--- title: "Best Pocket Notebooks: Field Notes, Yacho & More" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-pocket-notebooks/" description: "The best pocket notebooks and memo pads compared: Field Notes, Leuchtturm1917 Pocket, Rite in the Rain, Expedition, Yacho, Rollbahn and Mnemosyne N161." category: "Notebooks" type: "Memo pad" published: 2026-10-23 updated: 2026-10-23 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 7 products: - name: "Field Notes Original Kraft Memo Book, 3-Pack (graph, ruled, plain or mixed)" brand: "Field Notes" brand_origin: "United States" made_in: "United States" material: "Kraft card cover, Finch 60#T Opaque Smooth paper" released: "2007" price_band: "$ (under $5 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Field Notes Brand (Chicago); a joint venture of Draplin Design Co. and Coudal Partners" url: "https://fieldnotesbrand.com/products/original-kraft" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/field-notes-original-kraft/" - name: "Leuchtturm1917 Notebook Pocket (A6), Hardcover, 187 numbered pages" brand: "Leuchtturm1917" brand_origin: "Germany" made_in: "Varies (China or Taiwan)" material: "Hard cover, 80 g/m² FSC-certified, slightly cream paper, thread-sewn" released: "2005" price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Leuchtturm Gruppe (Geesthacht, Germany)" model: "Notizbuch Pocket (A6), Hardcover, 187 nummerierte Seiten" mpn: "333915" url: "https://www.leuchtturm1917.de/notizbuch-pocket-a6-hardcover-187-nummerierte-seiten-schwarz-dotted.html" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/leuchtturm1917-pocket-a6-notebook/" - name: "Rite in the Rain All-Weather Top-Spiral Notebook No. 135, 3 × 5 in, Yellow" brand: "Rite in the Rain" brand_origin: "United States" made_in: "United States" material: "19-gauge Polydura cover; 20 lb Rite in the Rain all-weather paper; rust-resistant Wire-O" price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" model: "135" mpn: "135" gtin: "632281135111" url: "https://www.riteintherain.com/3x5-top-spiral-notebook" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/rite-in-the-rain-no-135/" - name: "Field Notes Expedition Edition memo books, 3-pack (FNC-17)" brand: "Field Notes" brand_origin: "United States" made_in: "United States" material: "Yupo Synthetic 74#C cover and 57#T pages (polypropylene)" price_band: "$ (under $5 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Field Notes Brand (Chicago); a joint venture of Draplin Design Co. and Coudal Partners" model: "FNC-17" gtin: "858493003127" url: "https://fieldnotesbrand.com/products/expedition" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/field-notes-expedition/" - name: "KOKUYO Sokuryo Yacho Sketch Book, 3 mm grid, 40 sheets (SE-Y3)" brand: "KOKUYO" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Not stated" material: "Hard cloth-covered board cover, woodfree (上質紙) paper" released: "1959" price_band: "$ (under $5 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "KOKUYO Co., Ltd." model: "SE-Y3" mpn: "51109714" gtin: "4901480781174" url: "https://www.kokuyo.com/stationery/category/notebook-paper/fieldnote/8332/" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kokuyo-sokuryo-yacho-sketch-book/" - name: "DELFONICS Rollbahn Pocket Memo L, 5 mm grid, 140 pages" brand: "DELFONICS" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Card cover, 5 mm grid woodfree paper, metal spiral, PP pockets" released: "2001" price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "DELFONICS" model: "NRP03 (L)" url: "https://shop.delfonics.com/c/notebooks/NRP03" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/delfonics-rollbahn-pocket-memo/" - name: "Maruman Mnemosyne Memo Pad A8 (N161), 5 mm grid, 65 sheets" brand: "Maruman" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "80 g/m² writing paper, colour board covers" price_band: "$ (under $5 per notebook, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Maruman Co., Ltd." model: "N161" gtin: "4979093161003" url: "https://www.e-maruman.co.jp/products/detail/n161.html" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/maruman-mnemosyne-n161-memo-pad/" --- # Best Pocket Notebooks: Field Notes, Yacho & More > The Field Notes Original Kraft is the best pocket notebook for most people: a 3.5 × 5.5 in, 48-page staple-bound memo book made in the USA, sold in 3-packs. Pick the Leuchtturm1917 Pocket for a hardcover, Rite in the Rain or Field Notes Expedition for rain, the KOKUYO Yacho for writing standing up, and the Mnemosyne N161 for tear-off notes. