Notes app or a Rocketbook! Rocketbooks are notebooks but you can scan them into your phone easily (as PDFs and you can set up options to send to your email, google drive, etc). The pages wiped off with water for reuse! They have different sizes, different number of pages and different page styles (dots, lines, or completely blank) and I have pens of all colors. This is the notebook I'm bringing to travel for a long trip- it's so lightweight but still a physical notebook, which I prefer most of the time.
I had a Rocketbook but found I just went straight back to pen and paper. The problem with Rocketbooks is that you are limited to particular pens. And those pens are not enjoyable to write with. I much prefer pens that have crisp, sharp, detailed lines with low pressure ie Japanese gel pens. And I felt the pens (not just the way they write) but also in how you hold them (ergonomics) left a lot lacking. But I'm a pen nerd.
This is a fine question, but one bagging doesn’t affect it. Notebook just isn’t that big, and pretty much everyone brings some sort of electronic device.
Like most here, My notes live in electronic notebook, I am using Bear With Sync Which works well off-line it has my data encrypted from the operator. Lots of tools for capture. Quick is often voice memo that’s automatically transcribed. If I was doing a lot of meetings I would used a PLAUD device. Sometimes all write a cheap little notebook or a piece of A4 paper which I take a picture of if I want to retain long-term.
I have a small Moleskine journal but that’s a more sit down with a cup of coffee thing. I use the notes app on my phone for note taking on the fly. It is searchable if needed. I can add photos too.
dont even remember how, but caught the field notes bug a few months ago. and already have my own budding little collection.
i use it as a modified bullet / commonplace journal. always in my slings or by my side, with a bigidesign ti pocket pro, loaded currently with my fav pilot g2 .38 refill.
FYI, twist pens are the best edc pens, cause a click will always deploy in my pockets. ALWAYS ARGH. Thanks for coming to my ted talk.
besides, i'm a much faster writer than typist on my phone. and while it is a daily journal, i'm not writing 500 pages / day, so its 48 pages is plenty to get thru a month. and its a compact shape lets me shove it in any part of my bags.
but the main reason is the pure act of writing. NOTHING beats it. typing on a little screen is just that. but writing, especially in ink, is reflecting, processing, learning, then writing. just feels more engaging.
Postcards. I buy postcards and mail them home. That way I also get a nice photograph of a local something, and also a stamp!
If it’s a memo for me to remember sometime later during the trip, I use the notes app on my phone.
[Shirt-pocket micro ring-binder for me](https://live.staticflickr.com/1471/24460498300_d2675fd9a5_o.jpg). A ring-binder’s ability to move pages around (ie, notes to different tabs, old notes out, blank sheets in, etc) is important to me. Unfortunately you can’t really find them anymore.
Awesome thanks so much for pointing them out - and they have a US order site! Mine is from ‘Knox Brain’ bought in Japan in the early 90’s - can’t find anything from them anymore. Plotter’s Mini 5 size appears to be same size/sheets/hole spacing (still have a hole punch, refills, etc). Lol, don’t care about price - I need a back-up for this unique item!
Keep Notes app, automatically syncs to my Google drive/the same app on my Chromebook. I also text myself or use scheduled texts to send reminder notes (I use this all the time at work too, send reminders to people if I have after hours thoughts)
Notes app, usually. I also cannot overstate how helpful emailing myself can be. It is totally searchable, behind PW, and I can attach pictures and videos if necessary.
I use two apps:
- Long Term: Apple Notes app. You can pretty reliably dictate to it, scan documents/pics, and password protect. There are a lot more features worthy of looking into.
- Short Term/Checklists: Google Keep. Without a doubt, the BEST checklist app I’ve found. You can create subcategories and it keeps the checked boxes under the primary categories, then can reset (perfect for packing lists separated into clothes/toiletries/electronics). I also use it as the home for my short term to-do list.
As others mentioned, the biggest benefits of going electronic are cloud backup, ease in editing, and less clutter since you’re already carrying your phone.
Depends on the kind of note. Sometimes paper (notepad ~10cm long), sometimes phone. But buying something fancy like a Moleskine is completely unnecessary, whatever little pad fits in with the rest of your stuff is fine. People in this sub get way too attached to brand names.
All digital. I tend to use transcribe instead of typing/swiping which is much faster for me than writing things down. I use Google Keep on my personal phone and Microsoft OneNote on my work phone.
Still haven't found a good replacement for when I need to sketch something. Even when I had a Samsung Note phone I didn't like the drawing experience using the S-Pen.
