Tired of soggy, illegible notes? Rite in the Rain notebooks claim to be weatherproof. But does it really weather rain, snow, and mud? After years of usage in all kinds of outdoor conditions, the verdict is clear: these notebooks really do withstand harsh environments and are a must if you’re looking for durable gear to use in the wild. In our Rite in the Rain review, we’re examining the Rite in the Rain Spiral Notebook, All-Weather Tactical (No 980T) Field Kit, and the Mini Stapled Notebook to see if it matches the hype for writing outdoors.
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Rite in the Rain all weather notebooks can be used everywhere and anywhere. Whether it's jotting down field notes, drawing, calculating or plotting your way home, you can rest assure that your notes will stay safe and dry with the Rite in the Rain Notebook collection.
- Top Spiral
- Side Spiral
- Stapled
- Soft Cover Top Bound
- Soft Cover Side Bound
- Hard Cover Fabrikoid
Why Get a Rite in the Rain Waterproof Notebook?
Have you ever needed to write something down, but couldn’t? Regular paper pads fail in wet conditions. They become a soggy, illegible mess and a total disappointment.
Using your phone seems wise; nonetheless, raindrops love to interfere with typing. Cold or wet fingers are worse, and cold weather can kill your phone’s battery, which renders it useless.
Rite in the Rain all-weather notebooks solve all these problems. They handle all-weather writing, which is why it became our go-to for field notes and a very important piece of rain gear. I remember a hunting trip last fall, where we faced an unexpected downpour. As we scrambled to cover our gear, I quickly realized my notes were out in the open. But when the sky cleared, I found my Rite in the Rain notebook had preserved every word, despite being drenched. It’s moments like these that prove their true worth in the field.
FURTHER READING:
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Rite in Rain Notebook Features
Rite in the Rain offers small to large sizes of American-made options. No matter the intent, there is a notebook for every job, student, artist, and outdoorsy person. You’ll find notebooks, notepads, loose paper, cardstock, and specialty paper. Whether you’re into mapping, sketching, or research, Rite in the Rain offers paper with light grids or dotted lines. These notebooks protect ideas in any weather, even from accidental spills and are designed to preserve your thoughts and ideas for years to come.
All-Weather Rain Paper
How does Rite in the Rain vs regular paper compare? Rite in the Rain uses special patented waterproof paper that repels water. It is made from wood and recycled paper, which makes these notepads very eco-friendly. Regular paper soaks up water and falls apart fast, while the water-based coating on the Rite in the Rain paper keeps it from disintegrating.
We spend a lot of time outdoors, and of course, we have spilt many beverages, especially coffee and water. Have liquids landed on the Rite in the Rain notebooks – absolutely! Curious as to what happened? Absolutely nothing! The liquid beads on the paper allow you to quickly clean up without consequence. Truthfully, I was expecting at least a stain from the coffee, but no, there was none.
I even accidentally laundered my husband’s notepad! Mind you, he should have emptied his pockets, but that’s a separate story. Surprisingly, the small pocket notepad was fine and is still used to this day. The all-weather pen ink did not smear, and his notes were readable and intact, which was a huge relief!
How Tough is a Wet Notebook?
We tested Rite in the Rain’s durability in various weather conditions, including our famous Canadian winter conditions. Notebooks are meant to have their pages flipped many times, and as you already have experienced, a regular notepad will produce flyaways almost instantly. One bad flip or a sticky finger can cause problems, like losing notes or even whole pages.
The Rite in the Rain paper can be flipped many times and still stay intact. Removing a page from a small spiral notepad takes a little force, which explains why your pages stay put. Not to worry, tearing out a note does not rip the sheet, which is absolutely remarkable. Be honest, how many times have you tried to tear out something only to lose 1/4 of the page? This applies to all Rite notebooks and pads.
Cover
The notebook cover comes in a strong 19-gauge Polydura Cover (made from polyethylene) or a flexible Field-Flex to shield your precious notes. Both options do a great job of protecting from bad weather, which makes writing outdoors so much easier.
Rite in the Rain notebooks are designed to handle extreme temps well. From -30°C snowmobile rides to humid boat trips, both the write in the rain cover and paper stay strong, letting you use your trail notebook no matter the environment.
