Finally, the perfect pen... almost....

[Grant Lamontagne]

I pretty well stick to a Fisher Bullet Pen most of the time at work because it works no matter what- which is exactly what I want a pen to do.

I experimented a while back with one of those Inka pens that transforms from a keychain into a pen in 37 simple moves.  It seemed like a good idea at the time, but given the amount of effort needed to transform it into a writing instrument, well, it was a swing and a miss.

Last week while looking at Mountain Equipment Co-op for something completely different I came across a new Inka pen- the Inka Mobile.



It seems like another possible Home Run, especially as I take a lot of notes at work, but also because I have to snap photos and send emails from my phone, which is more difficult this time of year as it starts to get colder and I really hate taking my gloves off.

So I figured I'd give it a shot.

I can't say I'm thrilled with it, for many of the same reasons I didn't like the original Inka pen- it just isn't convenient to use.  Now I know we are talking First World Problems here- there are people starving in the world and I'm complaining that my pen isn't convenient enough.  I get it, I do, but when looked at it from a First World Perspective, you'll see it too.

In order to use this one you need to twist off one end or the other, and it's usually the wrong end, even when you twist the right end somehow the wrong end twists off at least half the time.  Not the end of teh world, but a pain in the butt for a guy who is trying to just make a simple mark on a piece of paper to keep a tally straight.

Plus, the short barrel is uncomfortable, so you need to have the clip end on to really write properly with it, which means that about 50% of the time you'll have to unclip it and turn it around to use it rather than just twisting it out of the clip and using it.

Overall it's not the end of the world, but it just doesn't get the job done as well as a simple, regular, straightforward pen.  While it may not be an Earth shattering ordeal to use it, I do have to say that it appears that the Inka Mobile is supposed to solve a problem that doesn't really exist.  It fills a need that you don't really have, and it doesn't take long for you to figure that out.

Def

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

A good pen is a tough thing to find alright!

I've settled on a maxpedition one as its smallish, takes fisher refills, and has a fearsome clip! So far I've been really happy with it

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[sawman]

My Fisher Bullet pen is perfect to me 

[Grathr]

I loved my fisher bullet pen, but misplaced it all the time and finally lost it. So I got myself a couple of fisher military cap-o-matic pens instead. Great cheap pen, and for some reason I dont understand, I haven lost any of them yet. 

[Cupboard]

The Uniball Power Tank is an excellent pen, by all accounts it's nearly as good as the Space Pen but a fraction of the cost. I've been carrying one daily for about 2 months now and it's still in decent nick. Not bad for a £3 pen.

[rickboone]

I had an Inka for about 5 minutes.  By the time I could assemble it I'd forget what I had to write.  Also, I'm not big on a bunch of crap on my keys.  If my keys are in the ignition and I need to make a note, what am I to do?   

I carry a pen in my front pocket.   Clipped sometimes, sometimes not.  Clipped, they can come undone or the clips can break off.  I may make a few neck cases next time I break out kydex.  Have the kydex hold it in, put together with tension and see how that goes.  I'm not too keen on putting hot Kydex to form on a resin pen of any worth, but a metal pen...it'd be worth a try.  Or maybe even to use the existing clip as extra security. 

I also have a leather pen case that attaches to my belt that I use sometimes

[jekostas]

I have an Inka pen on my keychain, and I've had one on there for... oh, three years now?  The first one was appropriated by my sister on a holiday visit (she's a diplomat stationed in Austria), the second one the writing portion disappeared mysteriously one day.  Nite Ize replaced it no questions asked, so I cut some of the rubber grip from a cheap dollar store pen to keep the pen from disappearing again.

Grant, have you considered the Fisher Trekker instead?  More expensive, though.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have two Bullets that I have been using for quite some time now and I am quite happy with them, although they are getting quite beat up.  My main one was an old Stylus model that had the hard plastic stylus tip on it that you used to get with Palm Pilots.  That plastic tip is long since gone, the cap is wedged on it in the open position and I have replaced the ink cartridges several times over.  That is a hard pen to beat.

I like the looks of the Trekker- does it snap out or screw out?

Def

[rickboone]

Yes, Trekker!  I have one of these myself.  It snaps.  Very secure.  Also, Zebra... F-701 refills I think?  They will fit too. 

[Gareth]

I have pretty much settled on my good old Parker Jotter.  Not silly money, solid clip, no mucking around with a cap, smooth writing, comfortable, non-smudging ink (especially important as I am a leftie), what more needs said?  The Zebra F-301 Ultra also gets an honourable mention, but is definitely second fiddle to the Parker.

[jekostas]

I love Jotters as well.  I give them as gifts to people on a regular basis.

[jerseydevil]

I have pretty much settled on my good old Parker Jotter.  Not silly money, solid clip, no mucking around with a cap, smooth writing, comfortable, non-smudging ink (especially important as I am a leftie), what more needs said?  The Zebra F-301 Ultra also gets an honourable mention, but is definitely second fiddle to the Parker.

+1 to the Jotter for exactly the same reasons, including lefty-friendly ink.    The Jotter has been my EDC pen for years now. 

[ducttapetech]

The jotters are sweet pens. The Parker Frontier is even better. But that is me.

sent from Nate's mobile

[Fattsgalore]

My Midnite Manager is my go to pen. It's always there. If not, I grab whatever. It's just a pen.

Don't care for Fisher Space pens, funny how they are marketed as write anywhere yet I've had half a dozen incidents where it didn't. Won't write on freezer bags, moist skin, etc. Cheap Bic's out wrote the Space pen and I say that with no exaggeration...

[abd1959]

I carry a Zebra F-701 with the space pen ink mod. I have not had any problems with the Fisher ink. I like the F-701 because it is mostly stainless steel and has some weight to it. 

[pfrsantos]

I have pretty much settled on my good old Parker Jotter.  Not silly money, solid clip, no mucking around with a cap, smooth writing, comfortable, non-smudging ink (especially important as I am a leftie), what more needs said?  The Zebra F-301 Ultra also gets an honourable mention, but is definitely second fiddle to the Parker.

Got one with me all the time and now I also have my Signature Lite. I've used it a lot to sign invoices for received material. Works like a charm!