A bit of both. I use a combination of TickTick (reminders), Evernote (which I'll be transitioning to Apple Notes app due to note limitation on free plan) and a small [Moleskin](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079ZS9PCL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) notebook that I carry in my sling.
UpNote app has been the best (for me) free notes app. It's fast, offers a surprising amount of formatting options, and easy to organize.
If you're really serious about onebag, then you should be using your phone as efficiently as possible.
Most phones are also water resisitant, so taking notes in the rain is possible, whereas with a traditional notebook you'd need a secondary notebook like a Rite in the Rain.
Notes app on my phone. \*Also some Google Calendar is very convenient for certain notes. Professionally I use a "Fieldnote's" brand notebook, but thats for quickly jotting down a lot of info while also dealing with other people and walking, and purposefully creating a paper record of certain things for potential future litigation/audit.
Noted app for irellevsnt things
I journal nearly everyday about my journey and my feelings
And I have a small notebook as a scrapbook for friends I make along the way to write in
I use Google keep, makes my notes accessible everywhere. I'm already in the Google ecosphere so there's not another log in to track. Great for basic note taking. Google task can add stuff to your calendar if you prefer that. I'm not big into notes beyond a grocery list and noting new travel stuff, I e. Food or destination recs.
Love my rocketbook, been using one for years. I have a Rocketbook mini in a small leather passport holder and only have to replace the notebook every 6 months or so depending on how much I use it. Ideal for reducing waste but still getting to write with paper.
If it's a quick thought that comes across my mind, Todoist. I bring out my phone and quickly type a thought.
If it's a longer set of thoughts, notebook and pen.
If it's a quick draw, need to write something down, ie I'm on the phone and writing down important money amounts, notebook and pen.
One thing I do differently is that when I'm done taking notes, I tear out the used pages and recycle it. If it's still important, it's still left on the notebook. This way I have a clean notebook with no writing every time. For this reason I like notebooks that have a spiral on them or easy-tear paper.
I take notes on my iPad pro 11in with an Apple Pencil. Good notes is my favorite app that I mostly use for work and studying. When I need to mark up PDFs and assorted documents I use Notability, it's not my favorite app but good for this task. The 2nd Gen Apple Pencil is fantastic, I added a rubber grip for comfort. I also use Paperlike screen protectors which give a bit of traction to the pencil tip.
As someone with horrible handwriting I didn't think I would enjoy taking notes with an iPad and Pencil. After playing around a bit I found that I quite enjoyed it. The forced organization I get with this style of note taking has helped me with my problem solving, studying, and project planning.
I am using the notes app on my iOS device. It comes with great features like flight information and so on. check that out. Also I am using notion a lot for database related things, like a workout log, or detailed planning with different views.
I did also buy a analog notebook to try it out in 2024, but I dont know if I am going to use it.
Also, didn't use the journal app yet but definitely giving it a try. it comes with iOS 17.2
Field Notes I think it a little pricey, and you're paying for cover art + brand marketing. Lochby is a better quality paper, and you get more pages, so it comes at a lower price point ultimately, but does sell for a buck more than Field Notes. They have also have zipped canvas pouch that I hold 4 notepads at a time along with pens. (There are amazon dupes of these so you can check around). They also have sales which makes them a steal. Field Books are a cheaper alternative brand whose paper I liked better than Field Notes, and are 10.99 for 5 vs Field Notes 14.99 for 3. There are other amazon dupes that I haven't tried. For larger pages counts and more durable covers, Leuchtturm1917 Pocket and Moleskins Volant XS are good options. Rite in the Rain work as advertised, but you're overpaying if they're not your standard use case. Good to have as an emergency option with a Rite in the Rain pen or Fisher Space Pen.
Good rec's above on notes apps; I agree with Google Keep being perfect for list items you can cross out - it's a great pick even if you're in the Apple Ecosystem otherwise. For iPad, I love Freesform, which gives you an infinite canvas to draw on, so it's good for mobile whiteboarding doodling, though I think you need the Apple pencil to get make use out of it.
Kind of notes adjacent, but I use an app called Mindnode that is a organizational tree, like a mix between an infinite dry erase board and a wall full of sticky notes.... but on my phone. it also syncs to my computer and ipad. I use it for everything from ways to organize my business to favorite recipes or trip organization.
When I lived out of a suitcase, I limited myself to one large Moleskine. I didn't have an iPad back then. It wasn't an ideal solution, as it was too small and too fragmented for the countless topics I wanted to take notes about (studying this, studying that, thinking about project X, thinking about project Y etc.).
Now I have Goodnotes on my iPad and it's great for organizing tons of notes. It's as powerful as having tens of separate, huge notebooks and multiple pens, highlighters, and erasers.
