Grand Voyageur (Pocket) Review

Full Review

Why I switched from the passport size

One of the main reasons the Traveler's Company passport size didn't quite work for me was honestly the size. It's a little small for me. The Midori paper is one of the nicest papers out there, and I enjoy writing on it a lot, but that size never clicked.

I started using Field Notes about a year ago. The pocket size of 3 1/2 by 5 1/2 and the thickness just feel right. When you're trying to develop a habit, that feeling is super important.

I really wanted something I could put my Field Notes in. Having a system that holds multiple notebooks was something I wanted to enjoy a little more, and that's when the Paper Republic came into play.

Fit with Field Notes

The size comparison between a Field Notes and the Paper Republic is super similar.

The Field Notes is just barely thicker than the Paper Republic notebook, and the height is basically the same. After watching tons of videos, I realized the cover would fit my Field Notes, and that's exactly what I was looking for.

The cover is a little wider than the notebook once everything is inside. Without the pen in place, a sliver of extra leather goes beyond the notebook.

That was perfect, because I could put my fountain pen in there and it was not sticking out the side. It kept the pen semi-protected, and that is how I carry it wherever I go.

The Paper Republic notebooks are great quality, and the paper is super nice. I got one from Paper Republic when I bought the cover.

Leather compared with the Traveler's Company

The leather on these two is quite different. The Traveler's Company feels a little stiffer and uses a thicker leather.

Its edges are finished a little nicer. On the Paper Republic the edges are more raw, and it's hard to tell what kind of finish it has.

Nonetheless, the leather on the Paper Republic is definitely softer and more malleable. It feels smoother in the hand, and I prefer it over the Traveler's Notebook. The Traveler's is maybe a little more rugged, so if you're thinking about traveling, that one may be a little better.

The patina is developing super nice, and it's gaining that beautiful character I enjoy about leather. The leather is very durable, it's flexible, and it honestly feels a lot better in the hand.

Flat on both sides

What also attracted me to the Paper Republic is that the Traveler's has a metal clip on the back. When you lay it flat, that clip gets in the way, and when you're writing, there's a knot in the back. That doesn't give you a pleasant writing experience.

I don't have that issue with the Paper Republic. It is flat on both sides, so the writing is super clean. There is nothing on the back, so the clip lays the notebook better and the issue is basically gone.

My three-notebook pocket system

I carry Field Notes all around, including two National Parks Editions. One of those is my catch-all, for basically anything.

The third notebook is my master index. Every day I write a simple reminder of what happened. If something is important enough to keep from one of the other notebooks, I tag it there so I can see where the information is.

This three-notebook pocket system is working well. I did have a mind, body and soul system for a while plus the catch-all, so I was carrying four notebooks at all times. I realized I wasn't using the mind and body ones as much, so those became their own notebooks.

The beauty of this is that I get to explore different notebooks, different paper and different sizes. I'm not stuck with Field Notes everywhere.