One of the greatest advantages you have in any fight or self-defense situation is the element of surprise. Wear a gun on your hip and you are instantly recognized as dangerous. Wear it concealed, and nobody knows you are dangerous but you.
Anything can be a weapon or a tool. Even if you don’t have a weapon, your body can become one. Of course, we surely can’t forget the value of a high-powered, tactical flashlight as a self-defense tool.
This is what law enforcement teaches in their “Run, Hide, Fight” campaign. If someone is attacking you, use what’s in your environment.
But what if something you use on a regular basis was designed to be both a weapon and a tool? That’s where tactical pens come in.
But what makes for the best tactical pen for any occasion? We sat down to make a list. And then we went and chose the one we think is the best. Scroll onward to find out.
Contents
1. The History of the Tactical Pen
A regular pen is usually a simple device. It includes a tube of ink, some sort of shell, a tip with ball bearing and a cap. Sometimes it includes a spring-type concealing mechanism instead of a cap.
Pens have been around since the sixth century BC. And they were originally merely notched feathers. It wasn’t until the 1940s that we received the ballpoint pen.
The ballpoint pen is named due to the precisely ground ball in its tip. Grooves in the ball distribute the inks as the ball rolls on the paper. It’s a uniform and clean method of writing on paper.
Before the advent of the ballpoint pen, you would either use a fountain pen or a steel point pen. The steel point was laborsome as you would dip the tip in ink to write. The fountain pen, if not handled correctly, would make a mess.
The Tactical Pen’s Ancestors
The tactical pen hasn’t always been a pen. In fact, some tactical pens today don’t even write. The origin of the tactical pen can be traced back to two possible sources. The Yawara and later the Kubaton.
Both of these are self-defense weapons. The Yawara is a weapon used primarily in Jujitzu. It’s a small wooden or bone stick about five inches long with either a blunt or pointed end. It’s used to subdue your enemy.
The Kubaton is similar but typically made of steel.
Both of these weapons could be considered the precursor to the tactical pen.
The history of the pen itself is fuzzy. Perhaps someone saw a Kubaton and said, “That looks like a pen!” And proceeded to fortify a ballpoint pen and fashion a weapon.
However the tactical pen came to be, it’s a useful weapon to supplement your primary weapon.
2. Runners Up For the Best Tactical Pen
Before we touch on the best tactical pen this year, we’d like to talk about some runner-ups. The tactical pens out on the market are all fairly useful for combat.
But what makes a really useful tactical pen is its ability to perform several functions. It should be able to write (it is called a pen, mind you). It should be sharp enough to at least inflict pain if need be. And it should be hardy enough to break glass in an emergency water landing.
TuffWriter Operator Series Tactical Pen
If you’re going on a trip to the International Space Station you might want this pen. Not only will it give you a strong bit of metal to help you find pressure points on some poor E.T.’s body, but it uses the Fischer Space Pen cartridge.
The Fischer is the pen astronauts supposedly use. And the TuffWriter can equally write in any orientation with or without gravity.
It can also withstand temperatures from -30 Fahrenheit to 250 Fahrenheit and pressures up to 750 psi.
So, it does write and it writes well.
The cap is fairly tough and will create pressure where pressure is needed. It’s a solid pen. The only downside we could find was the pen clip. It’s held on by two small bolts and this means it could come loose at some point.
Smith & Wesson Tactical Pen With Stylus
Smith & Wesson is known for making guns. But their tactical pen is pretty awesome too.
And they’ve created a pen for the digital age. It includes a nice smooth tablet stylus on one end and a hard pointed steel cap at the other.
Its construction is a lightweight 6061 anodized aluminum and this makes for a super strong and yet lightweight pen.
It writes well even if you couldn’t take it into space. The one downside, as with the TuffWriter, is the clip. Again, only held on by screws and could come loose and get lost easily.
Zero Tolerance 0010TI Titanium Tactical Pen
This is a step up from the already cool Smith & Wesson. The Zero Tolerance is our second best tactical pen for everyday carry.
You want a pen that’s built like a tank. And this one is actually made from titanium instead of aluminum or even steel.
With a titanium pen, you’re pretty much guaranteed to break glass when trapped in a car.
3. The Best Tactical Pen of 2017: The Gerber Impromptu
Gerber makes some of the sharpest knives on the market. And it’s no wonder they make the best tactical pen on the market as well.
Gerber actually interviewed law enforcement to find out what they wanted in a tactical pen. And the Gerber Impromptu is what came of it.
This pen operates like any other push button pen. You click the top and the pen slips out for easy use.
The clip is part of the casing and won’t come off. And just to the side of the pen’s front opening is a sturdy steel tip for either breaking a window or finding a pressure point.
This pen operates in almost any temperature and in almost any weather condition. And it’s certainly the best tactical pen on the market.
If you love this information check out our outdoor gear blogs.
