A Geek Goes Flying

I’ve tried a bunch. These Moleskine dupes . (Pen always somehow went missing.) This thing (came close, but without a way to secure it closed, the pages got trashed; the pen is cute though). But I think I’ve found The One™: Leather Field Notes Cover from Etsy seller Tarberry; $21.50 currently (on sale), I got it in black, not personalized. I like that it snaps closed. The ability to stash some emergency cash and a card or three if you were so inclined, are bonuses. Clairefontaine Staplebound 3.5X5.5 notebooks ; $13. I’ve generally had good experience with Clairefontaine paper, if I use it with a fountain pen, etc. I’ve been using these since my days buying pens and an endless supply of journals from Writer’s Bloc [rip]. The other main option are the Field Notes inserts. Currently, a Zebra F-301 I had handy.  I’m likely to swap that for something like a Sakura Pigma Micro , “will not smear or feather when dry,” “waterproof and chemical proof,” etc. (I’ve had, e.g., an improperly...

The rOtring Freeway is ... fine ... but it’s feeling kinda loose and needed replacement in my daily carry kit. Wanted something inexpensive and stumbled across this Porsche Crest Carbon-Look Ballpoint Pen ($25). (Echos of the Porsche Design Tec Flex Steel Ballpoint Pen someone got me after I got my first Porsche, the 968 Cabrio.) Only ... it’s not a ballpoint pen. It’s a roller ball. Which is what I wanted. The included refill writes fine and is about as generic as you can get (it’s got a green “quill” logo with an ®, 2025-04 marking, and reads “International Roller Pen Refill 0.7.” I tried the Pilot, G2 Gel Ink Refill and it  almost  fits, but the tip is recessed a bit into the pen and the diameter is like a hair’s breadth too thick (it got stuck in the tip). It appears this is probably equivalent to a Schmidt 5888M rollerball refill . Edit: It’s not. The tip of the refill gets stuck going into the tip of the pen. Amazon’s AI suggests a Schmidt 888 , or the Graf Von Faber ...