Nomad Adventure Hiking-Camping-Backpacking Journal
Initial Report
1 November 2009
 
Name: Dawn Larsen
Age: 48
Gender: female
Height: 5' 4" (163 cm)
Weight: 165 lb (75 kg)
Email address: vicioushillbilly AT gmail DOT com
Florence, South Carolina USA

Backpacking Background:
I used to backpack in college a zillion years ago and just in the last few years have backpacked some private trails in Tennessee, Missouri and most recently South Carolina. I have been an avid car-camper for eleven years and I have kayak/canoe camped for four years, both in South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri and Arkansas. I use a lot of the same equipment for both. I hike hilly/rocky trails especially in Missouri (my home state) and Arkansas. I live in South Carolina and am busy checking out the terrain here with my sixteen year-old son.

Product Information
Manufacturer:  Nomad
Year of Manufacture:  2008
URL:  www.nomadjournals.com
Listed Dimensions of Journal:  5 x 7 in (127 x 178 mm) journal, 6 x 8 in (152 x 203 mm) with case
Actual Dimensions of Journal:  same as listed
Listed Weight:  n/a
Actual Weight:  9.1 oz (258 g)
Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price: $27.00 with case, $15.00 journal only US
 

 picture courtesy of  Nomad website

Product Description
The website lists this "3-in-1" journal as the "most comprehensive outdoor logbook available."  It comes in its own water-resistant zippered case with an inside pocket.  There are 120 pages that allow for 29 daily entries.  There are entry areas including: trail information (terrain, conditions, difficulty, distance & more), recommended maps and guidebooks, campground information, hiking and driving directions, people you might meet along the way, weather conditions, food, as well as room for extra notes.
 
Initial Impressions
Though the website and title say that it can be used as a backpacking journal, it is rather large.  I think they mean "backpacking in Europe" like they describe on the website, rather than backpacking on a trail.  I like the information that I can record in the journal.  Nomad seems to have thought of everything that I would want to remember about a campground or trail.  I have used other journals, but none of the ones that I've used are organized as well, nor do they provide spaces for all of the things I want to record. For example, campground fees AND trail information are entry areas.  Most journals are "either or."  I also really like that there is a pocket to keep receipts and campground tags.  Nice idea.
 
The case is water resistant as I held it under a running faucet for about 3 seconds and the insides remained dry.

    page picture courtesy of website

Summary
I think this journal, though big, will be a good journal for car camping and day hiking.  I look forward to using it.
 
What I like so far
It is organized very well
Provides listed spaces for all the things I would want to record
 
What I don't like so far
Big and bulky.
 
This concludes my initial report.  My field report will follow in about two months. Many thanks to Nomad and Backpackgeartest.org for allowing me to test the Nomad Adventure Hiking-Camping-Backpacking Journal.