As expected it took about a month to complete the first notebook on my path to the Butcher Orange, the Workshop Companion #05 Plumbing notebook. Overall it’s only my 14th completed Field Notes Colors Edition Notebook. I must say, I love the Workshop Companion Edition! It’s a sturdy book made for sturdy jobs!

If you want an full overview of the Workshop Companion, check out my initial preview post from when I began using this edition: FNC-27 Workshop Companion.

While I really can’t decide if I like the dot grid or plain old grid better, I enjoy using both options. As you can see from the pictures, the book holds up really well riding naked in my back pocket. The Kraft-Tone paper takes one heck of a beating, and holds together nicely. I personally love the cracking that runs through the blues.

 

The cover stock does crease pretty strongly on the spine, however this is not at all a flaw for me. I love that the book can be made to easily stay open without holding it. The staples held all of the pages in nicely. The spine of the book shows the most wear, helped along by the crease that runs down the middle. The bottom third rubbed off almost completely. It’s gorgeous!

 

Inside, the 70T Kraft-Tone paper holds up just as well as the cover. And thanks to the weight, there’s minimal bleed-through. I frequently color in squares on task lists and a running daily log. As you can see from the pictures below, there’s a pretty heavy ink application, but the paper shows minimal bleed-through. Having said that, I don’t often use fountain pens. I did however do some tests with my Lamy Safari with a medium nib, and the paper holds up very nicely. Fountain pen users should be generally happy with this Colors Edition. (Below you can see my log, and then a closer shot of the back showing bleed-through.)

Job well done Field Notes!

I used this book as my Every Day Carry, in which I have my daily log, to do list, and everything I feel the need to write down, from quotes, to idea, a journal, and crappy little drawings. The ink doesn’t bleed like you think it would when you look at the paper. The grains in it make you think it’ll run like crazy, but it doesn’t.

The Field Notes Workshop Companion slotted in at #6 on my pre-journey to the Butcher Orange list of rankings based on appearance only. I don’t see it falling at all as my completed rankings take shape. If anything, it’ll likely move up into the top 5. It’s a great combination of sturdiness, usability, and textured feel. And while it’s a bit thicker than most Field Notes due to the weight of the paper, it still hides nicely in the back pocket, and I don’t feel it when I sit.

I’d give the Workshop Companion 5 stars and two thumbs up! You definitely need to pick up this set. The packaging and graphics really put it over the top!

You can purchase this set now at the the Field Notes Brand website.