The Best Tactical Pens To Carry Everyday

When it comes to everyday carry, we are firm believers that there are a few essential pieces of gear every single person should carry. Typically, that includes some kind of folding knife, a solid watch, a wallet or money clip of some sort, and a pen. There are certainly other tools that can be included, like multi-tools or a pocket notebook, but those four items are what we believe to be the core gear types.

It’s important to note, however, that those four pieces of gear do not strictly have to adhere to one single function. In fact, if you want the most out of your EDC loadout, you should pick up stuff that can function outside of its primary design. One such example is that of tactical pens. First and foremost, they are designed to write stuff down, but they’re also built with a secondary purpose: self-defense. And while we hope nobody ever has to use them for that purpose, we also know we’d rather have the option than not. With that in mind, we put together the following list of the best tactical pens for everyday carry.

What Exactly Is A Tactical Pen?

As the name suggests, a tactical pen is exactly that, a pen designed for tactical use. More specifically, this means that the pen is shaped in such a way that it can be used as a handheld striking weapon, with one or both ends coming to a focused point. Additionally, these pens are also crafted fro constructions that can handle the rigors of hand-to-hand combat. They also tend to feature knurling or jimping to help bolster grip. While practically every tactical pen features a striking point and an ink cartridge, some tactical pens afford additional utility through the presence of other onboard amenities such as built-in flashlights or pry bars. 

Now that you’re up to speed on exactly what a tactical pen is, let’s explore the most crucial areas to consider when shopping for one. 

Materials: The materials used to construct a tactical pen will play a pivotal role in determining its overall quality and durability. Thee constructions vary from everything from composites like carbon fiber and polymer to brass, aluminum, titanium, or any number of other alloys. 

Deployment: This area refers to how a pen’s ink cartridge is deployed. These typically consist of twist-cap, push-button, or bolt-action deployment mechanisms, though some tactical pens utilize traditional push-on or twist-off caps, as well. 

Defensive Features: One of the biggest factors that separate regular EDC pens from those of the tactical variety is the latter’s integrated striking weapon elements. Typically coming to a point to better focus and amplify the force of a strike, these elements look similar to Kubatons. 

Size: Unlike EDC pens that can hugely vary in size, tactical pens need to be large enough to afford their carrier solid grip when used as a striking weapon. As such, these pens tend to only range from medium to full-length — though the former is more compact and thus more conducive to EDC duties. 

Additional Utility: Alongside the ability to serve as a striking weapon and a writing instrument, some tactical pens also come loaded with other features or functions such as built-in flashlights, laser pointers, bottle openers, pry-bars, and other tools. 

Cartridge & Refills: Different pens will be compatible with different types and brands of ink refills. This area will determine how easy it is to find refills for your pen, though the reality is that it’s pretty darn easy to get your hands on just about any type of refill these days. 

The Best Tactical Pens To Carry Everyday

Cold Steel Pocket Shark

Best Felt-Tip Tactical Pen: First and foremost, it’s important to point out that Cold Steel’s Pocket Shark is not a ballpoint pen. Rather, it houses a felt tip — like a Sharpie — which means it’s not going to be for everyone. That being said, the fact that its body is made from high-impact polymer makes it a lightweight and ultra-durable writing instrument that doubles as a self-defense tool. That paired with its low cost makes it an easy inclusion here against more traditional ballpoint offerings.

Smith and Wesson SWPENMP2BK Tactical Pen

Best Affordable Tactical Pen: At first glance, it might seem like a firearm manufacturer producing a writing utensil seems a bit off. That is until you realize that Smith and Wesson’s design language pairs perfectly into the tactical pen you see here. Built from aerospace-grade anodized aluminum and featuring a grippy design, this pen fits perfectly in the hand and it’s tough enough to weather intense impacts. Compatible with Schmidt and Parker-style refills, this writer is perfect whether you need to scrawl down a phone number or fend off an attacker.

