Personal Protection You Can Take Anywhere
We live in trying times. Plenty of readers may live alone or travel a lot alone. The choices for personal protection can be limited due to laws, physical limitations, and more.
While many states allow for concealed carry of firearms if someone can pass a background check, take a course, pay a fee, purchase a firearm, ect, this does little good for those that are not comfortable with firearms or lack the financial resources to purchase one, take classes, and more.
- Traditional Self Defense Weapons Are Not Allowed At Many Places
Even with a permit you cannot take a firearm everywhere. There are also restrictions on knives when traveling and even where concealed carry of a knife is allowed, there are limits to size.
Pepper sprays and tasers are also very restricted and sometimes they actually backfire on the person wielding them when not used properly. The type of taser that a civilian can buy is different than the ones you might have seen law enforcement carrying. Pepper spray sometimes does little more than make an attacker angry and sprays can easily get in the eyes of the victim with just a small wind.
- Tactical Pens Are Allowed Where Other Things Are Not
Tactical pens offer a reasonable self defense alternative that you can travel with without hassle in most cases. Many of the pens on this list have more than a few uses. While the prospect of stabbing with a pen is anything but pleasant, it is far better to have something useful for defending yourself and not need it than to be caught defenseless.
- You Will Want To Keep Better Track Of Your Pen
If you have a tendency to lose pens a lot then you are going to want to make an effort to change this because tactical pens are far more expensive than the 10 pk of Bics you are used to buying
Considerations When Picking Out A Style That Is Ideal For You
- A Travel Pen Versus A More Functional Model
The extra tools on some pens may cause you trouble when traveling. While a standard tactical pen is a glass breaker and pen tip that can be used for defense, plenty have special features that might get you flagged by airport security and I could even see them confiscating in some cases. Go with a standard model for travel and leave the gadget heavy ones for your bug out bag or work.
- Size
Pens vary in weight, overall length, and diameter. It’s a good idea to check the dimensions of a pen out before purchase. Some pens are quite bulky so those with smaller hands might want to look to the lighter weight and thinner models for comfort, especially if you intend on using the pen as your regular writing instrument.
- Budget
Like any tool, cost can vary a lot. I have tried to include pens in a wide range of prices. When researching this article I came across pens that cost as little as $6 but claimed to be a formidable tactical pen. Maybe these are great but in my own experience I have found that buying the cheapest tool in the store is not a wise decision and the most expensive model can be nice to have but not 100% necessary. The choices you have in the $20-$40 range are pretty nice and come from tried and true companies that have been around for decades.
- Let’s talk specific models
There are a lot of pens out there to choose from but Backdoor Survival has narrowed it down to this list of pens at various price points that offer good value, customer satisfaction, and quality craftsmanship.
UZI-TACPEN2-BK Aircraft Aluminum Defender Tactical Pen with Glassbreaker
This pen is made of aircraft aluminum and takes Standard or Fischer space pen refills. The addition of a glass breaker adds functionality in a survival situation or emergency. This is a stylish looking pen but it certainly doesn’t look like anything most people would more than glance at if they notice it at all in a shirt pocket.
I had to put a Gerber on here because I am a huge fan of their products and quality. For the price you pay they usually go above and beyond. We still have a $50 hatchet with knife in the handle combo that we bought back in 2006 when we are in Alaska.
We have since then butchered thousands of pounds of meat and it is still going strong. This pen is made of machined steel and features a stainless clip to keep your pen secure. A mere push of the button gives you your ball point tip for smooth writing even in the rain.
The Write in the Rain ink cartridge that is included is something you will want to pick up a few extras of. I wish I had access to Write In The Rain technology when I was filling notebooks out in western Washington as a kid!
The Gerber pen is tried and true for using with some types of glove. If a tactical pen cannot be used with some hand protection then you need to consider how good it would be for you. Not everyone lives in a climate that is mild. Exposed hands in the winter could spell trouble.
Boker Plus 09BO097 Tactical Tablet Pen 6 in., Black
When I was a kid I remember being so proud when I traded someone out of a Boker. My dad is an avid knife collector and I ran home to him and showed him that little bone handled three bladed Boker I was so proud of. I think I traded a cheap hawkbill knife from Pakistan for it.
It was the early 90s when I made that trade for a Boker and I was about 8 years old. At the time I was just glad that I had not traded my Betty Boop folder for it.
Fast forward 26 years and Boker appears to still be delivering on their reputation and quality. I like that this pen takes into consideration the needs of the modern user by having a soft stylus point for using with touch screens as well as a ball point ink tip.
The Friendly Swede Tactical Pen
When if comes to functionality, quality, and price, it is more than a standard challenge to find any brand that can compete with the Friendly Swede. While this pen may not look like much to anyone giving it a glance, it is actually one of the most multi purpose tactical pens on this list.
It is hard to show the brilliance of this without a few extra pictures. The pen screwed apart to show the various tools you get.
For under $20 you get a ferro rod fire starter, hex key, whistle, saw, knife, window breaker, capacitive pen, stylus, and bottle opener! There is a lifetime warranty on this tactical knife so you are getting a strong backed guarantee comparable to that of brands that cost many times as much.
VALTCAN Titanium Tactical Pen Aircraft Jet Bullet Design
This is a luxury tactical pen for sure with a titanium body and slick design that might actually make you want to write more or at least whip this out to use as a slick looking stylus. You get the added functionality of a whistle, slotted screwdriver, allen key, bottle opener, pen, and glass breaker.
If you are intending this to be a gift it does come in a nice looking presentation box. There are two refills included with the pen so you don’t have to rush to buy more.
Boker Plus 09BO079 Micarta Tactical Pen
This pen looks more like something a school-age kid would have which means it looks more trendy yet anonymous than some of the sleek military like pens on this list. The textured grip helps the pen offer more comfort during extended writing sessions.
While you may have a hard time imagining yourself writing that much by hand, in a SHTF situation or one where you don’t want to communicate via electronic means due to security concerns, you might find yourself putting a lot more pen to paper than you would ever have thought.
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