This is an updated review guide on the best survival pens, both for writing and tactical defense. We update our roundups as new products are released, as we test more gear, and when we learn even more about our picks.
It’s often misunderstood, but survival and tactical pens are very different approaches to writing utensils. You would very rarely use your pen as a weapon in survival situations- if you are prepared enough to be considering it there are much better options for self-defense. That is why the best survival pen does what it is supposed to do very well- write in any conditions! There are several options to consider when it comes to pens in survival situations: functionality, durability, quality, etc.
This is where we come in. We’ve researched the best survival pens, tested them, and now the results are in: the overall best, an upgrade option, and a tactical option. If you need to jot notes, leave reminders, or tally checklists in any situation, one of our recommendations will help you meet your mark.
Contents (Jump to a Section)
The Best Survival Pen
Pressurized, Small, and Effective
Inexpensive pressurized cartridges give you a smart pen that’ll take a beating in any survival kit.
*Price for a 2-pack at the time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Rite in the Rain is known for some cool things, including its weatherproof field notebooks and tear-proof printable map paper. But this one takes the cake. They took their pressurized pen cartridge and put it into a modular polymer that makes these pens surprisingly inexpensive for what you get. They blow away the competition and still come in with a price point screaming value.
Here is how they measure up:
- 2-pack, 4 color options (I prefer high-vis orange so I don’t misplace them)
- Pressurized cartridge (sealed, no refill)
- Operates -30F to 250F, underwater, at any angle, with an unlimited shelf-life
- 3.25″ closed, 5.25″ open, 9 grams each
- Durable polymer
- Made in the USA
With specs like these, it’s easy to see how Rite in the Rain EDC Pen tested as the best choice out of all of the competition.
Upgrade Survival Pen
Metal, Pressurized, and Trusted
Used by astronauts and the military, this is the pen you use when your life depends on it.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Write anywhere, even at Elon Musk’s resort on Mars with this little thing. A true EDC upgrade, the space pen is preferred by almost any EDC practitioner you ask. It is not cheap for a single pen, but it will last you a lifetime, will write anywhere (in any conditions), and is refillable.
Here are the details:
- Matte black w/ clip
- Pressurized cartridge (SPR4 Black Refills)
- Operates -30F to 250F, underwater, at any angle, with an unlimited shelf life
- 3.77″ closed, 5.35″ open, 1.3 ounces
- Brass and steel
- Made in the USA
If you are looking for the best of the best, pick up the Fisher Bullet Space Pen to write anywhere- even in space!
Tactical Survival Pen
Simple, Refillable, and Long-Lasting
An overbuilt, smartly designed tactical defense pen that writes as well as it strikes.
*Price for 5-pack at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
You probably know CRKT (Columbia River Knife & Tool) from their knives out of Oregon. They work with a lot of knife designers and paired up with James Williams (down south of us in Vass, NC) to make their well-known Hissatsu knives, but also these lesser-known defense pens.
Here is how the James Williams measure up:
- 5 color options
- Pressurized cartridge (MegaLine 4889 Black Refills)
- Operates -30F to 250F, at any angle, with an unlimited shelf life
- 3.77″ closed, 5.99″ open, 0.8 ounces
- Grivory grip
- Made in the USA
Skip the flair of mall-ninja pens and pick up the tried-and-true CRKT James Williams Defense Pen if you are looking for a tactical pen.
Everything We Recommend
The Pens We Compared
Our research narrowed the field down to the several pens that we tested: Fisher, Pilot, Rite in the Rain, Zebra, Sharpie, Atomic Bear, Smith & Wesson, and more.
You can see our full list of review criteria below in the what to look for section, with an explanation for each.
We focused on pens and their writing ability. This means we excluded pencils, markers, grease markers, crayons, chalk, paint… you get the idea. We also excluded kubatons, since they don’t actually write. We also confirmed our suspicion that ‘tactical pens’ are overhyped and flooded with brands pushing the idea that you need one to poke a would-be attacker’s eye out. That is addressed in our “Are Tactical Pens Bullshit?” section.
We’re always looking for new and better equipment, so if you have a survival pen that you swear by let us know in the comments. We review most of our tested gear annually, so we can always get it in the next roundup round and see if it makes the cut and we can see if it will beat out our top picks.
What to Look For
The best survival pens have several important features to look for:
- Value
- Functionality
- Durability
- Size & Weight
- Quality
When you get the right blend of these, you can find a survival pen that will write in a wide range of conditions. Below, we break down what each of these features means for the pens that set themselves apart.
Value: Cost vs. Benefit
The amount of money you spend on something like a survival pen shouldn’t blow out your entire budget. Don’t go overspending or overdo it. Budget according to your risk and your needs rather than just spending lavishly.