For work or keynotes, you’ll love this feature! Rite in the Rain spiral notebooks feature a rust-resistant wire-o spiral, and the notebooks use rust-resistant staples. I hate rust stains, so this is a huge win!
Writing Instruments & Weather Pens
So you have a wet notebook, but what do you write with? Of course, Rite in the Rain offers writing tools, which we had to buy. You can’t buy one of the best waterproof notebooks and refuse to buy the mighty Rite in the Rain all-weather pen. Through the years, these pens have been on every adventure and jobsite. It’s a small pen that is comfortable to hold and writes smoothly on any type of paper, under all weather conditions. The ink is bold. In hindsight, we should have bought the orange Rite in the Rain pen – it’s easier to find when the kids throw it in the pack, but other than that, we haven’t had any issues with the weather pen.
Other writing instruments that work amazingly well in these all-weather notepads are: waterproof pens, mechanical pencils, technical drawing pens, crayons, and markers. Oil pastels are another good choice, says Rite in the Rain. We don’t own any oil pastels, so we’ll have to take their word for it.
In dry places, permanent markers and regular ballpoint pens will work well. Nonetheless, water-based inks found in highlighters, gel pens, and watercolours are a huge problem as they wash away. If you’re wondering about pen compatibility, a regular pen with quality ink will work on this recyclable, waterproof paper. The correct pen will stop smudges and fading, but the ink won’t be as bright.
We also love the Fisher Space Pen as a trustworthy companion for any all-weather notebook – it’s a BushLife favourite!
Black 0.8mm Ink, Fine Point
- Write or sketch in the rain
- Able to write on damp or wet paper
- Special, pressurized ink cartridge
- Pen can write upside down
- Won't leak, evaporate, or make a mess
- Writes in temps from -30°F to 250°F
Who Uses Rite in the Rain Waterproof Notebooks?
The answer will shock you! Rite in the Rain all-weather notebooks are prized for their durable build. They work extremely well in any challenging environment. Preppers, explorers, farmers, field scientists, anglers, construction workers, and military personnel all trust them. Anyone who hates being stuck inside due to rain loves these notepads for writing outdoors.
Hikers use these weatherproof trail notebooks to track trails. They log plants, animals, and key info while hiking. Scientists in fields like ecology and geology use them. They record data and sketch findings in their field journals.
Preppers use these Rite in the Rain all-weather notebooks in survival kits as essential rain gear. They jot down plans, emergency procedures, and record data for emergencies. Artists also love Rite in the Rain. They sketch or paint nature in wet conditions.
Soldiers use these notebooks for fieldwork. They sketch ops, take notes, and map info. Did you know that Rite in the Rain comes with an NSN number, which means it’s a standard military item. This proves its top quality! Some notebooks also come with reference information.
No matter the task, Rite in the Rain notebooks hold up. They protect key data in tough spots. For us, it was a must-have and a great addition to our survival kit. It’s easy to write, map, and sketch in one notepad without worries!
Are Rite in the Rain Products Worth It?
We tested it while camping in the rain, hunting in the mud, and off-roading in wet environments. Where regular notebooks and activity books for our kids became a mess with smeared ink, mushy sheets and holey pages, the Rite in the Rain all-weather paper stayed intact. There were no ink smudges, no disintegrated sheets, not even accidental rips from sticky hands.
These wet notepads block water well, even when it’s nasty out. We used an all-weather pen when writing in the rain, which made writing smooth without smudges. This was true even with wet, sweaty, or greasy hands! The kids used crayons and found that they, too, held up.
Read on for our experience with the sizes and formats of these notebooks.
Rite in the Rain Spiral Notebook Review
Never having used a RITR notebook before, we decided to buy a Rite in the Rain Top Spiral Notebook for its size, colour, and ‘tactical’ build. Personally, I think hubby we was sold on the word tactical, but hey, whose judging. 😉 But being tired of smudged notes while land navigating we decided to give the Rite in the Rain Top Spiral Notebook a try.
