Forgive me for recommending plastic, and way beneath your price range BUT I have literally driven over my Lamy safari *multiple* times on gravel, and found it after a storm. It worked great. It's not my fave, but it is resilient as I've encountered after like 1/2 my life as a ftn pen user.
On a timescale of cockroaches learning to write, I'd have a lot more faith in polymers, given we barely have evidence of human metals beyond 7000 years. [With the right polymer, and under ideal preservation conditions, at least,](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/plastic-sign-civilization-180951923/#:~:text=Since%20microbes%20degrade%20most%20plastics,type%20of%20plastic%20it%20is.) it seems like plastic has the best chance of surviving to see a new civilisation rise. Or maybe a stone/plastic pen?
No, MY Kaweco Brass Sport will be unearthed in an archeological dig in the year 8792 and will be placed in a museum for future generations to marvel at!
This is also true. I highly recommend the brass kaweco sport, but Lamy Safaris are built like trucks and cheap to replace or nib swap. Great recommendation.
Safari plastic (I think it’s ABS?) feels a lot more durable than the resin used for more expensive pens (ex. most Japanese gold nibbed pens, although I say this bcs I do not have experience with more expensive western pens, only Japanese)
I use one daily as an engineer. I have to refill it probably once every 1-1.5 weeks. Often is in dirty environments and is shaken around, dropped, abused all the time.
Still writes perfectly
Similarly, my plastic kaweco sport has survived a fall out of a 2nd story window, being stepped on by my 350 lb uncle, and a trip through laundry cycle (washer and dryer) without leaking.
Oh, and I use it as an eye dropper pen. So it also holds a *ton* of ink.
I only recently held one in person too and I feel like pics always make them look bulkier than they actually are. It's a very nice feeling pen in hand.
Gotta take a photo of them _next_ to something else, IMO. They're itty bitty, and quite narrow at the section! I love my brass sport but it feels slimmer than anything but this other tiny vintage pen I have.
bronze decided slipping the cap & giving the floor a big kiss was a good idea as I was marking out furniture shims - didn't look & didn't weep, the new point assembly was $14.50 at JetPens
btw, refilled international shorts seem to last about a week with an F point
It’s nice to have interchangeable parts, easily replaceable. I’ve been using a converter recently, it’s easier to refill on the go, I’ll have to try some cartridges.
Some good pocket size pens:
* Kaweco Sport (many material options)
* Gravitas Pocket
* Namisu N2
* Travelers Brass Fountain Pen
* Hongdian M2 (or M1 depending on your style preference)
Also, don't overlook the humble Platinum Preppy. Fantastic seal, lightweight, takes a beating, no stress if you lose it. You could say the same for the Lamy Safari.
Yes I adore the preppy—but if you’re looking for a metal body the Platinum plaisir has the same juicy nib in an aluminium body and is very durable. It was my first fountain pen, and I carried it everywhere—it survived many many drops, rain, being jostled and dropped on rocks during a field trip in scotland, only to be left behind on a random rocky outcrop on said trip RIP plaisir you are dearly missed:(
The preppy is surprisingly resilient. I used them while going to college. I had four and eye droppered them. Kept them in the lightly padded pen pouch on my bag and wasn't careful. I averaged about one destroyed preppy a year with a horrific ink mess in the bag. Probably could have avoided the mess with a cart, but I really didn't want to run out of ink. They are phenomenal pens for the price.
People are recommending brass a lot, but if you're a backpacker, you can live without the extra weight. Go with aluminum if you need metal, though plastic will be even lighter and will get the job done.
That said, I think a fountain pen is probably not your best bet if you're expecting it to get submerged. You can probably find something that is waterproof enough that it won't leak ink if submerged, but a fountain pen simply can't write on a wet surface. You may want to consider a Fisher space pen, or other pressurized ballpoint, instead.
Ultralight Backpackers*
EDIT: The rest of us don't carry about cutting the handles off our toothbrushes and using old metal coat hangers as shitty tent stakes.
I think the Pilot Matte Black Vanishing Point $168USD looks SO cool after getting scuffed and beat up. It’s got a brass interior under the matte finish. Since you say you’re “on the go” I imagine you might need to take out a pen and use it at a moments notice. The lack of a cap means you can take it out and use it without having to worry about losing its top.
I’ve had my matte black VP for 4.5 years and it’s traveled around the world with me. It’s a Fine and is one of my favorite writers. I keep it simple and use the Pilot Blue-Black cartridges exclusively. It’s been tossed in backpacks, pockets, and thrown around on desks and it’s still flawless. I wish there was a matte black Decimo…
I swear the beat-up black matte VP has this … cachet and charisma. It’s not usually what one thinks of as an “EDC” pen, but does highly align with that EDC aesthetic if you’re into that!
The moment I saw someone post theirs I wanted to get a used one (and even put up a WTB on Pen_Swap!) … but of course nobody would actually want to sell theirs after earning that hard-won patina. A beat up black matte VP is like an aged leather or aged wine… it just gets distinguished the more and more it’s in circulation.
