed pages from suppliers in the midwest and precisely rounded corners stamped by a machine noted inside the back cover.
Rhodia Side Staplebound Pocket Notebook (3 X 4.75) Orange, Black and White, Pack of 3
A pocket notebook earns its place in the seconds before a thought disappears.
At a train platform, beside a workshop bench, or halfway through a walk, a notebook has to surface fast, lie flat enough to catch a sentence, then disappear again without complaint. That is where the comparison becomes less about stationery taste and more about daily-carry behavior.
Field Notes Original Kraft brings a deliberately workmanlike feel: compact, flexible, tactile, and comfortable with scuffs, bent corners, and hurried pencil marks. Rhodia’s side-staple pocket book feels more composed, built around notably smoother paper that gives fountain pens, gel ink, and fine sketches a cleaner landing. The trade-off is clear: Field Notes favors character and low-fuss portability; Rhodia favors a more refined writing surface. Neither is simply “better”—the deciding moment is whether the next note arrives with dirty hands, a fast ballpoint, or a wet fountain-pen nib.
- Field Notes’ kraft cover develops visible wear as part of its working-notebook character.
- Rhodia’s smoother paper is generally more accommodating of ink-heavy writing tools.
Pick the notebook for the work at hand
Field Notes lists heavier 90 GSM paper, while Rhodia uses 80 g paper with a notably smooth satin finish. A wet fountain-pen nib or juicy gel pen can behave differently on each surface despite the weight figures. For throwaway pocket notes, that nuance may not matter; for pages intended to become a durable reference, pen-and-paper pairing matters more than brand allegiance.
| Roomier field carry Field Notes Original Kraft Pocket Notebook Three-Pack | VS | Compact smooth writer Rhodia Side-Staplebound Pocket Notebook Three-Pack |
|---|---|---|
3.5 × 5.5 in; roomier | Trim and pocket bulk |
3 × 4.75 in; trimmer |
48 ruled pages; 90 gsm | Pages and ruling |
48 pages; ruling unconfirmed |
Smooth, substantial opaque stock | Paper feel |
Extra-white satin-smooth stock |
Stapled; kraft cover | Binding and cover |
Side-stapled; waterproof-coated card |
3-pack | Pack format |
Listing details conflict: 3 or 4 |
| View | View |
Rhodia’s satin surface generally gives a nib less drag, which can make fine writing feel notably cleaner. But a smooth sheet is not automatically more opaque: show-through depends on paper construction, ink saturation, nib width, and drying time.
Field Notes’ listed 90 gsm stock is the heavier sheet, so it may feel more reassuring for ordinary two-sided notes. Neither specification alone promises a clean reverse side with a wet broad fountain-pen nib or heavy marker. For dense writing, test the intended pen on the last page first.
Also verify the live regional listing. This Rhodia entry names a three-pack while its description mentions four notebooks, and ruling options can vary by market.
A pocket notebook built for fast, unguarded capture
Best for everyday pocket notes and flexible writing.
Field Notes Original Kraft is a 3.5 × 5.5-inch, 48-page memo book whose appeal is its lack of ceremony. The saddle-stitched format lies relatively flat once opened, slips into a shirt or trouser pocket, and is easy to finish before notes become a permanent archive. Its 90 GSM Finch Opaque paper gives pencil enough feedback for quick lists, field observations, diagrams, and marginal corrections.
The soft kraft cover is part of the object’s working character: it collects bends, scuffs, and handwriting rather than hiding them. That suits readers who treat a notebook as a consumable record, not a protected presentation book.
- Slim saddle-stitched profile carries with little bulk
- Pencil marks retain useful feedback and legibility
- Kraft cover develops a distinctive working patina
- 48 pages encourage completing and replacing notebooks
- Soft cover offers limited protection in a bag or pocket
- Wet, broad fountain-pen lines may show feathering or show-through
- Stapled spine is less suited to removing or rearranging pages
In brief Field Notes rewards frequent, low-friction use. It is more convincing as a notebook to wear out than one to keep pristine.
Field Notes is the stronger fit when capture speed and pocket comfort matter more than ink-showcase paper. Its paper is notably substantial for a compact memo book and pleasant with pencil, but it is not especially forgiving of saturated inks, broad nibs, or deliberate wet shading.
Choose its workmanlike character when a creased cover and a filled notebook feel like evidence of use rather than damage.
A smoother pocket notebook for ink-first notes
Best for smooth paper and weather-resistant covers.
Rhodia’s side-stapled 3 × 4.75-inch notebook takes a more polished route than Field Notes. Its 80 GSM satin-finish paper is made for writers who notice nib glide, crisp fine lines, and the appearance of a page after it has been filled. The coated card cover also gives this small notebook a more weather-tolerant outer layer for everyday commuting and desk-to-pocket use.
- Satin-smooth 80 GSM paper gives fountain pens, gel pens, and fine liners a notably clean glide.
- Extra-white pages make dark ink and small handwriting look sharp.
- Coated card covers resist minor splashes and grime better than untreated stock.
- Compact 3 × 4.75-inch format disappears into smaller pockets.
- The slick surface offers little tooth, so pencil feels less controlled and shading can look lighter.
- Side staples can catch or bend when the notebook is loose among keys and tools.
- The smaller page gives less room for sketches, lists, and wide handwriting.
- Smooth paper can make fast pencil notes feel more slippery than tactile.
In brief Rhodia is the more refined writing surface, particularly when ink quality matters. Its compact side-stapled build rewards careful carry rather than hard-use pocket abuse.