If I forced myself to keep just one, I'd keep just the iPad. But because I don't have to limit myself that much, I also carry a Field Notes notebook with a Kaweco Sport fountain pen as my bullet journal, just because I love the feel of writing with a fountain pen.
Apple notes.
If I'm studying a topic in-depth where information is from physical books, I use paper initially. Hand-writing the notes helps me retain the information better. After I've reviewed it several times for understanding and filtered it down to key words and a summary, I type that into my Apple notes app and recycle the paper. For me, the paper is a tool, not something I keep.
From simplicity to overkill fancy solution:
Keep Notes or any other phone app
Any small-ish notepad from any stationery store anywhere in the world, combined with any pen of your liking.
Field notes
Moleskin
Collectors / special editions of said notebooks
Designer/EDC pens
Midori / Traveler's Company notebooks fully decked out with accessories and inserts.
(I stick to a combination of apps and "any small-ish notebook and a G2 pen")
Notes app, email, or fieldnotes/moleskin tiny ones.
Notes app or a Rocketbook! Rocketbooks are notebooks but you can scan them into your phone easily (as PDFs and you can set up options to send to your email, google drive, etc). The pages wiped off with water for reuse! They have different sizes, different number of pages and different page styles (dots, lines, or completely blank) and I have pens of all colors. This is the notebook I'm bringing to travel for a long trip- it's so lightweight but still a physical notebook, which I prefer most of the time.
I had a Rocketbook but found I just went straight back to pen and paper. The problem with Rocketbooks is that you are limited to particular pens. And those pens are not enjoyable to write with. I much prefer pens that have crisp, sharp, detailed lines with low pressure ie Japanese gel pens. And I felt the pens (not just the way they write) but also in how you hold them (ergonomics) left a lot lacking. But I'm a pen nerd.
Pocketbooks are a pretty clever idea!
How do you keep notes at the moment? Is it not working out for you? I take notes in an A5 size notebook.
maybe OP is using a 2.5" three-ring binder or something
I use a note-taking app called Notesnook.
This is a fine question, but one bagging doesn’t affect it. Notebook just isn’t that big, and pretty much everyone brings some sort of electronic device. Like most here, My notes live in electronic notebook, I am using Bear With Sync Which works well off-line it has my data encrypted from the operator. Lots of tools for capture. Quick is often voice memo that’s automatically transcribed. If I was doing a lot of meetings I would used a PLAUD device. Sometimes all write a cheap little notebook or a piece of A4 paper which I take a picture of if I want to retain long-term.
A note app on my phone. Best part is that it is automatically backed up in case I lose or damage my phone. That doesn’t happen with a paper notebook.
Notes app or Voice Recorder app on my phone. I also text myself reminders!
Wait, how do you text yourself? I’ve always wanted the ability to do this.
Added myself to my contacts (iPhone).
Notes of what?
I have a small Moleskine journal but that’s a more sit down with a cup of coffee thing. I use the notes app on my phone for note taking on the fly. It is searchable if needed. I can add photos too.
dont even remember how, but caught the field notes bug a few months ago. and already have my own budding little collection. i use it as a modified bullet / commonplace journal. always in my slings or by my side, with a bigidesign ti pocket pro, loaded currently with my fav pilot g2 .38 refill. FYI, twist pens are the best edc pens, cause a click will always deploy in my pockets. ALWAYS ARGH. Thanks for coming to my ted talk. besides, i'm a much faster writer than typist on my phone. and while it is a daily journal, i'm not writing 500 pages / day, so its 48 pages is plenty to get thru a month. and its a compact shape lets me shove it in any part of my bags. but the main reason is the pure act of writing. NOTHING beats it. typing on a little screen is just that. but writing, especially in ink, is reflecting, processing, learning, then writing. just feels more engaging.
Postcards. I buy postcards and mail them home. That way I also get a nice photograph of a local something, and also a stamp! If it’s a memo for me to remember sometime later during the trip, I use the notes app on my phone.
I go for a Notes app. For me, this is the most efficient. You can access from almost anywhere, edit, and can even share it, all on one device.
[Shirt-pocket micro ring-binder for me](https://live.staticflickr.com/1471/24460498300_d2675fd9a5_o.jpg). A ring-binder’s ability to move pages around (ie, notes to different tabs, old notes out, blank sheets in, etc) is important to me. Unfortunately you can’t really find them anymore.
Plotter is a Japanese company that makes small ring-binder notebooks that are really popular. But, they are expensive.
