Lightweight writing instruments.
Hemingway and Elmore Leonard wrote their novels longhand. A hand-transcribed page from Darwin’s On the Origin of the Species went to auction in 2017 with a starting bid of half a million. And the “collected handwritten letters of…” sounds far superior to “the collected text messages of…” Yet, those aren’t even the best reasons for including an EDC pen in your everyday carry.
An important part of your EDC, a quality pen (and titanium is sort of the reigning metal of quality) becomes part of your ability to function efficiently — signing for your card, writing a list, working out an idea with plenty of arrows and doodles. In the case of a few of these pens, they may also come to the rescue in a tight spot, be it with the power of a glass breaking tip, or a tactical pen’s built-in capabilities.
Bolt action, click, and good old capped versions make our list of the best titanium EDC pens, with most taking a variety of ink refills so you can focus on things more important than hunting down the right cartridges.
Even if you never write down anything with the longevity of The Sun Also Rises, or even Rum Punch, sifting through this list and finding your new favorite pen will be well worth the effort.
The James Brand The Burwell Pen
Durable, reliable, and gorgeous—the Burwell Pen is everything the James Brand claims to be and delivers top quality across the board. With a 6AL-4V titanium body and a stainless steel barrel, it’s tough enough to survive any use whether in the outdoors, emergency situations, even active combat zones.
It’s sized to just the right dimensions to be easy to grip and weighs a mere 20 grams. Thanks to the machined grip pattern, you can hold it with gloved, wet, or muddy hands. One-handed operation and a conveniently placed, ultra-tough titanium clip ensures it’s always ready to put to use at a moment’s notice.
Price: $169
Levenger Stilform Titanium Ballpoint Pen
Form blends beautifully with function in the Levenger Stilform Titanium Ballpoint Pen. The neodymium magnets in the cap deploy the pen nib when in writing mode, but keep it secure and locked away when in idle mode. The design gives it a look utterly unique from every other pen on the market and allows for a smoother, sleeker construction that just feels better in your hands.
Best of all, it’s available not only in the standard pen style, but also fountain pen and gel pen tips, too. It comes in a gorgeous box that makes for a great gift and a treat to put on display in your office.
Price: $325
BERG The CNC Machined Titanium EDC Pen
First responders, pilots, and military commandos, this one’s for you. BERG’s The CNC Machined Titanium EDC Pen is designed with a special hexagonal shape that makes it easy to grip even through tactical or combat gloves, and the prismatic gradient ensures proper traction along the entire length of the pen. The single-piece machined barrel is ultra-sturdy and ensures smooth action of the pen.
Thanks to the twist-top mechanism, you can easily deploy or retract the tip using just your thumb—great for one-handed operation. Best of all, it utilizes Pilot G2-5 Refill, which is available everywhere and is one of the most budget-friendly refills anywhere in the world. Weighing in at just 1.25 ounces, it’s light enough you can add it to your loadout without feeling the burden, but it’s tough enough to take with you into any environment, even use it as a weapon in extreme circumstances.
Price: $169
The James Brand Stilwell Pen
You may already know The James Brand for their extremely well-crafted, minimalist knives. When they tried their hand at making a pen, the results were (not surprisingly) very top-notch. The Stilwell is small enough to always keep on you, with a lanyard for an easy draw from your pocket. But when it comes time to write, just pull the pen from the sheath, flip it around and reinsert. You now have a smooth-writing implement that’s nearly five and half inches long — and looks like a million bucks.
Price: $99
MecArmy TPX33 Titanium Tactical Pen
At the heart of most tactical pens is a tungsten steel glass-breaker tip — and the TPX33 Titanium Tactical Pen from MecArmy is no different. At one end, there’s a Fisher Space Pen tip, but flip it around and you have a hard-tipped tool that’ll swiftly break glass in case of emergency — from rescuing a dog from a locked car to getting out safely after a water crossing goes sideways on you. Windows cut into the barrel cut down on weight, while giving this practical bit of carry a cool, mechanized look.
Price: $80
Tactile Turn Titanium Bolt Action Pen
Like everything EDC manufacturer Tactile Turn makes, this is one sleek and handsome titanium pen. Why is it named Tactile Turn? The bolt action mechanism produces a butter smooth open and close while the pen itself has an equally smooth titanium finish. Pair it with a quality pocket notebook or journal, add a notebook cover, and your writing setup will be about as impressive as you can get it.
Price: $99
NiteCore NTP10 Titanium Tactical Pen
Looking a little like a futuristic drill bit, this tactical number from NiteCore takes Parker’s pressurized space pen refill for that weightless, write-anywhere capability, while the tungsten-steel glass breaker at the back end features three stop pins for securing the cap while you write your words. Like all things NiteCore sells (flashlights, bike lights, tactical gear) this is another thing no clandestine maneuver is complete without.
Price: $120
BigiDesign Ti Arto Titanium EDC Pen
Like the other pen from Big Idea Design on our list, the Ti Arto also refuses to give you grief when it comes to finding a compatible pen refill and accepts over 200 pen cartridges. Unlike the Pocket Pro, this titanium option has a screw-on lid and comes in about a quarter inch longer. The raw machined finish resists scratches while the specially designed grip pattern grants confident yet comfortable pen glide while blending the gap that appears when using a larger ink refill.
Price: $95
Grovemade Titanium Pen
Handsome doesn’t quite cover the desk supplies and tools Grovemade puts out. Each item designed (and many of them manufactured) in their Portland workshop is equal parts utility and timeless, uncluttered style. Their single-piece pen takes that combo to its sleek and logical conclusion. Machined from titanium with a raw finish, the pen has a twist action deployment that’s both functional and mildly addictive. The machined facets make it comfortable in the hand and keep it from rolling away on your desk — that is, if you ever stop playing with it long enough to put it down.
Price: $180
KP01 Titanium Alloy Bolt Action Pen
Once you feel the smooth, sleek deployment of this bolt action pen, you’ll never consider another. A flick of your thumb will deploy or retract the tip, and you’ll find the mechanism makes for a great fidget tool for those who need something to do with their hands.
The Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy used in its constructions ensures that it’s both durable and lightweight, with a natural rust resistance that ensures it’ll stay ready for action for years (maybe even decades) to come. Best of all, with the hole integrated into the top, you can easily thread it onto your keychain or a lanyard for easier hands-free carrying.
Price: $50
Cognitive Surplus The Titanium Pen
Cognitive Surplus built The Titanium Pen to be a simple yet incredibly reliable everyday tool. Made from the same ultra-tough titanium that’s used in medical devices, jet engines, and spacecraft, this pen is insanely sturdy but beautifully light.
The soft matte finish and the clean, crisp design makes it incredibly eye-catching and an excellent addition to your office desk décor, but don’t think for a minute it sacrifices function in the name of form. The matte finish is grippy enough you’ll have no trouble writing even if your hands are wet or sweaty. The retraction mechanism also delivers an incredibly smooth action that will make you want to write just so you can break this beautiful pen out.
Price: $100
Fisher Space AG7 Astronaut Space Pen
The future brings new considerations for EDC. When you’re heading to Mars on a SpaceX rocket, what pen should you bring? This one. The Fisher Astronaut Space Pen has been NASA’s go-to pen due to the pressurized ink cartridge and specialized ink that’ll write in zero gravity, in extreme temperatures, and over greasy surfaces. The brass barrel is coated in black titanium nitride to resist scratches and keep your space pen looking good wherever you take it — even if you’re not leaving the planet.
Price: $115
