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The 10 Best Pocket Notebooks
Before smartphones and note-taking apps took over the world, pocket notebooks were irreplaceable. Whether you had a job that required you to take note of details constantly or simply went grocery shopping, a handy pocket notebook was always reliable and invaluable.
Our phones have since taken over the responsibility of writing down notes, reminders, or itineraries. But there’s still a certain novelty about using a classy pocket notebook paired with a cute pen to write stuff down. For others, collecting these has become quite a hobby.
If you’re looking to try out a new pocket notebook or find the next addition to your collection, check out our list of the 10 best pocket notebooks today.
Best Buy
1. Leuchtturm1917 Hardcover Pocket Notebook
Leuchtturm1917’s hardcover is perfect for a pocket notebook. It protects the interior and maintains the notebook’s structure in most environments. If you’re working outdoors and need to take notes on the go, the hardcover gives you a sturdy surface to write properly on.
This pocket notebook has solid, acid-free paper that prevents ink bleedthrough, two ribbon page markers, and an expandable pocket in the back cover to keep loose papers and pages. It has 251 numbered pages that include eight perforated detachable sheets for convenience, and some stickers for labeling. There’s also a table of contents for better organization. It comes in a variety of colors and its pages come in either dotted, ruled, squared, or plain.
Whether you need it for work, as a diary, or even in school, this is the best pocket notebook overall. Its durability, sleek design, and convenient sizing at 5.7” x 8.2” make it our top choice for pocket notebook owners of all ages.
2. Bull & Stash Market Notebook
This beautiful pocket notebook is made from premium full-grain aniline leather on the outer and 100% vegetable leather on the inside. Created by notebook and portfolio startup Bull & Stash, this is one of the highest quality notebooks you can find on the market.
The Market Notebook uses 316L stainless steel hardware and has a magnetic closure to hold it together. It even has a notched pen holster so you’ll never have to scrounge for one whenever you need to write something down. Additionally, there are two card slots and two interior slip pockets for added storage.
Also included are 50 pages of high-quality 105 GSM woodfree refillable lined paper. At 4.3” x 2.3’”, this pocket notebook is easy to carry but will not run out of space anytime soon. This premium, classy notebook is perfect for both professionals and students and is sure to draw the interest of your peers.
3. Rhodia Slim Staplebound Notebook
This is one of the highest quality pocket notebooks you can find at its price point. Rhodia has been a popular brand for notebooks and stationery since its inception in 1934. Creatives and professionals continue to use them because of their superior paper quality and sturdy notebook structure.
The Rhodia Slim Staplebound Notebook is 3” x 4.75” and weighs only 0.64 ounces, which makes it one of the more portable notebooks on our list. It’s small enough to fit in any of your shirt or jacket pockets, so you can take this handy notebook to any occasion. And it’s so light that you might even forget it’s there at all.
You can opt for the lined paper, graph paper, or dotted paper variant. The notebook also comes in three colors; white, orange, and black. It contains 48 sheets of pH-neutral, acid-free paper, and waterproof card covers to store any business cards you may receive on the field. This is our best value choice for students, teachers, creatives, and other professionals that need to take notes regularly or keep a journal.
4. Field Notes Notebook
This is the ultimate working man or woman’s notebook. This particular set of three by Field Notes is quite the bang for your buck. It includes a plain, ruled, and graph notebook. Whether it’s for school, work, or a personal diary, you can buy a single set of these pocket notebooks for the whole family’s needs.
Field Notes Pocket Notebooks use only acid-free, 90 GSM Finch Opaque body paper. Its smoothness and structure are easily noticeable upon writing on it. Meanwhile, the covers are 216 GSM kraft cardstock made by the famous French Paper Co. They are all stapled in a way that allows for easier writing laying flat.
At 3.5” x 5.5”, these pocket notebooks are just the right size for any regular pocket. You can even keep them in the open side pockets of most backpacks. Because they’re so affordable, Field Notes Pocket Notebooks are perfect for group purchases. You can have an entire class use the same type for uniformity or get the same model for the entire family.
5. Waxed Journals Waterproof Slim Notebook
This is one of the hippest and most unique pocket notebooks on our list. The heavy waxed canvas cover is not only very convenient but also gives the notebook a well-worn, vintage look. This pocket notebook’s design gives it a lot of personality, which could inspire writers or artists in their craft.
The waterproof feature of both the cover and the actual pages makes it the quintessential work notebook. You will never have to worry about keeping it in your pocket while it’s raining or accidentally spilling your water on your desk. Not many pocket notebooks in the market can give you the same combination of aesthetic and functionality.
Students can get one of these to become the envy of their classmates. Any kid would love to be the only owner of a completely waterproof notebook in class. With only 30 pages and stitched binding, this is also a perfect portable notebook for professionals who are constantly on the move.
