Field Notes Review
Are Field Notes fountain pen friendly? Honestly, the answer depends on what kind of fountain pen you own, as well as the nib size and the ink. Don't expect a super inky fountain pen to work here, but you can definitely use fountain pens on these Field Notes.
The paper is 60 pound bright white, which puts it in a different league from Tomoe River or Midori.
Still, in my test the Kaweco pens I use on these notebooks gave minimal ghosting and no bleed through at all. I'll continue using fountain pens on my Field Notes.
Check buying optionsPros
- My Kaweco Sport showed minimal ghosting and no bleed through.
- My TWSBI left a little ghosting but no bleed through.
- There's just enough friction in the paper to feel super nice to write with.
- You can really beat them up and they hold up.
- The cover wears super nicely. I had one in my pocket most of a trip to London.
Cons
- The paper is technically not fountain pen friendly. It's 60 pound bright white, not Tomoe River or Midori.
- A super wet pen bleeds. My Montblanc with a thick line went through a little.
- My Kaweco Perkeo, which is a little scratchier, bled through like crazy on some of this paper.
Video
Are Field Notes Fountain Pen Friendly? Bleed & Ghosting Test
Technical Details
| Edition I tested | Everglades National Park |
|---|---|
| Paper | 60 pound bright white |
| Cover wear | Wears very well after a few months and a trip to London in my pocket |
| Pack linked on this page | Original Kraft Mixed 3-pack |
Buying Options
| Seller | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $12.95 | Buy |
Full Review
The test
Today is fountain pen day, so I answered one question I had myself: are Field Notes fountain pen friendly? They use this 60 pound bright white paper that technically is not fountain pen friendly, so I wanted to explore different nib sizes and ink choices.
I wrote with each of the pens in this test on the last page of my current notebook, the Everglades National Park edition.
That included a Montblanc, a TWSBI, a Kaweco Perkeo, a Kaweco Sport in green and my Traveler's Company fountain pen with a Kaweco nib. Then I turned the page to see how much ghosting and bleed through each one caused.
What bled and what didn't
The Montblanc definitely goes in, with a little bit of bleed through. That's totally expected from a super wet pen with a really thick line.
The TWSBI did surprisingly well. I see a little bit of ghosting, but there's no bleed through. The Kawecos are exactly what I use on these notebooks, so I'm not surprised that there's minimal ghosting and no bleed through at all.
The Kaweco Perkeo is the exception. It's a little scratchier.
It bleeds through like crazy on some of this paper, even though it looks like the same nib as the Sport and it's the same thickness. I'm not sure why. One of my pens had also dried out, which shows up as bleed in the test.
What I'll keep doing
My Kaweco ink is fairly dry, and it gives me really clean lines, which I love.
I haven't had any issues with the Kaweco Sport in green or with black ink. I use these two all the time on my notebooks. There's just enough friction in the paper that it feels super nice to write with.
I was a little hesitant at the beginning, and I know there are a ton of videos out there saying Field Notes are not fountain pen friendly. But you saw me write with all of these. Right now I have about 10 to 15 of them already filled up and I really enjoy them.
How the cover holds up
What I like about the National Park editions is that you can really beat them up. I traveled with this one to London a few months ago and put a sticker on it. It got pretty chunky once I took it there.
The cover just wears super nicely. I had it in my pocket for most of the trip.
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