Best Tactical Pen: More Than Just Writing

Tactical this, tactical that…

We live in a world where everything’s labeled “tactical.” From backpacks to belts to, yes, even pens.

So today, we’re taking a look at tactical pens.

Now, you might roll your eyes and wonder: why on earth do we need tactical pens? Fair question. But in any serious setting — whether it’s military, law enforcement, or just day-to-day preparedness — having a tough, reliable writing tool actually matters.

I learned that the hard way.

On my first day in the Fleet Marine Corps, I was told to bring a pen and notepad with me at all times. Day two? I showed up ready, only to find out that your average office pen doesn’t hold up under pressure. Nothing like doing buddy rushes and discovering your pen exploded in your cargo pocket.

That’s where tactical pens earn their keep. They’re built to survive rough conditions, and many double as impact tools, glass breakers, or emergency backups.

So, let’s dig into the best tactical pens on the market.

The ones that actually hold up, write well, and serve more than one purpose.

What’s a Tactical Pen?

A tactical pen is exactly what it sounds like: a pen tough enough for real-world use.

Unlike your average plastic office pen, tactical pens are built from strong materials like aluminum or titanium. They’re made to survive rough environments, and most are refillable, so you’re not tossing them after one use.

There’s no official rating system for tactical pens, which means quality can vary. Some are solid writing tools with extra durability. Others come loaded with features like steel or carbide tips for breaking glass, or even serve as improvised self-defense tools in a pinch.

To be clear: tactical pens aren’t meant to replace dedicated self-defense weapons. But in a worst-case scenario, they can be used to strike, jab, or distract.

Beyond writing and self-defense, some of the best tactical pens double as emergency tools.

They can break windows, help apply a tourniquet, or even come equipped with extras like flashlights or compasses, all without taking up extra space in your pocket or pack.

How I Chose the Best Tactical Pen

As a former Marine with more than two decades in the tactical world, I’ve come across my fair share of tactical pens. I’ve even reviewed a few for other companies. But this time, I set out with a specific goal: to find the best tactical pens based on real performance and practical use.

I started by gathering the pens that have served me well over the years. Then I asked a few trusted shooter buddies — folks who live and breathe this stuff — for their recommendations. Getting input from people who actually use these tools always adds value.

Once I had my list, I didn’t just test them at my desk. I took each tactical pen outdoors to see how it handled in real-world conditions. I looked at build quality, size, comfort, and how easy it was to find ink refills.

Yes, I ranked the pens from 1 to 7, but the goal wasn’t to crown a single winner. The list is designed to reflect different needs, styles, and preferences. Whether you’re focused on writing performance, self-defense, or everyday carry utility, there’s something in the mix for you.

At the end of the day, picking the right tactical pen is a personal thing. What works for me might not be your first choice. So check out the reviews, weigh the features, and find the one that fits your hand — and your lifestyle.

Best Tactical Pens

Click the headings to jump to the review section for each tactical pen or just scroll through the entire article.

The Best Tactical Pens

1 Surefire Writing Pen		Rugged Writing Implement Low Profile Design Smooth Writer	Buy on Amazon
2 Gerber Impromptu		Built In Glass Breaker Lightweight Rugged Design	Buy on Amazon
3 CRKT Williams Tactical Pen		Writes Anywhere Designed for Self-Defense Affordable	Buy on Amazon
4 Olight Open Pro 2		Doubles as a Flashlight Bolt Action Mechanism USB C charging	Buy on Amazon
5 Rite in the Rain Black Metal Pen		Affordable Lightweight Writes Anywhere	Buy on Amazon
6 Boker Plus Quest Commando Pen		Built In Compass Survival Compartment Beefy Design	Check Price
7 SOG Flint		Not a Pen Built Survival Tools Short and Light	Buy on Amazon

Best Tactical Pen Specs

Here Are The Best Tactical Pens

Our favorite tactical pens are:

1. Surefire Pen IV
2. Gerber Impromptu
3. CRKT Williams Tactical Pen
4. Olight Open Pro
5. Rite in the Rain Black Metal Pen
6. Boker Plus Quest Commando Pen
7. SOG Flint

Reviews For The Best Tactical Pens

He are the reviews for our top tactical pens.

Surefire Pen IV Review

Surefire? The light company? Yep, Surefire, the light company, produces a pen now. Well, several pens, to be fair. The Surefire Pen IV is their top-tier option for hard-use users. Surefire’s reputation for high-quality lights has been translated over to their pens as well. They’ve long been the best in their field, and extension into other fields seems promising. 