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-pocket-notebooks/ - Category: Notebooks - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-23 - Updated: 2026-10-23 ![Seven closed pocket notebooks and memo pads drawn to scale on one line, each labelled with its pick, from Field Notes to the Mnemosyne N161](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/best-pocket-notebooks-16x9.png) *One pick per job, drawn to scale at 1 mm = 1 px from published sizes.* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Field Notes Original Kraft Memo Book, 3-Pack (graph, ruled, plain or mixed) | Field Notes (by Field Notes Brand (Chicago); a joint venture of Draplin Design Co. and Coudal Partners) | United States | United States | Kraft card cover, Finch 60#T Opaque Smooth paper | 2007 | $: under $5 per notebook | | Leuchtturm1917 Notebook Pocket (A6), Hardcover, 187 numbered pages | Leuchtturm1917 (by Leuchtturm Gruppe (Geesthacht, Germany)) | Germany | Varies (China or Taiwan) | Hard cover, 80 g/m² FSC-certified, slightly cream paper, thread-sewn | 2005 | $$: $5–20 per notebook | | Rite in the Rain All-Weather Top-Spiral Notebook No. 135, 3 × 5 in, Yellow | Rite in the Rain | United States | United States | 19-gauge Polydura cover; 20 lb Rite in the Rain all-weather paper; rust-resistant Wire-O | – | $$: $5–20 per notebook | | Field Notes Expedition Edition memo books, 3-pack (FNC-17) | Field Notes (by Field Notes Brand (Chicago); a joint venture of Draplin Design Co. and Coudal Partners) | United States | United States | Yupo Synthetic 74#C cover and 57#T pages (polypropylene) | – | $: under $5 per notebook | | KOKUYO Sokuryo Yacho Sketch Book, 3 mm grid, 40 sheets (SE-Y3) | KOKUYO (by KOKUYO Co., Ltd.) | Japan | Not stated | Hard cloth-covered board cover, woodfree (上質紙) paper | 1959 | $: under $5 per notebook | | DELFONICS Rollbahn Pocket Memo L, 5 mm grid, 140 pages | DELFONICS | Japan | Japan | Card cover, 5 mm grid woodfree paper, metal spiral, PP pockets | 2001 | $$: $5–20 per notebook | | Maruman Mnemosyne Memo Pad A8 (N161), 5 mm grid, 65 sheets | Maruman (by Maruman Co., Ltd.) | Japan | Japan | 80 g/m² writing paper, colour board covers | – | $: under $5 per notebook | - Made in (Field Notes Original Kraft Memo Book, 3-Pack (graph, ruled, plain or mixed)): United States. Field Notes' spec sheet, as reproduced in full by Pulp Addiction, says all Field Notes memo books are printed and manufactured in the U.S.A. and names the printer, Schneider Graphics, Inc., of Bensenville, Illinois. Jenni Bick also lists made in USA. Duluth Trading has said some components may be imported. Field Notes' own site blocked our requests, so we read the spec sheet through retailers. Source: https://pulpaddiction.com.au/products/field-notes-original-plain-notebooks-set-3 - Made in (Leuchtturm1917 Notebook Pocket (A6), Hardcover, 187 numbered pages): Varies (China or Taiwan). Retailer data, not the maker's: Galaxus has listed China for a black Pocket hard cover and China and Taiwan for a blue one (Galaxus now blocks automated reading). Leuchtturm1917's German product page names only the maker in Geesthacht, and Medium A5 listings give Germany or Taiwan. Check the label on your copy. Source: https://www.galaxus.ch/en/s12/product/leuchtturm1917-pocket-hardcover-a6-plain-hardcover-notebooks-notepads-5979274 - Made in (Rite in the Rain