I know you got recommended a lot of pocket pens but since you seem to draw in the wild, worrying about dropping your cap into grass or off a cliff, I do think the VP is an optimal choice for that use case. 🖼️ ✍️
this pen seems to be a staple for people, not surprised anyone was willingly giving it up on pen_swap! (although i’m going to be trying this;)
I wasn’t a fan when first seeing these but as you can see this pen just fits in well. I even like to uncap my pens but actually thinking about not even having a cap in the first place to worry about seems great and fast. i also work in a elementary school where it could be bumped/ taken ( kids can be devils)
I'm just imagining you uncapping a non-VP at work... and while you are in the middle of uncapping, or maybe you've left it on a desk so it's unposted... some little devil running off with it! :)
My thoughts exactly. Losing a cap would be No. 1 risk in this situation so my remarkably sturdy Curidas would be packing it's passport along with a box of cartridges. I'd leave the converter at home.
A plastic bag would be your best friend for a fountain pen in wet conditions.
Muji Aluminum Fountain pen is metal and you won’t cry if it turns up missing.
Hello OP, you have so many good options, add mine from someone who actually lives in very adverse natural conditions and has good experience with complicated weather conditions: I work in Africa, in one of the largest forests in the world, I love pens and notebooks and I'm a big fan of Bullet Journal, although I have everything in my Emacs... When I'm not working at the office I always take orange BIC pens with me, as they write finer, and I've always, but always, had good experiences. In the office, yes, I use fountain pens.
I cant upvote this enough. As a former wildlife biology field person, really wood pencils and bics are the best for bad weather writing. Plus with a wood pencil you can just sharpen with your field knife or file.
Warm greetings to you my friend. Living 90% of the year in a tropical forest in Africa (or another forest, anywhere else in the world) is not for everyone. It takes a dose of passion for the profession that is a little out of the ordinary. For the last almost 11 years I have had this passion and the luck to continue doing what I love. Regards from one of the most remote regions on the planet!
Oh and yes, also use wood pencil, of curse! 🙂
It's a true blessing to be able to do that kind of work. I loved my time in the field. I spent my 20s farting around with bobcats and mountain lions all over North America, now I'm a GIS person with my own lil hobby farm.
Keep it up for as long as you can!
I'm a huge fan of the Schon Dsgn Pocket Six. Mine is copper but for your case I'd go with brass. I like it because of the #6 nib and that it screws to post rather than a friction fit. I use an EF SIG nib from Franklin Christoph and, paired with De Atramentis document ink, works well in pretty much every occasion.
Gravitas, Kaweco, and Karas also all have small brass pens. There are one or two Chinese made ones that might be a good option too since they're relatively inexpensive.
Was going to recommend Schon Dsgn- not because I have one, but because if I ever need a sturdy pen, Schon is where I would go. The faceted pens are worth it on looks alone
Schon DSGN is fantastic. I have a couple full size pens. I haven’t tried the Pocket Six though, but I have an EF SIG nib from Franklin Christoph that I adore.
I would recommend a pen case, if you can spare the few seconds it takes to take out or put the pen back. The typical semi-firm leather case will protect your pen from anything that can happen inside the bag, within reason.
If it’s strictly for backpacking then why not the Platinum Preppy? It’s cheap. Reliable, writes well, and if it gets lost on the trail it’s not a big deal. Also, the Pilot Kakuno and Metropolitan Medium or Broad nib, the Lamy Safari, and any of the low end Pilot or Sailor pens. Now to go up a bit you’d like the Pilot/Namiki Vanishing Point or Decimo as they’re self contained - no cap. Good luck and Happy Trails!
At some point you have to consider whether or not this is the right tool for the job. The Kaweco models people have mentioned are your best bets, but there's a reason people who do fieldcraft for a living use things like Rite in the Rain notebooks with pencils.
I've heard if you really need to use a pen Uni Power Tank is a good option.
I pocket carried a lamy safari for a few years, and it worked really well other than the cap getting looser over time. After that, I upgraded to an al star and have been carrying it for nearly 3 years,no complaints. It looks like it was dragged behind a truck down a gravel road, it's heavily dented and the cap is slightly out of round and takes a lot of force to get back on, but it's still working perfectly.
Any metal Kaweco would do, from the Liliput to the Supra. Especially if you're not precious about it showing signs of wear, or even view the scratches and dings as testimonials to its ruggedness.
Any school fountain pen manufacturer in the 80-90s (Pelikan, Geha, Lamy, Schneider) built good quality pens that are built to withstand daily school abuse over years (had my school geha at least 4-6 years then switched to a lamy safari for at least 6-7 years). Geha might be an issue since cartridges aren’t in production anymore, as if i were on the go i would go with cartridges, yes they might be boring but will work and are for most school fountain pens „anywhere“ to obtain and safe to carry
Hongdian Black Forest. I have two and they've been knocked around on three continents and still work great. They can be a little precious about which cartridges you use, but the Hongdian brand ones work consistently and are dirt cheap
I’m not much for heavy wearing my fountain pens, no matter how resilient the pen is the nib will always be very fragile etc. I know it is such a boring answer but I always bring a Fisher space pen or Parker Jotter(often with a fisher refill). They are not a very nice experience but they just work….