These everyday carry (EDC) tools are not advertising themselves as an impact weapon or Kubaton. It’s designed to be a rugged and extremely durable pen that can write anywhere at any time. The Surefire Pen IV packs a replaceable cartridge, specifically the Schmidt easyFLOW 9000. I’d like to insert an over 9000 joke here…… 

These ink sticks provide a very smooth writing experience, and the refills are affordable and easy to track down. Your writing will be smooth, crisp, and downright enjoyable. You won’t be scribbling hard to get the thing to work. This ink doesn’t smear and doesn’t blotch. It dries as it writes. 

The Surefire Pen IV’s body is made from aerospace aluminum and coated with an anodized finish that’s up to MIL-SPEC. Stainless steel also makes an appearance. The pocket clip is stainless steel and is tungsten DLC coated. You also get a stainless nose cone and retractor button. The shape of the body is all about ergonomics and embraces an interesting cut that allows for a comfortable grip, even when held with gloves on. 

The downside is that this is an expensive pen. Although, to pen nerds, it’s probably in the budget price point. For you and me, an MSRP of 150 dollars might be a bit much. That’s what you get from American ingenuity, quality, and design. 

Surefire Pen IV Pros and Cons

Gerber Impromptu Review

Gerber, a company known for both baby food and fighting knives, brings us the Gerber impromptu tactical pen. The Impromptu is a dedicated tactical pen aimed at the military, first responder, and police markets. The Gerber Impromptu pairs a pen with a glass/face breaker and a strong metal body, and a dependable writing cartridge for your longest days. 

As a pen, the Impromptu uses the Rite in the Rain or Fisher Space Pen cartridge. The good news is these cartridges provide smooth and even ink distribution and writing capability. They glide on paper, and they don’t smear or blotch. The bad news is that these refills are kind of expensive. A single refill costs anywhere from seven to ten bucks. 

The clicker is huge, durable, very tactile, and audible. You won’t miss it even with heavy winter gloves or freezing cold hands. It’s a nice touch. When you get to the front, you have a stainless-steel glass/face breaker. It’s okay, tungsten is better, but stainless will work and will certainly break glass and faces when needed. 

If you must strike something with the Impromptu, then you would be stoked to know that it’s nice and grippy. It’s heavily textured along the entire body of the pen. Even in austere conditions, it’s going to stay in your hand and be very unlikely to slip. What you might not like is that this puppy is a heavy beast. 

It’s also a little pricey at around 90 dollars. However, it is part of Gerber’s made-in-America series. If you want to buy and support America, the Impromptu gives you that satisfaction. 

Gerber Impromptu Pros and Cons

CRKT Williams Tactical Pen Review

The CRKT Williams Tactical Pen has a sleek, almost arrow-like shape to it. It doesn’t look militaristic but modern, and it’s almost a fashion accessory. The CRKT Williams Defense Pen is the brainchild of Army veteran and martial artist James Williams. With a military background, Williams understands the value of a reliable pen, and it’s clear where his inspiration comes from.

With this tactical pen, you don’t get an extra glass breaker here, but a fairly solid and well-reinforced point that allows you to strike hard without worrying about thin aluminum crumbling. Speaking of, it’s made from 6061 aluminum. The tapered body does create a unique look but also tapes the body for striking. Grab it like an icebreaker, and you’ll feel the difference. 

With the cap off either side, you have a dual-edged tool that allows you to strike in multiple directions. It’s not quite a glass breaker, but it can cause some discomfort when driven with some serious force and a little anger. 

As a pen, it writes nicely, with a smooth gliding action. The pen uses a Fisher Space Pen cartridge, so it’s fairly pricey to refill the ink. Although as a tactical pen, it’s priced surprisingly well. At less than 60 dollars, the CRKT Williams Tactical Pen offers a good pen and a decent impact weapon. 

It’s a purpose-built Tactical Pen that doesn’t offer a ton of versatility, but it’s durable, it writes, and it uses high-quality ink inserts. All for less than 100 bucks. 

CRKT Williams Tactical Pen Pros and Cons

Olight Open Pro 2 Review

I’ll be honest. I’m not a fan of Olight. I think most of their products are rather low-tier and designed to capture you by promising some crazy number of lumens without telling you that those lumens fade quickly and the lights aren’t made to last. There are two Olight products that I like, and the Open 2 is one of them. 

Olight combines a light with a pen to provide a multi-use tool. The pen portion uses an addictively tactile bolt action design that makes me understand fidget spinners a bit more now, at the cost of my colleague’s sanity. I am not a pen nerd, but it seems like Olight is the only one who makes refills for their pen, and that’s a big downside to me. I like common options. 

