Waterproof Paper – Extreme Testing, by Jessie Blaine

Having a notebook and writing utensil within easy reach is important because you never know when you need to jot down a note or record important information.  Instead of settling for a plain paper notebook, consider setting yourself up for success by using a notebook with waterproof paper.  Sure, they are more expensive, but the one day you get caught in a down pour, or your water bladder takes a spill, you will be thankful to have invested in something that is waterproof.

I recently decided to do a head-to-head field test of waterproof papers and different writing utensils to see if there was a measurable difference in durability or quality.

I took pages from two different notebooks (Rite in the Rain and a generic brand) and wrote on them using four different writing utensils.  Then I stapled the waterproof pages to a board and put them outside in a location where they would be exposed to the elements. For seven days, these pages endured a variety of wind gusts and direct sun for a majority of each day.

Both pages showed little to no signs of degradation or fading.  After the first day, the edges of the Rite in the Rain page were starting to curl-up more than the generic page, but other than that, there was relatively no difference in durability or performance.

Not seeing any rain during this test period, I decided to do a full submersion test.  The two waterproof pages were fully submerged into a plastic jug of tap water for 14 days.  The jug was placed in the kitchen for the duration of the test.

After 14 days of submersion, again, there was relatively minor differences.  The Rite in the Rain page showed an odd pinkish discoloration showing up in a few areas.  Also, the black Skilcraft ink stick started to present a blueish hue.

Overall, the test has shown there really isn’t much difference between the papers.  With both papers performing favorably well, I got relatively equal results with both products tested.

On the weather exposure, there was no noticeable difference (the edges of the page curled-up slightly).

After the full water submersion, all markings were fully legible (only minor changes observed).

The structural integrity of the pages was not changed after the water test (the pages didn’t fall apart).

There were no changes to writability after the 14-day water submersion (the pages were fully writable, just as when they were dry).

Here are a few observations and I hope they help you select your next waterproof notebook.

Economics – The Rite in the Rain notebook was about $4.65 versus the generic at $1.80.  I’ve got to be practical here…I have 6 kids and two adults to outfit, so that’s eight notebooks at a cost $37 for name brand or $15 for generic.  If everyone has a notebook in their navigation kit and a notebook in their pocket, the cost doubles ($74 or $30 respectively).  And spending $74 on waterproof notebooks sure seems like a lot.

Spiral binding –Some companies offer notebooks that are sewn, and while these fit better in a pocket, I feel the performance suffers because they don’t lay flat. I prefer having a notebook lay flat because I don’t want to deal with the wind, maps and a notebook that keeps trying to fold-up.  The spiral binding makes the notebook slightly bulkier, but it’s worth it.

Another benefit to the spiral is that I can easily remove pages without compromising the entire notebook.  Trying to rip out a page in a sewn notebook can create issues with the binding and I don’t want to have a notebook coming apart while out in the field.  One part of my family communications plan is leaving notes, so I need a way to easily tear-out pages and the spiral binding fits the bill.

Layout – I don’t like the flip-top, reporter style notebooks. I prefer to have a side spiral opening notebook.  However, most of the small waterproof notebooks are the flip-top, so I compromise on this issue.

Color – The paper comes in a variety of colors…white, tan, green and gray.  My preference is to have the lighter colored paper because it shows better contrast and contrast makes reading easier.

Writing Utensil – Most ballpoint pens work on the paper, but I prefer to have a Rite in the Rain ink stick because the ink chamber is pressurized and that means I can write in awkward positions.  For pencils, I use the .5mm lead diameter because they are more precise for map work, and I feel that the thinner lead is more accommodating to my poor handwriting.

Writing While Wet – the paper isn’t perfect and when it’s wet, some writing devices that are water based tend to smear (Gel pens and highlighters).

Overall, the Rite in the Rain is a good product that’s made in America, but some of the generic versions, when put head-to-head, perform just as well.

Jessie

Jessie Blaine is a former Marine living in refuge somewhere in the Lone Star state.  He is in a perpetual state of learning, which is the second-best state to be in, with the Lone Star state being the first.