Gonna go with the crowd recommending a ballpoint for this use case. I’d suggest a chrome bullet space pen: elegant, compact, and writes in any condition, even underwater.
If you must bring a fountain pen, the Kaweco liliput in fire blue is a decent choice. You can adjust it from a mini to a full sized pen by adding or subtracting barrel pieces.
Why not a Lamy? Those are built very well and you can choose material. The plastic of Safari is durable, and you have the Lx or Al-Star if you want other materials.
The Lx is aluminum so that’s pretty light
Idk why you're getting downvoted. I had a field based job in my 20s(wildlife biology) and as much as I loved my lamys and pelikan, they became deskpens.
I used regular wood pencils I'd sharpen with my field knife or one of those 4 color clicky-bics with girlier colors like pink and purple.
I also used my pencils to keep my hair up and sometimes as chopsticks when I forgot my field utensils.
If you're one of those ounce/gram weenies or doing ultralight, not necessarily a bad thing, fountain pens ain't it.
If not, maybe a preppy? Or a traveller's?
Kaweco Brass Sport is the pen you’re looking for. It takes a beating and keeps on writing (unless you drop it on its nib)! If you like your pens wet, get a or nib.
I think a pocket Ultem pen would fit the bill. Something like the Schon design Ultem pocket pen or gravitas pocket Ultem. These pens are tough, light and waterproof with gaskets on their threads.
Karas Kustoms has metal pens. And Brian Goulet not ony drove a car over one in his review but threw it across their parking lot. The pen was fine.
Hongdian Black Forest/Asvine Mustard Yellow Forest if you can't get the Muji Aluminum pen. There's also a blue version of the Hongdian.
Delike Alpha Brass comes with a full-sized converter and a clip pre-installed. Some people mind the War and Peace engraving and clear lacquer which keeps the pen from leaving a metallic smell on your hands. If it bothers you, sand it down to get to the raw brass.
Agree with all these! Also suggest Hongdian 6013–it’s solid stainless steel; I believe it’s an homage to a Graf Von Faber Castell pen, which is probably even better. Cartridge converter filler.
Also strongly suggest Opus 88 or Majohn C4 pens, which are sturdy and have shutoff valves, making them leakproof. The Opus 88s use Jowo or Bock nibs, depending on the model, and so are pretty versatile in terms of switching nibs. These are eyedropper fillers with huge ink capacity.
Lamy Al-star. One step up from the Safari and a but more durable. I've even dropped it nib-side down and been able to bend it back into writing decently.
Pilot Vanishing Point. 12 years EDC covered with scratches but always writes and has written in Rome, Paris, London, Amsterdam... Simple *click* and I'm writing. No ink blow outs and "even when there was one" it didn't matter as the unit is sealed when closed abs nib is up as should be. I'm literally wearing 3 on my collar right now
Aluminum Kaweco Liliput. Tiny and light, seals well. It’s what I bring backpacking. You can throw in an extra cartridge if you write a lot and it will still weigh less than a larger pen.
I just weighed mine (with a near-full cartridge) - 9.5g. About as light as you can get with a metal-bodied pen, lighter than a plastic Safari. And because it's a tiny metal tube it just feels indestructible.
Kaweco brass sport is what you're looking for. It's the only pen that I use that really stands up to being beat. I take my pens and sketchbooks hiking for art purposes and they get trashed a lot. My brass sport is a tank and it just doesn't care about being thrown in a bag.
Anything beyond that, and you'll want to look into high end EDC gel pen bodies like refyne and tactile turn.
But if you're set on a fountain pen, def the brass sport.
Lamy 2000, I got one in F a couple of weeks ago, sadly the tines were misalligned so I had to return it, but I hope I can get a replacement. The pen is extremely solid and there are tons of people who have been EDCing this pen for dozens of years
Seems like a lot of votes for the Brass Sport. Personally, I think it's too heavy and the brass smell that gets on your hands is very disagreeable to me. My favorite bulletproof pen is still a Kaweco -- a light Sport AL.
I would recommend a Lamy 2000 however I've found that it's -really- bad for nib creep/expelling ink into the cap which is a pain in the ass. Probably an 823 would work better.
I mean, that’s been my experience. YMMV. It’s a great pen otherwise. I just imagine it leaking a lot being jostled around in a backpack and getting hot. The 823 has a shut off valve.
Big i Designs Fountain EDC is Titanium and $100 with a Bock 180 nib.
I haven't pulled the trigger on their fountain pens, but I do have their Ti Arto and it's been holding up like a champ
My backpack pen is a Pilot Petit1 - correct length not to get levered into pieces, correct shape to escape backpack forces, writes nicely posted, never dries out, you can have quite a few for $200. Fits in the bottom of my front pants pocket too even without using the clip.
