As a writer, I’ve nerded out of over the feel of a good pen. I’ve tried them all: ballpoint, gel, rollerball, felt-tip, and more recently, fountain. There is no silver bullet, my preference changes with time and context but certain pens just feel good and cause me to take the time to focus on what I’m writing. Thus, these are the pens I’m currently working with:
Baron Fig Squire (Rollerball)
This is pen is notorious for rolling off the table and I’ve contemplated buying a separate pen clip, but I never got around to it. The highlight of this pen, however, is the weight, size, twist-to-open, and the compatibility with the Schmidt P8126 refills. The solid metal construct keeps the pen balanced, centered, and weighted when you write for a smooth experience. The pen is slightly shorter than your standard BIC ballpoint pen but longer than the ultraportable ones you find in most EDC kits. It really is the perfect size for a pants pocket. The twist-to-open is crucial for a rollerball. I’ve tried other retractable pens, and they inevitably open in my pocket, causing a large ink blot stain. The twist mechanism is precise and keeps my pants pocket safe. Finally, the initial ink cartridge is great but the Schmidt P8126—in my humble opinion—is the best rollerball experience out there.
Lamy Safari (Fountain)
The Lamy Safari is known as the gateway drug for fountain pens. It’s cheap but sturdy and allows you to get into the rhythm of writing with fountain pens. It really is a different experience if you’ve never tried it. It forces you to slow down and for me, as someone who naturally writes in combination of small caps, cursive, and block letters, it really forced me to pick a style and concentrate on each letter. The heavy ink does bleed through cheap paper, so just note you’ll have to invest is better notebooks if you plan to make this pen your daily piece. I really only use it from time to time to switch up my routine. It helps me to stay awake in longer faculty meetings.
Lamy also just dropped the Lamy safari note+ their first digital pen. Nothing competes with the Apple Pencil, but I am interested to see how this design holds up.
Montblanc Meisterstück Gold-Coated Ballpoint Pen* (Ballpoint)
Recently, I made the big splurge and got the 100 Anniversary Meisterstück Gold-Coated Montblanc Ballpoint Pen. It’s a crazy amount to spend on a ballpoint pen and I never thought I’d find myself becoming one of these people but the writing is smooth and the price tag has given me a higher degree of care when it comes to what I write. I dont know who’s over their recent marketing campaign but they really do a good job of making you feel like a serious writer with these things. Their new campaign with Wes Anderson really captures that experience of being a must-have any serious adventurer. Since I purchased the pen, its rekindled my love for handwriting.
Since I’ve gotten back into analog handwriting, I now walk around with three notebooks: “notes on writing”, “on archaeology”, a “commonplace notebook”. I’m still new to this but you can learn more about commonplace notebooks here. I bought some yellow electrical tape and have become addicted to the things that I can do with it. I use it to tie loose cables, make labels, and designate my headphones from my wife’s; it’s one of the better life hacks I’ve picked up.
* None of these are not affiliate links. And the 100-year anniversary edition of the Meisterstück Gold-Coated Ballpoint is only available in stores, so you can’t buy it online.
Bonus – A highlighter. I always carry a highlighter. I’m notorious for highlighting and writing in the margins of books and a retractable highlighter is priceless for this. This Muji Retractable highlighter is my go-to.