CRKT Williams Tactical Pen 2

Best Discreet Tactical Pen: CRKT’s Williams Tactical Pen was a huge hit amongst both the everyday carry and tactical communities. But that wasn’t good enough for James Williams, the pen’s creator, who took it to task and redesigned it to be even better. Made to be subtle but pack a punch, this pen is compatible with the legendary Fisher Space Pen pressurized refills — meaning it can write underwater, upside-down, or in zero gravity — and it’s tough enough to use in self-defense but doesn’t look overly aggressive in the process.

Hinderer Knives Spiral Investigator Pen

Best EDC Nerd Pick: It’s well known in the EDC community that Rick Hinderer knows his way around a knife, as he’s designed some of the best ever to have existed. Turns out he’s also adept at creating tactical writing instruments, as can be seen in the Spiral Investigator. Featuring a stainless steel construction and a unique, machined body that’s both handsome and grippy, this science fiction-esque scribe’s tool comes with a Fisher ink cartridge, was made here in the USA, and will never let you down.

NITECORE NTP10 Tactical Pen

Best Compact Tactical Pen: One of the most uniquely designed offerings we’ve come across, the Nitecore NTP10 Tactical Pen benefits from a sturdy and lightweight titanium construction, a unique hollowed body, a screw-on cap, and a tungsten tip. What’s especially handy about that last bit is the fact that it works great if you need it for self-defense but it can also help out in emergencies — like breaking a glass window if you find yourself trapped in a car. Mate all of that together and you’ve got yourself a pen that’s much greater than the sum of its parts.

Gerber Impromptu Tactical Pen

Most Rugged Tactical Pen: To some, the Gerber Impromptu Tactical Pen is the best there is for a number of reasons — including its durability, versatility, and relatively low price. If anything, it’s certainly an offering with some of the greatest longevity, as it’s been favored by EDC enthusiasts and tacticians for literal years with zero design changes. Rugged, reliable, and iconic — this tactical writing utensil is one of our all-time favorites.

Tuff Writer Operator Tactical Pen

Best Striking Pen: Striking the perfect balance between durability, functionality, and styling — Tuff Writer’s Operator series of tactical pens are great options for anyone who wants to make sure that their EDC looks as good as it works. Available in any of six anodized finishes, these aerospace-grade aluminum pens boast a threaded cap, reliable knurled machined grip, pocket clip, easy-change cartridge, and a matte finish.

CountyComm Brass Embassy Pen Rev 3

Best Heirloom-Grade Pen: CountyComm actually makes their gear specifically for government agencies. Luckily, however, they’re allowed to sell excess inventory to those of us who don’t work for the government — which means their Embassy Pen REV 3 is up for grabs to the general public. Made in the USA from beautiful and durable brass, this screw-top pen is tough as nails, has a superb knurled grip (so it’ll never slip from your grasp), and comes with a Fisher Space Pen refill. It’s a bit hefty at four ounces but it’s worth it if you ask us.

Boker Plus K.I.D. cal .50 Titan

Best Bolt-Action Tactical Pen: If you want to get your hands on a pen that looks as tough as it is, then the Boker Plus K.I.D. cal .50 Titan is the tactical pen for you. This thing is a massive handful of ultra-durable titanium that will stand up to the toughest punishment you could possibly dish out. It also boasts a handy and reliable bolt-action deployment system and still weighs just 1.6 ounces in total, so it’s easy to carry around with the rest of your EDC loadout.

SureFire EWP 04

Best Tactical Click Pen: SureFire is known for making some really impressive tactical and everyday carry flashlights. And flashlights have a format that’s just a hop, skip, and a jump from pens — so the transition was very easy for the brand. Finished with a mil-spec coating, this aerospace-grade aluminum writing utensil, which features a Schmidt cartridge, is a bit more ergonomic than their flashlights, as is necessary to scribble stuff down. But it’s also super-tough for self-defense applications.

The Best Self-Defense Keychains for Everyday Carry

Want to check out a few more discreet EDC-friendly self-defense options? Then be sure to head over to our guide to the best self-defense keychains for a curated list of compact yet effective defense tools.