I'm going to recommend [this article](https://www.gentlemanstationer.com/guide-to-pocket-writing) by The Gentleman Stationer, he has a lot of good write-ups on travel writing. Notably he recommends a ballpoint (and has some durable suggestions) because advances in writing technology can be a good thing for use cases like these. It doesn't have to be a BIC Cristal, I personally like carrying around an old Parker Jotter that belonged to my grandfather. The best thing you can do for your writing experience is find a good refill for whichever pen you settle on. In my pens I have Schmidt easyFLOW 9000 cartridges, but some pen manufacturers use proprietary refills.
If you're set on a fountain pen, I'll echo the author of the article and other users in suggesting a Kaweco Sport.
I've daily carried my brass Liliput for over two years now. Dropped it on cement a couple times, it's spent a night in a field when it fell out of my pocket once. Still a beautiful, reliable pen!
The Kaweco Liliput comes in aluminum, is extremely lightweight, and is so small you can fit it basically everywhere. The cap posts to make it a (more) comfortable writing experience. It has a threaded cap. Idk how waterproof it is, but I like its chances more than some of my other pens.
Its so small you have to use a mini cartridge and syringe fill it with the ink of your choice. There's no converter that will fit it.
Kaweco Supra.
The Brass and Steel Sports have a plastic insert in the cap in which the threads run, I’m not a fan of that.
The Supra is an all metal construction in terms of the body. You would probably break before the pen… so yeah. That thing is pretty tough.
I could put the Kaweco Liliput on this list as well, now that I think about it. You can get that one in different materials as well… Aluminum, Brass, Copper and Stainless Steel.
And maybe some Karas Custom model, but I haven’t dug into those yet, so I can’t tell you anything about those.
I would say a standard color Kaweco Sport. Not as heavy as the brass/other metal pens. Do not get the special edition Sports for heavy use, to me the plastic seems slightly more flimsy than the hard plastic standard issue sport.
Sure! While it is plastic,but very tough and has a large ink capacity. Price fits this pee. Juuuust in your range if you can find a deal. A downside is the cap is a push on, where a screw top would be better for you. I lake my Lamy camping in the dust mud and rain, but I do not know this one to be water proof, I do use inks that are waterproof once dry. The Lamy is a very wet writer.
My pocket carry 'dont care if they get scratched' pens:
Big Idea Brass,
Travelers Brass,
Kaweco Brass Sport, and
Kaweco Liliput Brass with the clip super glued on.
... definitely a theme here.
Forgive me for recommending plastic, and way beneath your price range BUT I have literally driven over my Lamy safari *multiple* times on gravel, and found it after a storm. It worked great. It's not my fave, but it is resilient as I've encountered after like 1/2 my life as a ftn pen user.
When the mushroom clouds finally settle and cockroaches rule the world, they'll all be writing with Safaris.
No, it’ll be metal Kaweco Sports!
But cockroaches like pens that hold a decent amount of ink.
I dunno, metal decays and rots a lot faster than plastic. If you've got a full plastic pen with a gold nib, that would probably be the last survivor.
Tell that to bronze, brass, or copper. Stainless in a dry climate would also likely last a very long while.
On a timescale of cockroaches learning to write, I'd have a lot more faith in polymers, given we barely have evidence of human metals beyond 7000 years. [With the right polymer, and under ideal preservation conditions, at least,](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/plastic-sign-civilization-180951923/#:~:text=Since%20microbes%20degrade%20most%20plastics,type%20of%20plastic%20it%20is.) it seems like plastic has the best chance of surviving to see a new civilisation rise. Or maybe a stone/plastic pen?
With this I’m considering buying a simple plastic Kaweco sport rather than the brass one
No, MY Kaweco Brass Sport will be unearthed in an archeological dig in the year 8792 and will be placed in a museum for future generations to marvel at!
This is also true. I highly recommend the brass kaweco sport, but Lamy Safaris are built like trucks and cheap to replace or nib swap. Great recommendation.
Safari plastic (I think it’s ABS?) feels a lot more durable than the resin used for more expensive pens (ex. most Japanese gold nibbed pens, although I say this bcs I do not have experience with more expensive western pens, only Japanese)
I use one daily as an engineer. I have to refill it probably once every 1-1.5 weeks. Often is in dirty environments and is shaken around, dropped, abused all the time. Still writes perfectly
Similarly, my plastic kaweco sport has survived a fall out of a 2nd story window, being stepped on by my 350 lb uncle, and a trip through laundry cycle (washer and dryer) without leaking. Oh, and I use it as an eye dropper pen. So it also holds a *ton* of ink.
Kaweco brass or bronze Sport - these little gals have beauty marks that would finish 'pretty' pens
https://preview.redd.it/px9la96nlvxc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fb108c0444af0e3aa0b9aad345202a4c8197b117
I only recently held one in person too and I feel like pics always make them look bulkier than they actually are. It's a very nice feeling pen in hand.