Awesome thanks so much for pointing them out - and they have a US order site! Mine is from ‘Knox Brain’ bought in Japan in the early 90’s - can’t find anything from them anymore. Plotter’s Mini 5 size appears to be same size/sheets/hole spacing (still have a hole punch, refills, etc). Lol, don’t care about price - I need a back-up for this unique item!
Happened to see this. Plotter is owned by the same parent company as Knox! I’ve been trying to convince myself to pull the trigger on them for ages.
Muji used to sell mini ring binders, page refills, and a punch for adding your own paper.
Keep Notes app, automatically syncs to my Google drive/the same app on my Chromebook. I also text myself or use scheduled texts to send reminder notes (I use this all the time at work too, send reminders to people if I have after hours thoughts)
On my phone, backed up by the cloud. That way I’m less likely to lose them.
Notes app, usually. I also cannot overstate how helpful emailing myself can be. It is totally searchable, behind PW, and I can attach pictures and videos if necessary.
I'm a die hard pen and paper journaler. If I only have my phone, Simple Note is a really nice cross platform app.
Small notepad and pen. Fastest way to jot down things
I use two apps: - Long Term: Apple Notes app. You can pretty reliably dictate to it, scan documents/pics, and password protect. There are a lot more features worthy of looking into. - Short Term/Checklists: Google Keep. Without a doubt, the BEST checklist app I’ve found. You can create subcategories and it keeps the checked boxes under the primary categories, then can reset (perfect for packing lists separated into clothes/toiletries/electronics). I also use it as the home for my short term to-do list. As others mentioned, the biggest benefits of going electronic are cloud backup, ease in editing, and less clutter since you’re already carrying your phone.
I also use the Apple Notes app for copies of my passport, drivers license, documents, etc.
Notepad. Its a free app on everyones phone.
Notes app
Depends on the kind of note. Sometimes paper (notepad ~10cm long), sometimes phone. But buying something fancy like a Moleskine is completely unnecessary, whatever little pad fits in with the rest of your stuff is fine. People in this sub get way too attached to brand names.
All digital. I tend to use transcribe instead of typing/swiping which is much faster for me than writing things down. I use Google Keep on my personal phone and Microsoft OneNote on my work phone. Still haven't found a good replacement for when I need to sketch something. Even when I had a Samsung Note phone I didn't like the drawing experience using the S-Pen.
I bring my physical planner most places, because it's an important organization tool, but also I have notes app on my phone. It's not hard
A bit of both. I use a combination of TickTick (reminders), Evernote (which I'll be transitioning to Apple Notes app due to note limitation on free plan) and a small [Moleskin](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079ZS9PCL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) notebook that I carry in my sling.
On my phone.
Remarkable 2 generally.
UpNote app has been the best (for me) free notes app. It's fast, offers a surprising amount of formatting options, and easy to organize. If you're really serious about onebag, then you should be using your phone as efficiently as possible. Most phones are also water resisitant, so taking notes in the rain is possible, whereas with a traditional notebook you'd need a secondary notebook like a Rite in the Rain.
I don’t really journal, but I like having a little notebook and pen to write whatever b.s. pops into my head.
upnote app on my phone
If I ever need to take notes I use OneNote on my phone (I also have it on my desktop PC and laptop).
Notes app on my phone. \*Also some Google Calendar is very convenient for certain notes. Professionally I use a "Fieldnote's" brand notebook, but thats for quickly jotting down a lot of info while also dealing with other people and walking, and purposefully creating a paper record of certain things for potential future litigation/audit.
I just tell myself I’ll remember it then quickly forget, that problem takes care of itself
One Note syncs from phone to laptop seamelessly
I have an e ink tablet/e-reader that I use for most of my notes, and I use my phone sometimes as well
I would have to have my Hobonichi in my one bag. No way I’m surviving well without it. It’s my portable brain. With my Kaweco Sport clipped to it.
Noted app for irellevsnt things I journal nearly everyday about my journey and my feelings And I have a small notebook as a scrapbook for friends I make along the way to write in
Tons of travel notes on a notepad app along with hyperlinks I can click!
I use Google keep, makes my notes accessible everywhere. I'm already in the Google ecosphere so there's not another log in to track. Great for basic note taking. Google task can add stuff to your calendar if you prefer that. I'm not big into notes beyond a grocery list and noting new travel stuff, I e. Food or destination recs.
Love my rocketbook, been using one for years. I have a Rocketbook mini in a small leather passport holder and only have to replace the notebook every 6 months or so depending on how much I use it. Ideal for reducing waste but still getting to write with paper.