All-Weather Top-Spiral Notebook No. 135, 3 × 5 in, Yellow): United States. Rite in the Rain's own specifications for the No. 135 give "Manufactured: U.S.A.", and its history page traces production in Tacoma, Washington, back to 1916. Cansel's listing also says proudly made in the U.S.A. Source: https://www.riteintherain.com/3x5-top-spiral-notebook - Made in (Field Notes Expedition Edition memo books, 3-pack (FNC-17)): United States. Field Notes' Expedition page (read October 22, 2026) says all Field Notes memo books are printed and manufactured in the U.S.A., names the printer, eDOC Communications of Mount Prospect, Illinois, and says the Yupo paper is extruded in Chesapeake, Virginia. Source: https://fieldnotesbrand.com/products/expedition - Made in (KOKUYO Sokuryo Yacho Sketch Book, 3 mm grid, 40 sheets (SE-Y3)): Not stated. KOKUYO's Japanese product page for セ-Y3 (read October 22, 2026) gives sizes, sheet count, paper and JAN code but no country of manufacture, and the Amazon US listing doesn't state one either. Check the back cover. Source: https://www.kokuyo.com/stationery/category/notebook-paper/fieldnote/8332/ - Made in (DELFONICS Rollbahn Pocket Memo L, 5 mm grid, 140 pages): Japan. DELFONICS' Japanese web shop lists 生産国：日本 (country of production: Japan) for the L, M, Mini and A5 pocket memos (read October 22, 2026); the UK retailer Milligram also says designed and made in Japan. Source: https://shop.delfonics.com/c/notebooks/NRP03 - Made in (Maruman Mnemosyne Memo Pad A8 (N161), 5 mm grid, 65 sheets): Japan. Maruman's Japanese product page for the N161 gives the country of manufacture (生産国) as Japan (read October 22, 2026). Source: https://www.e-maruman.co.jp/products/detail/n161.html ## Key takeaways - Field Notes and Field Notes Expedition are both 3.5 × 5.5 in (89 × 140 mm) with 48 pages; the Leuchtturm1917 Pocket is 90 × 150 mm with 187 numbered pages. - Rite in the Rain says its No. 135 takes pencil and all-weather pens wet or dry; Field Notes says pencils, ballpoints and fine Sharpies work best on Expedition's Yupo synthetic paper. - KOKUYO's Sokuryo Yacho, a surveyor's field book since 1959, is 165 × 95 mm with a stiff hard cover and 40 sheets of 3 mm grid. - The Maruman Mnemosyne N161 is the smallest pick: 105 × 50 mm, 65 perforated sheets of 80 g/m² grid paper, ¥308 (about US$1.90) in Japan. - Field Notes, Expedition and Rite in the Rain are made in the USA; the Rollbahn and Mnemosyne in Japan. ## What is the best pocket notebook? **For most people, the Field Notes Original Kraft: a light, cheap 3.5 × 5.5 in memo book made in the USA that you fill and replace.** The other picks solve one problem each: a hard cover, rain, writing standing up, more pages or tear-off notes. It's #1 because it's thin enough for any pocket and cheap enough to fill and replace, sold in 3-packs and made in the USA since 2007. - **Best overall:** [Field Notes Original Kraft](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/field-notes-original-kraft/). *Why it's here:* 48 pages in graph, ruled or plain under a kraft cover, cheap enough to fill and replace; made in the USA since 2007 and sold in 3-packs. - **Hardcover:** [Leuchtturm1917 Pocket](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/leuchtturm1917-pocket-a6-notebook/). *Why it's here:* almost four times the Field Notes' pages (187, numbered) in a 90 × 150 mm hardcover with an elastic and a back pocket, for one book that lasts months. - **All-weather:** [Rite in the Rain No. 135](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/rite-in-the-rain-no-135/). *Why it's here:* all-weather paper that Rite in the Rain says takes pencil and all-weather pens wet or dry, 100 pages in a 3 × 5 in top-spiral book made in Tacoma. - **Waterproof and tearproof:** [Field Notes Expedition](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/field-notes-expedition/). *Why it's here:* Yupo synthetic paper that survives a soaking, in the Field Notes size and hi-vis