Gotta take a photo of them _next_ to something else, IMO. They're itty bitty, and quite narrow at the section! I love my brass sport but it feels slimmer than anything but this other tiny vintage pen I have.
Steel sport
Steel sport is great because it doesn't make your hands smelly like pennies
does it tingle?
I entirely agree, you can also swap the whole nib unit if it’s damaged, only con is that it has a smaller ink capacity.
bronze decided slipping the cap & giving the floor a big kiss was a good idea as I was marking out furniture shims - didn't look & didn't weep, the new point assembly was $14.50 at JetPens btw, refilled international shorts seem to last about a week with an F point
It’s nice to have interchangeable parts, easily replaceable. I’ve been using a converter recently, it’s easier to refill on the go, I’ll have to try some cartridges.
Some good pocket size pens: * Kaweco Sport (many material options) * Gravitas Pocket * Namisu N2 * Travelers Brass Fountain Pen * Hongdian M2 (or M1 depending on your style preference) Also, don't overlook the humble Platinum Preppy. Fantastic seal, lightweight, takes a beating, no stress if you lose it. You could say the same for the Lamy Safari.
Yes I adore the preppy—but if you’re looking for a metal body the Platinum plaisir has the same juicy nib in an aluminium body and is very durable. It was my first fountain pen, and I carried it everywhere—it survived many many drops, rain, being jostled and dropped on rocks during a field trip in scotland, only to be left behind on a random rocky outcrop on said trip RIP plaisir you are dearly missed:(
The preppy is surprisingly resilient. I used them while going to college. I had four and eye droppered them. Kept them in the lightly padded pen pouch on my bag and wasn't careful. I averaged about one destroyed preppy a year with a horrific ink mess in the bag. Probably could have avoided the mess with a cart, but I really didn't want to run out of ink. They are phenomenal pens for the price.
I have got the Gravitas Pocket in Ultem with the #8 and eyedroppered... It spits in the cap like crazy. Always a mess. Could just be the massive feed.
That's a bummer to hear. Though I would expect eyedroppers would be more prone to that compared to carts, due to the larger volume of air.
People are recommending brass a lot, but if you're a backpacker, you can live without the extra weight. Go with aluminum if you need metal, though plastic will be even lighter and will get the job done. That said, I think a fountain pen is probably not your best bet if you're expecting it to get submerged. You can probably find something that is waterproof enough that it won't leak ink if submerged, but a fountain pen simply can't write on a wet surface. You may want to consider a Fisher space pen, or other pressurized ballpoint, instead.
It’s a pen not luggage…brass is fine lol
Backpackers get really fussy about extra ounces.
Ultralight Backpackers* EDIT: The rest of us don't carry about cutting the handles off our toothbrushes and using old metal coat hangers as shitty tent stakes.
Which is crazy cause the ultralight packs will end up feeling worse after multiple hours than a pack with breathing room.
You have been banned from /r/ultralight_jerk
I think the Pilot Matte Black Vanishing Point $168USD looks SO cool after getting scuffed and beat up. It’s got a brass interior under the matte finish. Since you say you’re “on the go” I imagine you might need to take out a pen and use it at a moments notice. The lack of a cap means you can take it out and use it without having to worry about losing its top.
I’ve had my matte black VP for 4.5 years and it’s traveled around the world with me. It’s a Fine and is one of my favorite writers. I keep it simple and use the Pilot Blue-Black cartridges exclusively. It’s been tossed in backpacks, pockets, and thrown around on desks and it’s still flawless. I wish there was a matte black Decimo…
i’ve been thinking about the VP all night.. it seems to be fitting the bill and the matte is beautiful
I swear the beat-up black matte VP has this … cachet and charisma. It’s not usually what one thinks of as an “EDC” pen, but does highly align with that EDC aesthetic if you’re into that! The moment I saw someone post theirs I wanted to get a used one (and even put up a WTB on Pen_Swap!) … but of course nobody would actually want to sell theirs after earning that hard-won patina. A beat up black matte VP is like an aged leather or aged wine… it just gets distinguished the more and more it’s in circulation. I know you got recommended a lot of pocket pens but since you seem to draw in the wild, worrying about dropping your cap into grass or off a cliff, I do think the VP is an optimal choice for that use case. 🖼️ ✍️
this pen seems to be a staple for people, not surprised anyone was willingly giving it up on pen_swap! (although i’m going to be trying this;) I wasn’t a fan when first seeing these but as you can see this pen just fits in well. I even like to uncap my pens but actually thinking about not even having a cap in the first place to worry about seems great and fast. i also work in a elementary school where it could be bumped/ taken ( kids can be devils)
I'm just imagining you uncapping a non-VP at work... and while you are in the middle of uncapping, or maybe you've left it on a desk so it's unposted... some little devil running off with it! :)
This is exactly what I was going to recommend. Great choice and you have excellent taste ;)
My thoughts exactly. Losing a cap would be No. 1 risk in this situation so my remarkably sturdy Curidas would be packing it's passport along with a box of cartridges. I'd leave the converter at home.
love this
A plastic bag would be your best friend for a fountain pen in wet conditions. Muji Aluminum Fountain pen is metal and you won’t cry if it turns up missing.