Jotting a quick note was easily done in heavy rains and on the snowy trail. What really got us was the perforation. No matter how many times we flipped the sheets, they stayed in place. Tearing a single sheet does take a little muscle. On our last hiking trek, this notebook was sitting in the top pocket of my rain-soaked pack and came out looking like we’d just bought it. We can honestly say that after years in our pack, our yellow notebook is still in great shape and still going strong. If you’re ready to replacing soggy notepads, this is the one we’d reach for every single time.
All-Weather Tactical (No 980T) Field Kit Review
After being impressed by the Top Spiral notepad, it was time to upgrade to a more rugged option that we could use for more crucial notes. Hubby opted for the Rite in the Rain All-Weather Tactical Field Kit – I swear, it was the pen that did it this time or maybe the military khaki-coloured cover! 😉
The Tactical Field Kit gets used a lot as a reference notebook. When taking notes, the fabric cover sits flat and doesn’t soak through. Gone are the annoying days of fighting a flapping cover when you’re writing out important ham radio frequencies and blackpowder shotgun loads. The only downside with this notebook – the tear-resistant pages are not perforated, but at least the tearaway is not half a page and closer to the spine.
Inside the Tactical Field Notebook
Kit includes: A 4.25″ x 7.25″ All-Weather Tactical Notebook (No 980T), RITR All-Weather Pen, and Codura fabric zippered cover.
If your background is military, you’ll love this notebook. It comes with tactical reference charts, sketches, and plans. For everyone else, inside the back cover is an azimuth conversion chart, perfect for navigating new areas. With 128 pages, you have plenty for notes, maybe a poem or two, and writing out your hunting to-do list for the next deer hunt.
We use this one daily, as its size makes writing easy and the zippered cover keeps everything protected in one place. If you’re looking for a proper outdoor journal that pulls double duty as a field reference, this is the one we’d reach for. Hubby hasn’t put it down since.
Mini Stapled Notebook Review
Well if two notebooks weren’t enough, my hubby thought let’s add the Rite in the Rain Mini All-Weather Universal (No 971FX-M) notebook to the collection. At 3.25″ x 4.625″, this pocket-sized notebook literally fits anywhere. The mini comes in a 3-pack, which is perfect for scratch notes or reference information you can’t go without.
Although it’s small, the Rite in the Rain still packs a punch. It’s just as weatherproof as all the other notepads we use. It gives you 24 green-lined pages, a spot to write your info, project title, and a table of contents for quick note lookup. There’s also an inch ruler printed on the back.
Out of all the Rite in the Rain notebooks we own, this one is our least favourite. Writing in this pocket notebook feels cramped, which is why we only use it for reference or a quick game of tic-tac-toe with the kids. You’ll find one in hubby’s hunting bag and another in my camera bag as a small field tool. If you’re looking for a budget and pocket-friendly notebook that keeps your notes secure and you can hide just about anywhere, I would go with this one.
The Weather Notebook Water Test
When you’re outdoors or you have kids, your notebook looks like a rat enjoyed every square inch of it! We have owned our Rite in the Rain books for quite some time – they have endured rain, lake, kids, and the weather. During downpours, water will bead on the page, but that won’t stop you from writing. With a proper writing instrument, you can jot your thoughts right through the raindrop. The all-weather pen’s ink stays bold.
A standard ballpoint pen does wok, but the ink is less bright. The ink doesn’t smear or bleed in the rain. The paper also stays strong and our notes remain legible.
After letting the water sit, we brushed it off. No smears appeared. This caught the kids curiosity! Being kids, they decided to toss the all-weather paper sheets into the lake. Water flowed right off the pages. While wet, the kids used crayons to draw. Surprisingly, the paper didn’t tear, smudge, or curl during this test. The paper crinkled a bit once dry, but overall, the notebook pages held up well!
Which Notebook is Right for You?
There are so many Rite in the Rain all-weather notebooks to choose from, all of which have been carefully designed to accomplish different tasks. You can choose from universal, tactical, memo, field, and simple notebooks, but the best one for you depends on your use.
If you’re a hunter who needs to log field notes in any weather, the spiral is your match. The field book is perfect if you fish, camp, or hike and need to journal, map trails, or jot down coordinates to that abundant fishing hole. Referencing for shot size, photography camera settings, ham radio frequencies, vital emergency information, is better in the mini stapled pocket book.
