Here in North America, a campfire isn’t always just a campfire. For a lot of people, campfires are wrapped up in childhood memories of summer camp, family vacations, and scouts’ outings. As a result, the humble campfire has taken on deeper meaning in American culture, and it’s been wrapped up in its own set of mores and traditions. So, when Field Notes released the Campfire Edition, the company’s 35th quarterly edition of their popular pocket notebooks, they imbued the product with a lot of sentiment and symbolism.

The Campfire Edition comes as a set of three notebooks, each with a different cover. The first is the Dusk/Geometry book, which represents (and explains) the construction of a proper campfire. The second is the Night/Community book, which advocates the virtue of sitting around a fire, telling ghost stories, and listening to someone playing an off-key guitar. The third is the Dawn/Responsibility notebook, which depicts an erstwhile Campfire and implores us to be a responsible campfire master. These notebook covers are printed using a photographic halftone technique that give them a nostalgic 1950’s look.

If it sounds like these notebooks are among Field Notes’ more conceptual editions, then you’re right. A lot of thought clearly went into their production. Field Notes even thought to include a merit badge with every 3-pack. Practically, however, there is nothing that sets this edition apart. Beneath the glossy covers, you’ll find what you usually find: 60# paper with a graph ruling.

Of course, Field Notes doesn’t have to go crazy with every quarterly edition, and, frankly, some of my favorite editions have nothing more than particularly cool covers. But for anyone who doesn’t count camping as a hobby or tradition, these notebooks are unlikely to inspire much enthusiasm. Personally, I don’t count Campfire among my favorites, but anyone who loves to camp will probably feel differently.

Additional Notes