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6. Doane Paper utility Notebook
If you are looking for a standard, no-frills handy pocket notebook for work, you can’t go wrong with the Doane Paper Utility Notebook. At 3.5” x 5.5”, this notebook is just the right size for your coat or jacket pockets. One can even fit in your back pocket. Just make sure you don’t accidentally sit on it!
Each pocket notebook has 48 pages of 60 LB Text Stock paper with legal ruled line spacing. The cover is also a sturdy 100 LB Cover Stock. Both the cover and content pages are made of 100% recycled material and were printed using soy-based inks. The entire thing is held together by rugged three-staple saddle-stitch binding.
The Doane Paper Utility Notebooks are sold in packs of three, which you can unwrap and gift to the whole family or group of friends. If you are buying them for yourself, the whole set will surely last you quite a long time.
7. Moleskine Classic Notebook
Arguably the most popular pocket notebook on our list, the Moleskine Classic Notebook is preferred by people of all ages because of its reliability. This is the kind you can always find in bookstores, schools, offices, and stationery supplies stores everywhere. It may not be as flashy or unique as other notebooks, but it always gets the job done.
This pocket notebook uses the signature Moleskine leather-like cover and thick ivory paper pages. The quality of the paper means you can write on it with fountain pens without worrying about ink bleeding. Moleskine produces both hardcover and softcover models so you’re free to choose which one suits you better.
Depending on your purpose, you can choose between dotted, plain, ruled, or squared pages and a variety of notebook sizes. The Classic Notebook has 192 pages, which means you won’t be needing to buy more than one or two a year.
8. Newestor Pocket Travelers Notebook
Much like the Waxed Journals Waterproof Slim Notebook, this pocket notebook has an old-school aesthetic. Its cover is a handcrafted genuine soft and thick leather, which will only look better the more it becomes used and aged. This design will make your notebook seem like a historical artifact.
This travel journal has refillable dotted pages so you will only really need to purchase it once. The plain moleskin cover also allows for soft engraving or personalization. Writers will definitely love this pocket notebook because of its vintage vibe and portable size. It’s small enough to conveniently bring to coffee shops, the office, or even outdoors.
If you need a perfect gift for your friends, family, or colleagues, the Newestor Pocket Travelers Notebook is one of your best choices. It comes in brown or dark brown and is packaged in a gift-type box for shipping.
9. Ezra Arthur Small Notebook
Ezra Arthur is a company owned by four brothers and named after their grandfather. They produce lifestyle accessories that are meant to be keepsakes. Their tagline, “Designed for Life,” describes their whole brand. While they mostly make premium wallets, they also came out with a pocket notebook to complement their wallet line.
The Ezra Arthur Small Notebook is an understated journal that emphasizes functionality over glitz. This handy notebook keeps a low profile but uses only materials of the highest quality to make sure all its users are satisfied.
This pocket notebook is hand-stitched and bound with full grain premium Horween Chromexcel leather which in itself justifies its mid-range price point. The content pages use Tomoe River paper, which is marketed as the thinnest and highest quality kind available. This extra thin paper keeps the notebook slim but still prevents ink bleeding and feathering.
10. Dango Products P01 Notebook
Dango notebooks are known for being extra small and lightweight. At only 2.5” x 3.75”, this is one of the smallest pocket notebooks you can get. This sizing was designed specifically to fit into the Dango P01 Pioneer Wallet. Having the complete set of Dango products is perfect for journalists or field managers.
Each P01 Notebook is handmade in the US with stitch binding for extra flexibility. The card-stock cover is light and sturdy, which can then be protected from the elements by keeping it in the Pioneer Wallet. The good quality dotted pages absorb ink so you won’t have to worry about fading.
The pocket notebooks come in packs of three at a very affordable price. Pair these with one of Dango Products’ signature pens, and buy them for yourself or as a gift to your spouse or children. At its price, you can even buy a set for the whole family without breaking the bank.
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Pocket Notebook FAQs
Pocket notebooks come in handy for note-taking or keeping your schedule close to you at all times. You can use it for school, work, or even your writing hobby. They’re definitely more reliable than smartphones when you’re off-grid or away from electricity.
Some of the most popular notebook brands are Moleskine, Field Notes, and Leuchtturm1917. Other brands that are not as big but still produce top-quality pocket notebooks include Rhodia, Doane Paper, and Bull & Stash.
A regular, mass-produced pocket notebook typically costs about $5 to $10. These include the classic Moleskine and Field Notes products. For more unique and fancy pocket notebooks, you will have to shell out a little more money. These notebooks can range from $20 up to $40 dollars on the higher end.