For ink-focused writing, Rhodia makes a compelling case with a silky, controlled page and a cover that handles ordinary dampness well. The trade-off is tactile: pencil users lose the feedback that makes quick marks easy to regulate. Choose it when tidy handwriting and pen performance matter more than a notebook built to be knocked around.
Paper weight is only one part of the ink story
GSM describes mass, not surface treatment, sizing, or fiber structure.
A well-sized 80 GSM sheet can resist penetration more effectively than a more absorbent 90 GSM sheet. Rhodia’s satin surface slows absorption; Field Notes’ more tactile stock takes ink in sooner.
They describe separate failures: feathering is spreading along fibers, ghosting is show-through on the reverse, and bleed-through is ink physically reaching it.
Rhodia commonly keeps lines sharper, while Field Notes may show more spread or reverse-side visibility with saturated liquid inks.
Nib width, writing pressure, ink saturation, and pause time can overturn a quick test.
A fine, dry nib lays down little ink; a broad, wet nib or a long stationary stroke deposits far more. For broader context, compare paper choices that limit ink bleed-through.
Rhodia’s slicker finish gives fountain-pen lines time to sit on the surface, often improving edge definition and shading. That same slower absorption can lengthen dry time and increase smearing risk. Field Notes’ less sealed, more fibrous feel tends to dry faster, but can expose a wet ink’s tendency to feather or show through.
Pocket wear changes the writing angle
Field Notes’ soft kraft cover bends around a wallet or keys, but its exposed corners can soften first. As the booklet fills, its center saddle stitch gains some give; the first and last leaves remain braced by the cover and feel less accommodating.
Rhodia’s coated cover tends to resist grime and scuffs more neatly, but it is firmer under the hand. Its side staples create a ridge at one edge, making close-to-margin writing most awkward on opening pages. Final sheets may curve against the back cover rather than settle open.
So how pocket notebooks lie flat while writing is only part of the decision. Field Notes favors across-spread jottings as the fold breaks in; Rhodia favors a single-page posture, often with the free edge steadied.
Compare the first, middle, and final pages while standing and seated. The usable writing angle matters more than a lay-flat claim.
Protect the notebook, not its character
A pocket notebook benefits from light protection, not a rigid case that makes quick capture awkward. To reduce bending in a pocket notebook, carry it in a front trouser pocket, shirt pocket, or jacket interior pocket rather than a back pocket, where sitting concentrates force along the fold and staples.
A slim paperboard or leather slipcover can shield the exposed corners and keep keys, coins, and phone edges from abrading the cover. Choose one that leaves the notebook easy to slide out: Field Notes still needs to flex at its spine, while Rhodia’s side-stapled edge should remain unobstructed. Replacing a deeply creased notebook is often more practical than trying to flatten it.
Field Notes vs Rhodia: Common Questions
Does heavier paper always mean better ink handling?
No. GSM describes mass, not surface treatment, sizing, or fiber structure. A well-sized 80 GSM sheet like Rhodia’s can resist ink penetration more effectively than a more absorbent 90 GSM sheet like Field Notes’ stock. Paper weight is a useful clue, not a performance guarantee.
Which notebook is better for fountain pens?
Rhodia. Its satin-finish paper gives fountain pens, gel pens, and fine liners a notably clean glide and generally keeps lines sharper, while Field Notes’ more tactile, fibrous stock may show more spread or reverse-side visibility with saturated liquid inks.
Which notebook holds up better to rough pocket carry?
Field Notes is built for that kind of use: its soft kraft cover develops a distinctive working patina and is comfortable with scuffs and bent corners. Rhodia’s coated cover resists grime and scuffs more neatly but is firmer, and its side staples can catch or bend when the notebook rides loose among keys and tools.
Do feathering, ghosting, and bleed-through mean the same thing?
No, they describe separate failures. Feathering is ink spreading along paper fibers, ghosting is show-through visible on the reverse side, and bleed-through is ink physically reaching through to the other side. A sheet can ghost without ever bleeding through.
Choose character or control, then test the whole notebook
- Field Notes suits tactile, forgiving capture; Rhodia suits ink-led writing with a more controlled feel.
- A full-notebook trial reveals carry wear, page-turn behavior, and ink performance that a first-page test misses.
Choose Field Notes when a notebook’s texture, flexible cover, and lived-in appearance add value to rapid notes. Choose Rhodia when smoother writing, tidier ink behavior, and a firmer pocket format matter more.
Before standardizing, run each through a complete notebook with the actual pens and inks carried daily. That exposes drying, show-through, staple wear, and whether the format still feels natural after weeks in a pocket.
5 Comments
The GSM discussion is spot on. People keep treating 90 gsm like it automatically beats 80 gsm, then act shocked when a wet ink feathers differently. Surface treatment matters more than the number on the label in real use.
I’ve had Field Notes behave perfectly with a fine Pilot and look pretty rough with a broad Kaweco. Rhodia was the opposite of “exciting,” maybe, but it was consistently tidy.
I use a pencil most of the time, so the point about Rhodia having less feedback was actually the deciding factor for me. Field Notes feels better for quick lists, but my mechanical pencil skates a little too much on the Rhodia. For hiking notes and grocery lists, I’d still take the kraft Field Notes.
I’m mildly annoyed by the inconsistent Rhodia pack descriptions. Is it 3 books, 4 books, side staple, top staple… who knows until the package arrives? The paper is lovely, but buying stationery should not feel like solving a tiny detective case.
Yep. I got the side-stapled three-pack and it was exactly what I wanted, but the listing photos were definitely confusing. Once you have the right version, the compact size is great in a shirt pocket.
Which one did you end up choosing for a fountain pen with a medium nib? I like the smaller Rhodia format, but I don’t want to find out halfway through a pack that every other page is unusable.