The pen is made from aluminum and nicely textured. The texture provides a good degree of style mixed with a functional design. It feels nice and looks nice with its swirling downward design. The Open 2 does write nicely and smoothly, although it took a minute to start writing. Once it started, it didn’t stop. 

The light portion is at the top and is a clever design. The beam shines out like the old moonbeams of yesteryear. Meaning when it’s clipped to your shirt or pocket, it shines forward and is quite handy. Olight designed the light to be detachable from the pen portion and still be useable. Kind of handy if you need to take notes in the dark. The light has multiple modes and ranges from 5 to 120 lumens. A simple USB-C keeps it charged. Oh, and it still weighs 1.34 ounces. 

Olight Open Pro 2 Pros and Cons

Rite in the Rain Black Metal Pen Review

If you want something simple and something cheap, but it still meets the tough nature of a tactical pen, then look no further than the Rite in the Rain Black Metal Pen. There are several examples of Rite in the Rain pens, and many are polymer, so stick to the metal one to get the best example of a budget tactical pen. 

I got one of these during my first week in the Fleet Marine Corps, and it followed me my entire Marine Corps career and well after. It’s a tough pen, one that seemingly has infinite clicks in its life, and a strong metal design. Even after traveling multiple continents and to over a dozen countries, it worked up until the day I gave it to someone who needed it more than I did. 

The pen comes slim and sleek, and very light. The Rite in the Rain pen writes really well, and the Rite in the Rain cartridges are super common and easy to find, albeit a little pricey. As the name implies, the thing writes in the rain, or in the wet world, or outer space, in case you’re Elon Musk and reading this. 

While it’s not designed necessarily to be driven into someone’s face, it would work better in the role than any Bic. If strength and durability are required, and you don’t want to break the bank, then the Rite in the Rain pen works extremely well. It was the best 20 bucks I ever spent as a PFC. 

Rite in the Rain Black Metal Pen Pros and Cons

Boker Plus Quest Commando Pen Review

Commando Pen ought to jive well with this list, right? Boker makes a wide variety of knives, and the Boker Plus Quest Commando Pen certainly jives with this list. First, like many of these pens, it’s made from all metal and is plenty tough. If needed, it can serve in numerous roles that any normal pen would cry mercy in. Be it as a fighting tool, a windless, or anything else where a hard metal rod is needed. 

The Commando does have more of a focus on outdoor activities and adventures, incurring the wrath of the great outdoors. The Commando is a bit of a survival tool on top of being a pen. As a pen, it writes pretty well. I’ve handled smoother options, but it uses a Lamy M-22 cartridge. This means cheap refills and waterproof ink. 

At the rear end of the pen sits a handy mini compass. The pen is long and a bit thick, but that conceals a smart compartment where you can stash matches, tinder, and other little goodies. Goodies are oriented perfectly for survival scenarios and similar bad days. Although the compartment doesn’t seem waterproof, so keep that in mind. It’s a clever little design that’s handy for outdoor fun, and outdoor not so much fun. The Boker Commando stands out in a field of EDC pens by orienting itself to the rural environment and not the urban commando. 

Boker Plus Quest Commando Pen Pros and Cons

SOG Flint Review

I have a little internal tradition where I tend to choose a wild card. Since SOG discontinued the Baton series, the Q1 can’t make the list, which might be the handiest pen ever. With the Q1 gone, the Flint is a worthwhile wildcard. It’s a wildcard because the Flint looks like a pen but doesn’t have a spot of ink to it. You’ll get no writing done with the Flint. 

Although you might not miss the writing when it comes to all the other functions the Flint throws at you. It’s pen-shaped, and at the tip doesn’t sit something to write with, but a carbide glass breaker tip. It will let you escape from a bad situation, whether you must break through glass or through an attacker. It’s a last-ditch weapon that will hopefully keep you out of a ditch.

The SOG Flint also packs a few more tools for your rural survival needs. This includes a ferrous rod and a means to strike to start a fire. It takes some serious practice to get good with a ferrous rod, so practice a bit before you jump into the fire and depend on a tool like this. The good news is at the top, a safety whistle sits. You don’t need practice to sound off and raise the alarm. 

You also have a small compartment designed to keep some steel wool tinder. This way, you can get ablaze going a little bit faster. All of this is in a 4.7-inch long design that weighs less than an ounce in total. Not too bad for a tactical pen. 

SOG Flint Pros and Cons

Activating the Ink of Tactical Pen

Pens have a multitude of designs when it comes to getting the tip ready to write. Let’s go over a few of the more common methods and their pros and cons. 