Rite in the Rain Offers Notebook Kits for Extra Protection
For those of us who love to be organized, Rite in the Rain offers small top spiral, small notebook, or large notebook kits. Each kit includes a zippered Cordura Fabric Cover and an All-Weather Pen.
The lightweight RiteInTheRain cover has a notebook pocket. Depending on the size, it also has one or two general pockets. Plus, there are four pockets for pens or pencils. Cover colours depend on size, with tan, camo, or black available.
The Rite in the Rain All-Weather Pen uses black ink and works in tough conditions. It writes from -34°C to 121°C (-30°F to 250°F). It even works 35 feet underwater! Amazingly, the pen writes through water, mud, sweat, and grease.
This field kit is great for staying organized. It’s also good if you often lose things. The kit keeps everything together! Find more details about the Rite in the Rain kit on Amazon.
Taking Care of Your Rite in the Rain Notebooks
Like most things, your Rite in the Rain books need some care to last. If you don’t care, skip ahead.
- Store your notebooks in a dry place when not in use. This keeps them from too much wetness.
- If the cover gets dirty, wipe it with a damp cloth. Don’t use strong cleaners. They can hurt the waterproof cover.
- Rite in the Rain notebooks are tough, but be gentle. Too much bending can hurt the binding. Handle your notebook with care for best use.
Where to Buy Rite in the Rain Notebooks
Finding Rite in the Rain notebooks in Canada is challenging. I managed to find the RITR 4″ x 6″ top-spiral notebook at Burlington, Ontario’s Lee Valley and the letter-sized notebook at a local Kingdon in the Kawartha’s. We seem to have more luck spotting them at DIY stores versus outfitters.
In the US, Rite in the Rain products are easily found in most local stores. For our global readers, a large selection of styles and colour options can be found on Amazon. Otherwise, visit the Rite in the Rain website to see if they can ship directly to you.
Alternative to Rite in the Rain
Rite in the Rain notepads work amazingly well, but there are similar alternatives that are worth looking at.
- Field Notes Expedition Edition features a waterproof and tear-resistant cover, making them suitable for outdoor use. It also includes waterproof and smudge-resistant pages, ensuring your notes stay intact in wet conditions. We have no experience with field notes, but they are well-known and reviewed online.
- The Moleskine Evernote Smart Notebook combines the classic Moleskine design with the ability to digitize handwritten notes using the Evernote app. While it’s not fully waterproof, there is some resistance to light water exposure. We can’t speak to the Evernote notebook, but we have utilized several Moleskine products. Frankly, a cheap Walmart notebook by Cambridge came with thicker paper than Moleskine. The covers on our Moleskines hold up well, but the paper is see-through and really disappointing. Hopefully, Moleskine has corrected this issue in the Evernote.
These options give different features. They might meet your needs better. Field Notes rivals Rite in the Rain more than Moleskine does.
So, Are Rite in the Rain Notebooks Worth It?
After years of putting these notebooks through everything Ontario’s outdoors can throw at them – downpours, mud, accidental laundry cycles, and sticky-fingered kinds, the answer is an unqualified yes. Rite in the Rain does exactly what it promises, and then some.
As for which one? That really comes down to how you use it. The spiral is the workhorse – ideal if you’re logging field notes, sketching, or need something substantial for extended outdoor use. The mini stapled notebook is your EDC – small enough to disappear in your jacket pocket and tough enough to survive whatever the jacket goes through. And the Tactical Field Kit is for those who want everything in one grab-and-go setup – perfect for hunter, preppers, or anyone who doesn’t want to think twice about their gear when conditions get serious.
Whichever you choose, you’re not going to regret it. These notebooks have earned a permanent spot in our kit, and once you’ve written through your first rainstorm without losing a single note, you’ll understand why. As to me, I just showed hubby the Monsoon field kit, and his eyes twinkled – oh no, what have I done!!! 😬
If you’re ready to ditch the soggy notepad? Browse the full Rite in the Rain collection here.
👉 Comment below if you have ever lost important notes to weather or hungry wildlife. 😆
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