On the flip side, you don’t want to go too cheap or just plain get the wrong thing. That ‘tactical pen’ that has the compass on the end and screws apart in four places is not what you need and isn’t a great deal at $20. Get the correct tool for the job.
You never want to spend too much money on one resource, especially something like writing utensils. It’s better to diversify your preparedness gear to make sure you are covered for a wide range of scenarios. There is a sweet spot where you get high value with not too high of a price, which is where our top pick sits.
Functionality
A pen is really measured by its ability to put ink on paper (or whatever you’re writing on).
Survival situations don’t always give you dry paper and sunny weather conditions to write, take notes, mark equipment, and tally gear. You need your equipment to rise to the challenge and be able to write on as much stuff in a wide range of conditions.
This is where pressurized cartridges really excel. Our top and upgrade picks both have these ink cartridges that can write at any angle, in a huge range of temperatures, and even underwater.
Our budget pick can’t do all of those tricks, but it can write on a variety of surfaces and the ink is water-resistant.
Durability
Pens are long cylinders, and cylinders are one of the strongest shapes out there. Although most pens share the same shape, there are a few other factors that go into how durable the actual pen casing is:
- Material – Plastic polymers and metal constructions have their pros and cons, but metal is typically the more durable option.
- Thickness – Thicker material prevents bending with metal and cracking with polymer.
The longevity of a pen is related to its cartridge, and also whether it can take refills. While our top pick cannot take refills, it is cheap and light enough to pack spares.
Size & Weight
You do want a pen to be long enough to rest on your hand while you are writing. If you have to just pinch it you can easily get hand fatigue. Luckily, a few of our pics collapse down to an even smaller length when you are not using them and protect the tip as well.
Weight ranged from half an ounce with our top pick to several ounces on the tactical models we tested. Several ounces is unnecessarily heavy for practical EDC use and every ounce matters for mobile survival kits too.
Quality
Rite in the Rain and Fisher both have Chinese knock-off models out there. We didn’t get around to testing those in this review, but it is nice to know that if you go with one of the originals, you are getting something made in the USA and with quality standards. Well-trusted brands, like Rite in the Rain and Fisher, do have exemplary customer service teams, which show through their product support and reviews.
Are Tactical Pens Bullshit?
For the most part, yes. There is no need to combine two separate functions to make something that is worse at both.
In a ‘tactical’ survival pen’s case, they are writing and self-defense/survival. There are much better options for both of these and no reason to make these amalgamations other than to get some more money from mall ninjas.
Metal and overbuilt pens are a different story, which is where our tactical pen suggestion comes into play. It doesn’t have the compass, ferro rod, tungsten striker- or any of the frivolous features ‘tactical survival’ pens tack on. It’s simply a tough metal pen that writes in a huge range of environments but has the grip and strength to be relied on for striking.
Who Needs a Survival Pen?
Survival pens are just regular old pens that happen to write in any weather conditions and are extremely reliable. Everyone can make use of one of those, but they are especially important for survival kits.
Pens are essential for all of these kits:
You can always find a use for a pen, and having extras around that are higher quality and can write anywhere can even make everyday life easier.
How We Review Products: We research thoroughly before selecting the best products to review. We consult experts in the field for a better understanding of what makes the gear great. Hours on end are spent field testing gear in stressful conditions. We assign performance criteria and impartially rate each tested item. After our review process, some of the items reviewed end up in our giveaways.
Sources and References
All of our experience and the testing we do to determine the best survival pen is useless without listing our research sources and references. We leaned on these for the book knowledge that we paired with our hands-on testing and practical military and prepping experience:
de Carvalho, C., et al. (2019). Manuscripts from Different Brands of Ballpoint Pens – GC/MS Ageing Profile in Brazilian Tropical Weather. Current Chromatography. Volume 6. Issue 1. Pages 15-29. (Source)
Krishnakumari, C. (2019). Ballpoint Pen — An Eponymous Invention. Science Reporter. Volume 56. Issue 6. Pages 32-33. (Source)
State v. Umbrello. (1965). Criminal Law – Concealed Weapons – Tear Gas Pen. 106 N.H. 336, 211 A.2d 400. (Source)
The Final Word
A pen might be mightier than a sword when you need to rely on it for survival. Make sure your pen will keep up with you and write when you actually need it to by going with one of our recommendations.
Here are a few other reads our subscribers have also found helpful:
We presented quite a lot of information, but as always: if you have any questions let us know and we would be happy to help. Our research and testing found the Rite in the Rain EDC Pen to be the best option given its value, functionality, durability, profile, and quality.
Keep exploring, stay prepared, and be safe.
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