Above: Back-to-back Full and Half Size Geology MultiBoard Kits
Now Available: The MultiBoard in Polycarbonate and Aluminum
The Geology Kit, Full Size, Aluminum
The Geology Kit, Half Size, Acrylic
The MultiBoard Geology Kit is an innovative field binder that combines a clipboard, mapboard, and binder in one. It comes in three sizes, oversized, full, and half size.
We also offer a “SingleBoard” Geology Kit, which takes the two inside panels and places them on the opposite sides of a single panel. See below for a comparison of the different versions.
The Geology Kit, Oversized, Acrylic
What’s included in the Geology Kit:
A Full-Size Acrylic MultiBoard Geology Kit with all included accessories.
Our Geology Kit now Includes the following in your choice of size and material:
Front: 2X Elastic Straps with Clear Cover Sheet and Emergency Protractor
Inside Left: Binder Pocket w/ Elastic Strap
Inside Right: Wire Spring Clip W/ Elastic Strap & Non Slip Buttons
Cord for Small Notebook
Basic Shoulder Strap
Note: These placements can of course be customized (such as swapping the wire spring clip on the inside and double elastic on the front).
Available in Polycarbonate and Aluminum
Hit it with a hammer. Throw it at rocks. Step on it. Drop it down the mountain side. It’ll be fine.
Video Walkthrough:
Features:
Scroll Down For Details
Optional Integrated Emergency Protractor
Waterproof Design
Dry Erase Cover Sheet Included
Also useful in Classrooms, Labs, and Meetings
Free Up Your Hands
Highly Customizable: Only Carry What You’ll Need
Universal Pen / Pencil / Acid Bottle Holder
Optional Wire Spring Clip
Write in the Wind
The main feature of the MultiBoard and SingleBoard is that you can carry your map, notebook, writing utensils, acid bottle, empty sample baggies, etc in a neat and organized fashion while doing field work. There are other advantages as well, including:
Free Up Your Hands
Free up your hands for rock scrabbling, mountain biking, holding multiple drinks, etc. Use the shoulder strap loops (included) to attached a shoulder strap or use paracord and a carabiner to attach it to your backpack straps.
Climbing around to get a better view of the rocks with a Half-Size MultiBoard attached to a backpack.
Mountain Biking with a Singleboard on a carabiner.
Carrying a Half-Size MultiBoard with a Shoulder Strap
Singleboard with Shoulder Strap
Highly Customizable: Carry What You’ll Need
The MultiBoard is designed to be extremely versatile. Carry just the accessories you need and leave the rest behind.
*Some of these photos show a previous version and are left up because the illustration is still accurate.
Different Configuration Examples:
Binder pocket on left side, clipboard clip on the right
Shown with an added binder pouch that goes under the binder pocket to hold a protractor, ruler, etc.
Binder Pocket on Left, Double Elastic on Right
Wire Spring Clip on Front
Clipboard clip on front.
Map only: If you don’t need the second panel.
Double elastic on left, clip on right (shown on oversized MultiBoard)
Double elastic on front.
Add a third panel for on-the-fly additional storage.
Quickly add or remove a third panel.
Universal Pen / Pencil / Acid Bottle Holder
The MultiBoard comes with two of our unique, custom designed pen / pencil / acid bottle holders. Simply insert your whatever you want to hold and pull the elastic tight on the back. It will stay securely in place as you take it in and out, and can easily be re-tightened.
Write in the Wind
Easily write in the wind on either your map or in a notebook. The map is held down will all four corners and edges covered, securely keeping it in place. For notebooks, an elastic strap keeps the either a corner or the whole side down. Here’s a video on a very windy day:
SingleBoard showing the elastic strap holding a corner of the notebook down.
Integrated Emergency Protractor
Emergency Protractor Showing ~30° East of North.
Never be without a protractor. Our “emergency protractor” has angles engraved along the outside of your map holder. Use paracord (included) or any straight edge to find the angles on your map.
Please note, the emergency protractor is designed to be better than no protractor, not any protractor. If you need a protractor, we make great geology protractors (with 0° at the top) in different materials and sizes: learn more here.
Waterproof Design
All of the adhesive and other parts on the MultiBoard and SingleBoard are waterproof. Either board can be fully submerged without concern. Waterproof paper is, of course, suggested. The MultiBoard (half size acrylic) even floats with a hardcover Rite-In-The-Rain notebook inside.
Dry Erase Cover Sheet Included
The Geology Kits come with a clear plastic sheet for use with dry erase markers. When not in use the sheet can be slid between the map and front panel, and then moved to the top of the map when desired.
This spot is worth stopping at if you’re driving through Utah on I-70. Only a few minutes off the Interstate. More photos and directions here.
Also useful in Classrooms, Labs, and Meetings
Ready for notetaking.
Easily swap between fieldwork and deskwork modes.
The MultiBoard is also great for working and notetaking in class, lab, or office life. Quickly and easily switch between notebooks and swap a binder pocket for the emergency protractor.
Case study in the field: It works.
(These photos were taken with a previous version, but all the functionality is either the same or has been improved.)
Model Options:
Which Should you Choose?
Half Size Vs. Full Size
The tradeoffs between the full and half size Multiboard geology kits are what you would expect. The full size allows you to view an entire letter size map, and hold a full size notebook. The half-size is smaller (fitting in hiking daypacks) and weighs less.
Which should you choose? Here’s a table to help you decide:
Full Size
Half Size
Reasons to buy full size:
Your field work involves relatively short stretches of hiking.
You plan to carry it in either a normal-size backpack, or with either a shoulder strap or attached to a backpack strap loop.
You want to be able to see letter-sized maps all at once.
You want to use full size notebooks for note taking.
You want a MultiBoard that doubles as a full-size binder.
Reasons to buy half size:
Your field work involves long hikes, packing as light as possible.
You want your MultiBoard to fit inside a hiking day pack.
You’ll be focused on specific areas on the maps you work with.
You like small notebooks.
You want a MultiBoard that doubles as a half-size binder.
Oversized Version
We also have the oversized version. The pro / cons can be summed up as “it’s big” (12x14” usable area).
The MultiBoard Vs The SingleBoard:
Which one should you choose?
Both the MultiBoard and the SingleBoard are excellent field map boards. Which one suits you best depends on your personal preference between the trade-offs of cost, weight, immediate access to your map / notebook, and protection.
Half Size SingleBoard
Half Size MultiBoard
Reasons to buy the SingleBoard:
You want to be able to start writing on your map or in a notebook without opening the bifold.
You want to carry less weight
You want a lower cost product.
You feel the advantages are worth putting more care into making sure the SingleBoard doesn’t get caught on anything.
Reasons to buy the MultiBoard:
You want your map and notebook protected by simply closing the MultiBoard.
You want more panel real estate (i.e. you want to use a binder clip to carry a paper on the front of the board, and/or put reference notes behind the notebook in the back facing out).
You want to read a map through the front of MultiBoard while the map is safely protected.
Not sure what you want?
Also consider our Wind-Resistant-Clipboard for your field work needs.