orange. - **Field book:** [KOKUYO Sokuryo Yacho](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kokuyo-sokuryo-yacho-sketch-book/). *Why it's here:* a stiff cover you can write on standing up with the book in one hand, 165 × 95 mm with 3 mm grid, made since 1959. - **Spiral with pockets:** [DELFONICS Rollbahn](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/delfonics-rollbahn-pocket-memo/). *Why it's here:* the only pick with five clear pockets at the back, a Japanese spiral notebook with an elastic. - **Tear-off notes:** [Maruman Mnemosyne N161](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/maruman-mnemosyne-n161-memo-pad/). *Why it's here:* the only tear-off pad, 65 micro-perforated grid sheets printed on one side, so each works as a slip. ## How did we choose these picks? **We compiled these picks from published sources, not hands-on testing: makers' sizes, page counts and paper claims, US availability and price band.** We started with the classic pocket memo book, then added one pick for each problem it doesn't solve: a hard cover, rain, writing standing up, more pages or tear-off notes. ## How do the pocket notebooks compare? **Three are made for dry pockets, two for weather, and two are Japanese grid books with different bindings.** | Notebook | Pick | Size | Pages | Paper | Binding | Made in | Band | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Field Notes Original Kraft | Best overall | 89 × 140 mm (3.5 × 5.5 in) | 48 | Graph, ruled or plain | 3 staples | USA | $ | | Leuchtturm1917 Pocket | Hardcover | 90 × 150 mm (3.5 × 5.9 in) | 187, numbered | 80 g/m², dot, ruled, squared or plain | Thread-sewn | China or Taiwan (retailer) | $$ | | Rite in the Rain No. 135 | All-weather | 76 × 127 mm (3 × 5 in) | 100 | All-weather, universal pattern | Top Wire-O | USA | $$ | | Field Notes Expedition | Waterproof | 89 × 139 mm (3.5 × 5.5 in) | 48 | Yupo synthetic, dot-graph | 3 staples | USA | $ | | KOKUYO Sokuryo Yacho | Field book | 95 × 165 mm (3.7 × 6.5 in) | 80 (40 sheets) | 3 mm grid | Hard cover | Not stated | $ | | DELFONICS Rollbahn L | Spiral + pockets | 143 × 182 mm (5.6 × 7.2 in) | 140 | 5 mm grid, perforated | Side spiral | Japan | $$ | | Maruman Mnemosyne N161 | Tear-off pad | 50 × 105 mm (2 × 4.1 in) | 65 sheets | 5 mm grid, 80 g/m² | Top glued and stapled | Japan | $ | Sizes and specs are from each maker's own pages; the Leuchtturm1917 origin is from a retailer. ![Pocket notebook footprints to scale: Rollbahn L 143 × 182 mm, KOKUYO Yacho 95 × 165 mm, Leuchtturm1917 Pocket 90 × 150 mm, Field Notes 89 × 140 mm, Rite in the Rain 76 × 127 mm and Mnemosyne N161 50 × 105 mm](https://stationerytimes.com/images/best-pocket-notebooks-sizes.svg) *The Rollbahn L is a bag notebook; DELFONICS also makes Mini (82 × 105 mm) and M (111 × 138 mm) sizes.* ## Which pocket notebook is best in the rain? **Rite in the Rain for writing in wet weather, Field Notes Expedition for a book that survives a soaking.** Rite in the Rain says pencils and all-weather pens write on its paper wet or dry, while ballpoints and permanent markers work only when it's dry. Expedition's Yupo pages are polypropylene, so they don't absorb ink at all; Field Notes recommends pencils, ballpoints or fine Sharpies. Neither paper takes gel or fountain pen ink. ## Field Notes or Leuchtturm1917 Pocket? **Field Notes if you fill a book in a few weeks and like starting fresh; the Leuchtturm1917 if you want one book to last months.** The Leuchtturm1917 has almost four times the pages, a table of contents, page numbers and a hard cover, but weighs 148 g, per Leuchtturm1917. A Field Notes 3-pack costs less than one Leuchtturm1917 Pocket. For a top-opening pocket book, see the [Moleskine Reporter](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/moleskine-reporter-notebook/). ## Why do people love the KOKUYO Yacho? **Its stiff cover lets you write standing up with the book in one hand, and it is cheap.