The Cap – A removable cap is super simple and easy. Removable the ca and bam, you can write. 

Click Top – These pens position a button at the top that allows you to deploy the pen tip with the click of a cap. 

Twist Cap – This method uses a twist of the tip to deploy the pen tip for easy writing. 

Bolt Action – A Lever set in the middle of the pen that allows to deploy and retract the pen tip. 

Best Tactical Pen Buyer’s Guide

Before picking up a tactical pen, it helps to know what sets one apart from another. The best tactical pens combine strength, comfort, and function, but which one is right for you depends on your needs.

Whether you’re after something for everyday carry, self-defense, or emergency situations, this guide will walk you through the key factors to consider before buying.

Factors To Consider When Buying a Tactical Pen

These are some of the factors you should look at when figuring out what you need from a tactical pen:

Durability and Material
If a tactical pen can’t take a beating, it’s not worth carrying. Look for tough materials like aircraft-grade aluminum, stainless steel, or titanium. These stand up to pressure, impacts, and harsh environments without falling apart.

Writing Performance
A tactical pen still has to do its main job — write. Make sure it accepts dependable refills like Fisher Space Pen or Rite in the Rain cartridges. These write smoothly on most surfaces, wet or dry, and keep you functional in the field.

Grip Design
The grip matters more than you think. Whether you’re writing in the rain or breaking glass, you need a no-slip grip. Look for texturing like checkering or scalloped surfaces that stay locked in, even with gloves or wet hands.

External Design
Some tactical pens scream “tactical” with aggressive styling. Others are more low-profile and don’t attract attention. Your environment matters here. If you’re using it at the office, a discreet pen might be better. If you’re tossing it in a bugout bag, go for rugged.

Deployment Mechanism
You want to access the pen fast and reliably. Whether it’s a cap, bolt action, twist top, or clicker, choose a style you can operate quickly. In emergencies, every second counts.

Size and Weight
A good tactical pen should feel solid but not bulky. It should be light enough to carry every day, but hefty enough to use as a last-ditch impact tool. Strike a balance that works for your hands and carry habits.

Legal Considerations
Yes, it’s just a pen — but certain tactical designs might raise eyebrows or run afoul of local laws, especially if they double as self-defense tools. Know the rules where you live and travel.

Budget
Tactical pens come in all price ranges. Some budget models perform surprisingly well, while premium ones add features and finish. Decide which functions matter most and buy accordingly.

Additional Features
Some of the best tactical pens offer more than just ink. Glass breakers, integrated flashlights, compasses, and other survival features can add serious utility. If you want a true multi-use tool, keep an eye out for these extras.

Best Tactical Pen – FAQs

Can tactical pens be used as a self-defense tool?

Tactical pens can work as improvised impact tools, but let’s be honest — they’re not a replacement for pepper spray or a concealed firearm. Still, in a pinch, a solid tactical pen gives you something more than nothing.

Can I take tactical pens on flights?

Most non-aggressive-looking tactical pens are TSA-compliant and can fly in your carry-on. But rules change and interpretations vary, so check with your airline and TSA guidelines before packing one.

Are tactical pens refillable?

Yes. Most quality tactical pens accept common ink cartridges like Fisher Space Pen or Rite in the Rain refills. That means you won’t have to ditch your favorite pen just because the ink runs dry.

How durable are tactical pens?

They’re built for abuse. Materials like aircraft-grade aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium make them tough enough to handle daily use, weather, and even the occasional drop or hit.

Can a tactical pen break glass in an emergency?

Absolutely. Many tactical pens have built-in glass breakers, often made from steel or tungsten carbide. They’re great for breaking side windows in a car if you ever find yourself in a bad situation.

What’s the best ink cartridge for tactical pens?

Fisher Space Pen refills are the gold standard. They write in wet, cold, or upside-down conditions — exactly what you want in the field. Rite in the Rain is another solid option, especially for all-weather notetaking.

Do tactical pens make good everyday carry (EDC) items?

Yes. A well-designed tactical pen fits right into your pocket or pack and adds utility without drawing attention. It’s a writing tool first — but one that holds up when things go sideways.

Tactical Handwriting

These days, a pen might seem like an outdated item to include in your everyday carry. There’s usually one lying around when you need it. But it’s always better to have your own.

As someone who takes notes constantly, I carry a pen every day. And if I’m already carrying one, I figure it should be a good one.

That’s what got me hooked on tactical pens. I need a reliable pen. Everything else it can do is just a bonus.

What about you? Got a favorite tactical pen? Or a wild story where one came in handy?