Continuing my series of reviews of products that are easily accessible to me (i.e., being carried with me everywhere I go while my home and office are under construction), I turn to another recent addition to my daily carry: the Lochby Field Journal in brown. Currently, this particular notebook cover holds my Theme System Journal and a Nanami Paper Seven Seas Writer that I use for a NaNoWriMo novel-in-progress (that, sadly, has fallen by the wayside). Paired with my Standard Traveler’s Notebook in blue, the Field Journal is with me pretty much every day from mornings at home through, more recently, longer nights at the office. Is this case a good fit for you? I discuss some pros and cons below.
The Lochby Field Journal, compared against the Standard Traveler’s Notebook (right), and a 13-inch MacBook Air (top).
What I Enjoy About This Case
Durable Waxed Canvas Build. Like all Lochby products, the Field Journal features vegan-friendly waxed canvas, with no leather components. While I’m not vegan, I love the look of waxed canvas in general, and multiple items in my personal daily carry share this aesthetic. Waxed canvas is water-repellant, and looks great as it ages. Plus, all Lochby covers and cases are double-stitched and bartacked for durability. The aluminum clip attaches securely to canvas loops on the cover, and you can pull the strap to tighten the closure. (It will hold!)
Yellow Interior. Ok, so this is a personal point, but if a product is made with yellow or dark red interior, I will buy it. There simply aren’t enough stationery items on the market with this color scheme for me not to go all-in. (And for those of you who would prefer something a bit more muted, note that the interior lining to the Navy and Charcoal Field Journals feature different shades of tan.)
Notebook Versatility. The Field Journal fits standard A5 notebooks, and can fit up to six “softcover slim" notebooks, like the refills sold by Lochby. To fit this many notebooks in the cover, you use a Traveler’s-style cord system to attach four refills, as well as slots inside the front and back covers for two more. As I mentioned above, the cover easily holds two relatively thick, full-size notebooks like the Theme System Journal and the Seven Seas Writer, both of which I attach using the cords.
Compatibility with Other Lochby Products. The outside pocket of the Field Journal is designed to hold either the Quattro Pen Case or the Pocket Journal, so you can use the Field Journal as your main daily carry item if you want a smaller, handheld carry-all. Lochby includes a strap on the spine of the Field Journal for this purpose.
The interior of the Brown Lochby Field Journal. You can secure the refills using the four cords or the cover flaps.
If yellow isn’t your thing, the Charcoal and Navy Field Journals (pictured here) feature different shades of tan interior.
Potential Drawbacks
Closure. Some people may not appreciate the strap and metal clip. While I don’t find the Lochby mechanism particularly cumbersome, especially as the loops soften up over time, it does take some getting used to and may add a few seconds to the time it takes you to close your notebook when you’re finished working.
Open Sides. While the Lochby Field Journal closes securely, and will certainly remain closed in your bag, it does feature open sides, meaning the edges of your notebook and whatever papers you keep inside aren’t protected from the elements or other items in your bag. Personally, this isn’t a big deal to me. I use other open-sided cases like the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter and Traveler’s Notebooks, but many prefer the ultimate security of a case with a full zipper that extends all the way around the outside.
Size. The Field Journal is not a slim case, and can get pretty thick but if you’re someone who carries up to six A5 notebooks with you at any time this likely won’t be an issue for you.
I use two larger A5 refills, secured by cords, and then use the interior cover slots to hold index cards.
Takeaways and Where to Buy
Overall, the Field Journal is an excellent utilitarian notebook cover capable of holding multiple refills and daily essentials, and pairs well with other items in the Lochby lineup. At $59 (including one 68gsm Tomoe River refill), it’s attractively priced, leaving you room in your budget to stock up on more paper or even another case like the Quattro (which holds four pens) or the Pocket Journal (which holds pens and a pocket notebook). I’ve been using the Field Journal regularly as a larger counterpart to my Traveler’s Notebook, and I don’t see myself swapping it out anytime soon.
I have no fear of carrying thicker notebooks.
The T.G.S. Curated Shop carries a selection of Lochby Products, including the Field Journal in three different colors. Each Field Journal ships with a dot grid refill, with other rulings (lined, blank, and planner) available for purchase separately. All Lochby refills feature 68gsm Tomoe River paper, which is fountain pen friendly and gives you a high page count in a thin format. For further reading, check out my recent review of the Lochby Quattro Four-Pen Case, which is back in stock.
The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Lochby and all other products we stock.