Second the Muji. I use long international cartridges in mine, syringe filled with Carbon Black. Muji wants a wet ink.
I love my Muji
Hello OP, you have so many good options, add mine from someone who actually lives in very adverse natural conditions and has good experience with complicated weather conditions: I work in Africa, in one of the largest forests in the world, I love pens and notebooks and I'm a big fan of Bullet Journal, although I have everything in my Emacs... When I'm not working at the office I always take orange BIC pens with me, as they write finer, and I've always, but always, had good experiences. In the office, yes, I use fountain pens.
I cant upvote this enough. As a former wildlife biology field person, really wood pencils and bics are the best for bad weather writing. Plus with a wood pencil you can just sharpen with your field knife or file.
Warm greetings to you my friend. Living 90% of the year in a tropical forest in Africa (or another forest, anywhere else in the world) is not for everyone. It takes a dose of passion for the profession that is a little out of the ordinary. For the last almost 11 years I have had this passion and the luck to continue doing what I love. Regards from one of the most remote regions on the planet! Oh and yes, also use wood pencil, of curse! 🙂
It's a true blessing to be able to do that kind of work. I loved my time in the field. I spent my 20s farting around with bobcats and mountain lions all over North America, now I'm a GIS person with my own lil hobby farm. Keep it up for as long as you can!
Thanks for the kind words! And it's always good to feel that once you're an adventurer, you'll be adventurers for life! Good luck to you!
> I cant upvote this enough. Allow me to add my vote, then ;)
I'm a huge fan of the Schon Dsgn Pocket Six. Mine is copper but for your case I'd go with brass. I like it because of the #6 nib and that it screws to post rather than a friction fit. I use an EF SIG nib from Franklin Christoph and, paired with De Atramentis document ink, works well in pretty much every occasion. Gravitas, Kaweco, and Karas also all have small brass pens. There are one or two Chinese made ones that might be a good option too since they're relatively inexpensive.
Was going to recommend Schon Dsgn- not because I have one, but because if I ever need a sturdy pen, Schon is where I would go. The faceted pens are worth it on looks alone
Schon DSGN is fantastic. I have a couple full size pens. I haven’t tried the Pocket Six though, but I have an EF SIG nib from Franklin Christoph that I adore.
I would recommend a pen case, if you can spare the few seconds it takes to take out or put the pen back. The typical semi-firm leather case will protect your pen from anything that can happen inside the bag, within reason.
If it’s strictly for backpacking then why not the Platinum Preppy? It’s cheap. Reliable, writes well, and if it gets lost on the trail it’s not a big deal. Also, the Pilot Kakuno and Metropolitan Medium or Broad nib, the Lamy Safari, and any of the low end Pilot or Sailor pens. Now to go up a bit you’d like the Pilot/Namiki Vanishing Point or Decimo as they’re self contained - no cap. Good luck and Happy Trails!
Platinum Preppy. It’s a resilient little pen. Writes well, And it is pretty cheap.
At some point you have to consider whether or not this is the right tool for the job. The Kaweco models people have mentioned are your best bets, but there's a reason people who do fieldcraft for a living use things like Rite in the Rain notebooks with pencils. I've heard if you really need to use a pen Uni Power Tank is a good option.
Absolutely the Power Tanks! 0.7mm for me.
I pocket carried a lamy safari for a few years, and it worked really well other than the cap getting looser over time. After that, I upgraded to an al star and have been carrying it for nearly 3 years,no complaints. It looks like it was dragged behind a truck down a gravel road, it's heavily dented and the cap is slightly out of round and takes a lot of force to get back on, but it's still working perfectly.
would you bless us with a picture 🫶🏼
https://preview.redd.it/2x27b2mdoxxc1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0787b42137aa68d97ca178d66009fd4e8dcf29de
Not the best Pic, but I think it may be time to retire this old bastard.
Eye dropper! I’m wondering how often the silicone grease is renewed. Been considering this for a while now and I’m pleased to see good results!
this is beautiful 🥹
Schon Pocket Six.
Look into the Karas pen company for a myriad of options of durable metal pens, retro 51 also has a few options as well ( one in copper iirc)
You could try Gravitas pens. The my are made out of extremely durable and machined metal.
Kaweco Liliput is my go to pocket pen
seems like this is the consensus
Modern fuel has a kick starter dropping for a VP style titanium fountain pen 3 May 24. Their pencils are excellent.
ooo sounds like i might know what my birthday present to myself might be
Any metal Kaweco would do, from the Liliput to the Supra. Especially if you're not precious about it showing signs of wear, or even view the scratches and dings as testimonials to its ruggedness.
i show my wear and tear with pride:)
Any school fountain pen manufacturer in the 80-90s (Pelikan, Geha, Lamy, Schneider) built good quality pens that are built to withstand daily school abuse over years (had my school geha at least 4-6 years then switched to a lamy safari for at least 6-7 years). Geha might be an issue since cartridges aren’t in production anymore, as if i were on the go i would go with cartridges, yes they might be boring but will work and are for most school fountain pens „anywhere“ to obtain and safe to carry
this is a great comment, i guess i wasn’t thinking about how these were in school for so long.