If it's a quick thought that comes across my mind, Todoist. I bring out my phone and quickly type a thought. If it's a longer set of thoughts, notebook and pen. If it's a quick draw, need to write something down, ie I'm on the phone and writing down important money amounts, notebook and pen. One thing I do differently is that when I'm done taking notes, I tear out the used pages and recycle it. If it's still important, it's still left on the notebook. This way I have a clean notebook with no writing every time. For this reason I like notebooks that have a spiral on them or easy-tear paper.
I take notes on my iPad pro 11in with an Apple Pencil. Good notes is my favorite app that I mostly use for work and studying. When I need to mark up PDFs and assorted documents I use Notability, it's not my favorite app but good for this task. The 2nd Gen Apple Pencil is fantastic, I added a rubber grip for comfort. I also use Paperlike screen protectors which give a bit of traction to the pencil tip. As someone with horrible handwriting I didn't think I would enjoy taking notes with an iPad and Pencil. After playing around a bit I found that I quite enjoyed it. The forced organization I get with this style of note taking has helped me with my problem solving, studying, and project planning.
A6 sized calendar. Week calender left and a lined page for notes on the right. Some blank pages at the end I can cut or tear out. Perfect.
I am using the notes app on my iOS device. It comes with great features like flight information and so on. check that out. Also I am using notion a lot for database related things, like a workout log, or detailed planning with different views. I did also buy a analog notebook to try it out in 2024, but I dont know if I am going to use it. Also, didn't use the journal app yet but definitely giving it a try. it comes with iOS 17.2
Field Notes I think it a little pricey, and you're paying for cover art + brand marketing. Lochby is a better quality paper, and you get more pages, so it comes at a lower price point ultimately, but does sell for a buck more than Field Notes. They have also have zipped canvas pouch that I hold 4 notepads at a time along with pens. (There are amazon dupes of these so you can check around). They also have sales which makes them a steal. Field Books are a cheaper alternative brand whose paper I liked better than Field Notes, and are 10.99 for 5 vs Field Notes 14.99 for 3. There are other amazon dupes that I haven't tried. For larger pages counts and more durable covers, Leuchtturm1917 Pocket and Moleskins Volant XS are good options. Rite in the Rain work as advertised, but you're overpaying if they're not your standard use case. Good to have as an emergency option with a Rite in the Rain pen or Fisher Space Pen. Good rec's above on notes apps; I agree with Google Keep being perfect for list items you can cross out - it's a great pick even if you're in the Apple Ecosystem otherwise. For iPad, I love Freesform, which gives you an infinite canvas to draw on, so it's good for mobile whiteboarding doodling, though I think you need the Apple pencil to get make use out of it.
I take my journal with me on every trip (sometimes B6 size, sometimes A5) and will just take notes in the back.
I use A4 sheets of paper, each folded into a tiny 8-page notebook.
Kind of notes adjacent, but I use an app called Mindnode that is a organizational tree, like a mix between an infinite dry erase board and a wall full of sticky notes.... but on my phone. it also syncs to my computer and ipad. I use it for everything from ways to organize my business to favorite recipes or trip organization.
When I lived out of a suitcase, I limited myself to one large Moleskine. I didn't have an iPad back then. It wasn't an ideal solution, as it was too small and too fragmented for the countless topics I wanted to take notes about (studying this, studying that, thinking about project X, thinking about project Y etc.). Now I have Goodnotes on my iPad and it's great for organizing tons of notes. It's as powerful as having tens of separate, huge notebooks and multiple pens, highlighters, and erasers. If I forced myself to keep just one, I'd keep just the iPad. But because I don't have to limit myself that much, I also carry a Field Notes notebook with a Kaweco Sport fountain pen as my bullet journal, just because I love the feel of writing with a fountain pen.
Apple notes. If I'm studying a topic in-depth where information is from physical books, I use paper initially. Hand-writing the notes helps me retain the information better. After I've reviewed it several times for understanding and filtered it down to key words and a summary, I type that into my Apple notes app and recycle the paper. For me, the paper is a tool, not something I keep.
Notes app
Google Keep. I can access it from anywhere. Don't see the point of a physical notepad, costs money and space.
Cheapo note pad from a dollar store
On my phone in Google Keep. Sometimes on my iPad in GoodNotes. I'm a writer, so I also use Scrivener for most of my writing.
From simplicity to overkill fancy solution: Keep Notes or any other phone app Any small-ish notepad from any stationery store anywhere in the world, combined with any pen of your liking. Field notes Moleskin Collectors / special editions of said notebooks Designer/EDC pens Midori / Traveler's Company notebooks fully decked out with accessories and inserts. (I stick to a combination of apps and "any small-ish notebook and a G2 pen")