Back in January of 2014, Draplin Design Co. and Coal Headwear came together to produce a set of Field Notes in homage of Old Glory. This special edition, known as the Coal X DDC X USA Edition, was limited to 5,000 3-packs, which – of course – sold out quickly. Luckily, many 3-packs were held back for inclusion in a special “USA Kit” sold by the Coal and DDC websites, and much to my surprise, I found that this kit is still available for purchase. So, I happily ordered one, and it came in time for Independence Day this year.

The kit includes a USA patch and trucker hat, along with the pack USA-themed Field Notes pocket notebooks. Each notebook cover features a solid blue background atop a red and white-striped lower third. The cover stock is a hefty 100#, heavier than the 80# stock used in the standard Kraft edition. The innards contain a gray-inked graph, printed on 50# white paper.

If you’re a fan of pocket notebooks, then it’s obviously a perfect choice for July. As usual with Field Notes, I love their look as the book slowly gets used and worn. The red ink on the inside cover does seem to rub off onto the outer layers of paper over time, but as far as complaints go, that’s pretty minor. 

Otherwise, it feels like a pretty typical Field Notes notebook. It’s worth the cost of the Kit only if you’re feeling extra patriotic. My only real concern is that I look pretty goofy in a trucker hat, USA-themed or otherwise.

Additional Notes

• Though the practical application list (printed in the back, inside cover) is very similar to that of the standard Kraft Field Notes, the Coal X DDX X USA edition varies somewhat. Among my favorite variants: “02. Color Predictions”; “08. Badge Schematics”; and “16. Couches To Crash On.”
• According to Jinnie at Three Staples, the paper used in this edition is different from what Field Notes typically uses. And it’s worth noting, she feels this paper isn’t as smooth. Personally, I hadn’t noticed a difference.
• As usual, the notebook’s specifications page names each color used in the printing. Apparently, the notebook uses “Wenatchee White,” “Ballard Blue,” and “Rainier Red” (with a little bit of “Yakima Yellow” text) for the cover. However, the official names of colors used on the United States flag are “White,” “Old Glory Red,” and “Old Glory Blue.”