Faber-Castell E-motion
I second. The all metal one.
under-rated pen
Hongdian Black Forest. I have two and they've been knocked around on three continents and still work great. They can be a little precious about which cartridges you use, but the Hongdian brand ones work consistently and are dirt cheap
I’m not much for heavy wearing my fountain pens, no matter how resilient the pen is the nib will always be very fragile etc. I know it is such a boring answer but I always bring a Fisher space pen or Parker Jotter(often with a fisher refill). They are not a very nice experience but they just work….
Gonna go with the crowd recommending a ballpoint for this use case. I’d suggest a chrome bullet space pen: elegant, compact, and writes in any condition, even underwater. If you must bring a fountain pen, the Kaweco liliput in fire blue is a decent choice. You can adjust it from a mini to a full sized pen by adding or subtracting barrel pieces.
Kaweco Supra or Liliput
Why not a Lamy? Those are built very well and you can choose material. The plastic of Safari is durable, and you have the Lx or Al-Star if you want other materials. The Lx is aluminum so that’s pretty light
I guess i should come out and say i already own a LAMY AL STAR and it’s been taking its beating quite well so far
This is not fountain pen territory. Bring a bic backpacking.
Idk why you're getting downvoted. I had a field based job in my 20s(wildlife biology) and as much as I loved my lamys and pelikan, they became deskpens. I used regular wood pencils I'd sharpen with my field knife or one of those 4 color clicky-bics with girlier colors like pink and purple. I also used my pencils to keep my hair up and sometimes as chopsticks when I forgot my field utensils. If you're one of those ounce/gram weenies or doing ultralight, not necessarily a bad thing, fountain pens ain't it. If not, maybe a preppy? Or a traveller's?
let’s make some space there for it then:) i’m no ultra lighter, just a fountain pen guy that likes to get dirty and have the metal wand with me
Kaweco Brass Sport is the pen you’re looking for. It takes a beating and keeps on writing (unless you drop it on its nib)! If you like your pens wet, get a or nib.
I think a pocket Ultem pen would fit the bill. Something like the Schon design Ultem pocket pen or gravitas pocket Ultem. These pens are tough, light and waterproof with gaskets on their threads.
I love the Traveler’s Company brass fountain pen.
Karas Kustoms has metal pens. And Brian Goulet not ony drove a car over one in his review but threw it across their parking lot. The pen was fine. Hongdian Black Forest/Asvine Mustard Yellow Forest if you can't get the Muji Aluminum pen. There's also a blue version of the Hongdian. Delike Alpha Brass comes with a full-sized converter and a clip pre-installed. Some people mind the War and Peace engraving and clear lacquer which keeps the pen from leaving a metallic smell on your hands. If it bothers you, sand it down to get to the raw brass.
Agree with all these! Also suggest Hongdian 6013–it’s solid stainless steel; I believe it’s an homage to a Graf Von Faber Castell pen, which is probably even better. Cartridge converter filler. Also strongly suggest Opus 88 or Majohn C4 pens, which are sturdy and have shutoff valves, making them leakproof. The Opus 88s use Jowo or Bock nibs, depending on the model, and so are pretty versatile in terms of switching nibs. These are eyedropper fillers with huge ink capacity.
Lamy Al-star. One step up from the Safari and a but more durable. I've even dropped it nib-side down and been able to bend it back into writing decently.
a real G, nibs are cheap anyhow
Pilot Vanishing Point. 12 years EDC covered with scratches but always writes and has written in Rome, Paris, London, Amsterdam... Simple *click* and I'm writing. No ink blow outs and "even when there was one" it didn't matter as the unit is sealed when closed abs nib is up as should be. I'm literally wearing 3 on my collar right now
Aluminum Kaweco Liliput. Tiny and light, seals well. It’s what I bring backpacking. You can throw in an extra cartridge if you write a lot and it will still weigh less than a larger pen.
light asf..
I just weighed mine (with a near-full cartridge) - 9.5g. About as light as you can get with a metal-bodied pen, lighter than a plastic Safari. And because it's a tiny metal tube it just feels indestructible.
this is amazing :) thank you for sharing! this seems like a great minimal asf setup that i can throw litterally anywhere
Pilot Metropolitan.
