Late last year you might have seen this one, but the EDCpen graced Kickstarter and successfully funded. The project didn't reach backing heights of some of the other pen campaigns, but I'm just going to say first thing, this thing is rugged and awesome. My thoughts are that the pen didn't receive as much publicity or fanfare during the campaign, but this is definitely one to give another look.
Kris from EDCpen graciously sent me one of his new titanium editions to review and I'm really excited to provide my thoughts on it. Not to completely give away the tone of the review, but I'm pretty blown away by this one.
The purpose behind the pen, in my opinion, is best described by EDC on their site:
The EDCpen is the ultimate minimalist and robust everyday carry pen. It has an overall length of just 4 inches with a 0.5 inch diameter. The EDCpen contains no unnecessary parts. It does not have a clicky mechanism to seize up or break, and does not have a clip that will catch on your pocket or inside your bag.
As I mentioned above, this thing is rugged and built to be used in the toughest of conditions.
The pen cap comes in two varieties: a bullet style, solid cap and a "looped" version that has had some of the cap machined away to create a hole to run a tether, rope, key ring, or carabiner through. As the pen does not have a clip of any kind, I'd say the looped version would be my preference to hook to a bag or belt clip for storage. There is an o-ring just below the threads on the barrel that creates some tension when the cap is securely closed.
The cap does not post which also makes the looped version a bit more practical as the cap would be hooked to something while you're writing so it won't get lost. If wanting to throw the pen in a bag or pocket, the bullet cap would work great though.
Looped cap with included tether
Kris ended up sending me both caps and from an aesthetic standpoint I like the looped version better as it adds some variation to the barrel.
When uncapped, the EDC is a bit short, but honestly I don't find it to be an issue with this particular pen. While writing the end of the pen still hits the fleshy part of my hand. The design of this pen seems to be geared around durability and use in harsh conditions (although not necessarily something the average person will face day to day), but for quick notes and short writing stints it was fine. I probably wouldn't be sitting down to write a discourse with this pen though, but as a highly utilitarian pen this thing is killer. The only refill compatible with the EDCpen is the pressurized Fisher Space Pen and is the ideal choice.
The refill is held in the barrel by a set screw placed in the end of the pen. A flat head screwdriver would be required to take the refill out for replacement. With the Fisher refills having a projected writing length of 15,000 feet, you likely won't be swapping refills all the time anyway but make sure to have a tool handy when the time comes.
It's going to sound odd I'm sure, but this pen has a presence not found in many others. When you see and handle it, this thing just stands out as not only a functional piece, but something cool to have. Like a really nice pocket knife or flashlight, you feel like its an important part of your "stuff" you need to get things done with. Honestly, one thing I like about this pen and Kris' company in general is that the production of it and marketing doesn't have all the hoopla if that makes sense. The whole project seems very home grown and isn't all over the "super tactical" marketing side of things. I'm sure Kris has taken some inspiration from other pens, but what he has created is something worth using and investing in. He has built these pens to last forever and I have no doubt they will.
One concern I did have upon seeing the pen was how the threads would impact the writing experience. They are some pretty big and sharp looking threads, but the grip section is actually long enough to accommodate what many people would consider to be a "normal" finger position of the thumb, index, and middle finger in a triangle around the grip. I write with this pen and my fingers don't even touch the threads. Also, they look sharper than they really are as they are quite dull.
A unique design choice was to include four machined channels around the tip and tail of the pen. As much as these add to the cool, industrial look of the pen, they do serve a purpose. They act as grip when opening and closing the pens and I could see them particularly helpful while wearing gloves in conditions that might make a completely smooth barrel tough to hold onto.
Oh, and the pen comes in a nifty plastic tube as seen below:
Overall, I think this pen rocks. Seriously. As I said above, I was excited to give my thoughts on the EDC and will be spreading the word about it whenever I can. I think Kris did an amazing job on this one, so make sure to check out his selection of aluminum, brass, steel, and titanium EDC pens.
Thanks again, Kris, and great work.