** KOKUYO lists the Sketch Book at ¥300 (about US$1.90) before tax, and Japan's GetNavi reports more than a million sold a year. The 3 mm grid runs to the page edges, which suits sketches and small lettering. At 165 mm (6.5 in) tall it fits a jacket pocket better than a jeans pocket. ## What is the best memo pad for quick notes? **The Mnemosyne N161, a 105 × 50 mm pad whose 65 sheets tear off cleanly at a micro-perforation.** It's printed on one side only, so each sheet works as a slip for a list or a phone number; Maruman makes it in Japan. The Rollbahn suits people who want pockets for receipts and tickets: all four sizes have five clear pockets at the back, and the Mini (82 × 105 mm) is the true pocket size. ## Where are they made? **Field Notes, Expedition and Rite in the Rain in the USA; the Rollbahn and Mnemosyne in Japan.** Field Notes names its Illinois printer, and Rite in the Rain has made all-weather paper in Tacoma since 1916. KOKUYO doesn't state where the Yacho is made, and retailers give China or Taiwan for the Leuchtturm1917 Pocket. For full-size notebooks, see our [best notebooks](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-notebooks/). ## Frequently asked questions ### What size is a pocket notebook? The common US size is 3.5 × 5.5 in (89 × 140 mm), used by Field Notes; the European A6 pocket size is a little taller, about 90 × 150 mm for the Leuchtturm1917 Pocket. ### What is the best waterproof pocket notebook? Rite in the Rain's No. 135 for writing in the rain with pencil or an all-weather pen, or Field Notes Expedition, whose Yupo synthetic paper is waterproof and tearproof. Both are made in the USA. ### Can you use a gel pen in a Rite in the Rain notebook? No. Rite in the Rain says gel pens, highlighters and fountain pens don't work on its all-weather paper; ballpoints and permanent markers work only when the page is dry. ### Which pocket notebook lies flat? The two spiral-bound picks, the top-spiral Rite in the Rain No. 135 and the side-spiral Rollbahn, open flat and fold back on themselves. The Leuchtturm1917 Pocket is thread-sewn, which helps it open flat too. ### What is a Yacho notebook? KOKUYO's Sokuryo Yacho is a Japanese surveyor's field book first made in 1959, with a stiff cover for writing in one hand. KOKUYO lists the Sketch Book at 165 × 95 mm with 40 sheets of 3 mm grid. ### Are pocket notebooks good for fountain pens? None of the makers rates its pocket book for fountain pens. DELFONICS says the Rollbahn paper resists feathering and show-through, and Maruman's N161 uses 80 g/m² paper; Rite in the Rain says fountain pens don't work on its paper. Test on a back page first. ### Which pocket notebooks are made in the USA? Field Notes Original Kraft and Expedition, and Rite in the Rain, whose spec sheet says manufactured in the USA. The Rollbahn and Mnemosyne N161 are made in Japan. ## Sources - [Field Notes: Original Kraft memo books (official page)](https://fieldnotesbrand.com/products/original-kraft) - [Field Notes: Expedition (official page: FNC-17, 3½ × 5½ in, 48 pages, Yupo synthetic paper, made in U.S.A.)](https://fieldnotesbrand.com/products/expedition) - [Leuchtturm1917 (Germany): Notizbuch Pocket (A6), Hardcover (90 × 150 mm, 187 numbered pages, 80 g/m², 148 g)](https://www.leuchtturm1917.de/notizbuch-pocket-a6-hardcover-187-nummerierte-seiten-schwarz-dotted.html) - [Rite in the Rain: No. 135 Top Spiral Notebook (specifications, manufactured U.S.A.)](https://www.riteintherain.com/3x5-top-spiral-notebook) - [KOKUYO (Japanese): 野帳 測量野帳 スケッチ 40枚 (セ-Y3; 165 × 95 × 6 mm, 40 sheets, ¥300)](https://www.kokuyo.com/stationery/category/notebook-paper/fieldnote/8332/) - [DELFONICS Web Shop (Japanese): ロルバーン ポケット付メモL (143 × 182 × 15 mm, 140 pages, 5 pockets, made in Japan, ¥880)](https://shop.delfonics.com/c/notebooks/NRP03) - [Maruman (Japanese): ニーモシネ メモパッド A8 (N161; 105 × 50 × 8 mm, 65 sheets, 80 g/m², ¥308, made in Japan)](https://www.e-maruman.co.jp/products/detail/n161.html)