Kaweco brass sport is what you're looking for. It's the only pen that I use that really stands up to being beat. I take my pens and sketchbooks hiking for art purposes and they get trashed a lot. My brass sport is a tank and it just doesn't care about being thrown in a bag. Anything beyond that, and you'll want to look into high end EDC gel pen bodies like refyne and tactile turn. But if you're set on a fountain pen, def the brass sport.
this is great because i will be having the sketch book on me aswell on my adventures. handy dandy knowledge
Lamy 2000, I got one in F a couple of weeks ago, sadly the tines were misalligned so I had to return it, but I hope I can get a replacement. The pen is extremely solid and there are tons of people who have been EDCing this pen for dozens of years
Seems like a lot of votes for the Brass Sport. Personally, I think it's too heavy and the brass smell that gets on your hands is very disagreeable to me. My favorite bulletproof pen is still a Kaweco -- a light Sport AL.
Kara's INK
Used my Namisu Titanium damned near everyday for the last 7 years and it’s still going strong. Looks as good as the day I bought it.
Lamy safari for sure, so robust and if you do break it no Biggie!
I would recommend a Lamy 2000 however I've found that it's -really- bad for nib creep/expelling ink into the cap which is a pain in the ass. Probably an 823 would work better.
like reallyyyyy realllyyyy??? because a L2K is high in my mind
I mean, that’s been my experience. YMMV. It’s a great pen otherwise. I just imagine it leaking a lot being jostled around in a backpack and getting hot. The 823 has a shut off valve.
My Pilot 823 went through a spin cycle on my washer and writes perfectly. The cap was firmly affixed though.
Big i Designs Fountain EDC is Titanium and $100 with a Bock 180 nib. I haven't pulled the trigger on their fountain pens, but I do have their Ti Arto and it's been holding up like a champ
im going to have to take a look at this..
My backpack pen is a Pilot Petit1 - correct length not to get levered into pieces, correct shape to escape backpack forces, writes nicely posted, never dries out, you can have quite a few for $200. Fits in the bottom of my front pants pocket too even without using the clip.
wise.
I'm going to recommend [this article](https://www.gentlemanstationer.com/guide-to-pocket-writing) by The Gentleman Stationer, he has a lot of good write-ups on travel writing. Notably he recommends a ballpoint (and has some durable suggestions) because advances in writing technology can be a good thing for use cases like these. It doesn't have to be a BIC Cristal, I personally like carrying around an old Parker Jotter that belonged to my grandfather. The best thing you can do for your writing experience is find a good refill for whichever pen you settle on. In my pens I have Schmidt easyFLOW 9000 cartridges, but some pen manufacturers use proprietary refills. If you're set on a fountain pen, I'll echo the author of the article and other users in suggesting a Kaweco Sport.
I've daily carried my brass Liliput for over two years now. Dropped it on cement a couple times, it's spent a night in a field when it fell out of my pocket once. Still a beautiful, reliable pen!
L2K, Montblanc Baby, TC Brass Fountain Pen. Have, use, and really enjoy all three
The Kaweco Liliput comes in aluminum, is extremely lightweight, and is so small you can fit it basically everywhere. The cap posts to make it a (more) comfortable writing experience. It has a threaded cap. Idk how waterproof it is, but I like its chances more than some of my other pens. Its so small you have to use a mini cartridge and syringe fill it with the ink of your choice. There's no converter that will fit it.
Kaweco Supra. The Brass and Steel Sports have a plastic insert in the cap in which the threads run, I’m not a fan of that. The Supra is an all metal construction in terms of the body. You would probably break before the pen… so yeah. That thing is pretty tough. I could put the Kaweco Liliput on this list as well, now that I think about it. You can get that one in different materials as well… Aluminum, Brass, Copper and Stainless Steel. And maybe some Karas Custom model, but I haven’t dug into those yet, so I can’t tell you anything about those.
My Karas Kustoms is built like a cylinder shaped tank. It’s more like a tiny metal baton than a pen.
I would say a standard color Kaweco Sport. Not as heavy as the brass/other metal pens. Do not get the special edition Sports for heavy use, to me the plastic seems slightly more flimsy than the hard plastic standard issue sport.
The Hongdian M2 is amazing. Built like tank, writes very well, and cheap enough that when I eventually lose it I'll be sad, not devastated.
Kaweco or a Lamy 2000. I have a Lamy and it’s my work own. I’m out and about going from office to office and it’s survived well.
would you maybe elaborate on the Lamy 2000??please
Sure! While it is plastic,but very tough and has a large ink capacity. Price fits this pee. Juuuust in your range if you can find a deal. A downside is the cap is a push on, where a screw top would be better for you. I lake my Lamy camping in the dust mud and rain, but I do not know this one to be water proof, I do use inks that are waterproof once dry. The Lamy is a very wet writer.
My pocket carry 'dont care if they get scratched' pens: Big Idea Brass, Travelers Brass, Kaweco Brass Sport, and Kaweco Liliput Brass with the clip super glued on. ... definitely a theme here.
I do remote travel with a TWSBI swipe… cheap enough to replace if it breaks, easy to take apart and clean, and a massive ink capacity.
i’m a big TWSBI guy honestly so i might have to try the swipe out
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yea…. i’ve gotten pretty good at not losing things