If you’ve ever scrolled through EDC (every day carry) pens online you’ve seen how intense they can get. Pens with a bolt action, a tactical grip, and/or a titanium body are all over the place. They come in solid brass and gunmetal grey. And, they can easily can cost $50-$60. I’ve seen some for over $100. In my mind that’s just too much for a pen – even if it can write both in outer-space and underwater (two places I personally never expect to need to write anything down).
For most of us, we are predominately going to be using a pen to write with. And having a solid, dependable pen is an integral part of any EDC. I have lost track of the number of times I’ve needed to sign something, or have been asked if I had a pen, and was able to just pull my trusted EDC pen out, take care of business, and be about my day.
But there is also benefit to having a pen that isn’t made out of cheap plastic that is just going to get bent and broken because you knocked it against something. Cheap pens usually don’t write well, at least not for long, and certainly don’t fill any other function.
A pen that can be used to break a car window in a roadside emergency situation could be something worth having if you spend a lot of time on the road, or just like to be prepared.
A pen that has a strong enough body to pry open a lid, drawer, or window could come in handy.
A pen that could function as a self defense weapon in a dark parking garage at night might be something to think about having.
But you don’t have to sacrifice the main function of a pen to also have all that. You also don’t need a pen that looks more like a rifle bullet casing that a writing instrument. And you don’t have to spend an unnecessary amount of money.
For me, there is one pen that meets all my needs. It is an excellent writing utensil (a brand my own father always used). It is a pen with a solid, stainless steel body that will stand up to most any abuse you can throw at it. And, it is a pen that is widely and affordably available.
The pen is the Zebra F-701. I’ve seen this pen come up in many places as a good “budget” EDC pen. In my mind, it meets all my needs at around $7. So why would I cough up $60 for something that looks more like a weapon than a pen?
I want a pen that works well, is reasonably priced, and can double as a security tool without getting me pulled out of line at airport security.
If you don’t have an EDC pen, I highly recommend you start with the Zebra F-701. You may decide you want something fancier or more hardcore. That’s fine. But for me, this will always be the ultimate EDC pen for everyday people.
