13 Best Tactical Pens (Review) In 2021

The Atomic Bear Tactical Pen expresses all the qualities that make tactical pen use such a compelling idea. It has tough, military-grade aluminum body, a tungsten carbide tip that allows you to break windows and get the attention of would-be assailants, a generous girth that enables you to get a nice firm hold in any weather and it hasn’t forgotten about style. It’s also a practical device that will create smooth consistent lines and it comes with a carrying pouch that’s made of 300D nylon and is nearly as tough as the pen. The Atomic Bear has you completely covered whether you’re taking notes on a construction site, scribbling down recipes in the kitchen or fighting off a weasel in a darkened parking lot. And it’s affordable to boot. Icing on the cake for our Best Choice. Make sure you also check our guide to the best pens for work.

The Gerber Impromptu is a serious tactical device that’s built to take a pounding and look good doing it. It features a tough, cerakote finish on its machined steel body a wide girth that ensures a good grip a carbide glass breaking tip that will also help break up a would-be attacker’s motivation and “Rite in the Rain” ink cartridges that aren’t intimidated by the worst weather. It has a satisfying feel to it, tipping the scales at 2.4 ounces. And even if you never deploy it as a survival pen it’s going to produce some of the most satisfying script of any pen you have owned. The body of the pen features a handsome, matte black anodized finish, the push button mechanism will stand up to countless clicks and the Impromptu is made in the US to exacting standards.

Tasteful and forceful are two words that come to mind when describing the Smith & Wesson Tactical Pull Cap Pen. It features a refined look that would seem just as at home in a conference room as it would at the scene of a rescue. The T6061 aircraft grade aluminum gives the pen a heft and authority you’ll never get from a convenience store plastic pen. The substantial girth ensures you get a nice firm grip for whatever the occasion and the tapered butt end isn’t going to mess around if you need to put it into service for self-defense. This tactical ink pen is beautifully balanced and we found the length of the pen (just over 6 inches) to be just about perfect for getting a firm, full-fisted grip.

While Under Control Tactical is not yet a household name they may wind up one at some point in the near future if they continue to produce such versatile, durable tactical kit as this. The UC Tactical Pen is fashioned for military grade aluminum, has an LED flashlight integrated into the cap, a stainless steel glass breaker at the butt end and sports a handsome anodized, non-reflective surface that’s both stylish and practical. The crown around the LED bulb is specially designed to snag bits of flesh for later DNA analysis and the barrel features copious knurling so you can maintain an effective grip. Oh yeah, it also produces a nice clear, consistent line from the Fisher Space Pen cartridges. It’s a great self-defense pen that’s packed with useful features and won’t set you back an arm and a leg, and it’s out Best Value.

The Simiker Professional Defender Tactical Pen forgoes a cap and instead wears all its functionality on its sleeve. As a result, it’s not quite as easy to conceal the fact that this is both a handsome and effective writing instrument and a self-defense tool. But that’s fine. Nothing like sending a subtle message that could quietly dissuade someone from taking you for an easy mark. The pen provides one of the most impressive grips of any tactical pen we tested and the pocket clip isn’t going to let you down no matter where you attach it. The balance of the pen is also quite good which makes both writing with it and wielding it in self-defense that much easier. And did we mention it’s cheap? Not cheap as in poor quality, but cheap as in inexpensive.

Pocket Partners have produced an extremely handsome survival pen that’s tough, long and light and has a very satisfying modern feel to it. They call it “tacti-cool” and we suppose that’s as good a name as any because it does indeed fulfill both its tactical and aesthetic objectives with aplomb. The pen has a screw on cap that doubles as a very convincing deterrent to any weasel who might besiege you. But when you remove that cap you’ll discover it also produces a beautifully consistent line with whatever color cartridge you choose to insert. The butt end has a hole carved into it the manufacturer says you can run a key ring or caribiner through. But why would you bother, when the Pocket Partners Practical Tactical Pen is going to look so cool in the breast pocket of your shirt or jacket.

Smith & Wesson makes a return visit to our list with their Tactical Screw Cap Pen. Fashioned from T6061 aircraft grade aluminum and sporting a pleasing anodized matte finish the Screw Cap Pen is an EDC tactical pen you can easily take with you into the board room and then carry at the ready when you head out into the darkened parking garage at the end of the long day. The contoured handle provides a custom-like grip so the pen won’t slip out of your hand when you need it most. It’s a nice length at 5.8 inches, it’s light enough to be wielded with authority by just about anyone and the screwed-on aluminum pocket clip will keep this self-defense pen where you put it. It’s also remarkably affordable for such a high-quality combat pen.

The CRKT Williams Tactical Pen practices the fine art of diversion by making it seem as though the exposed and tapered end might be where the tip of the cartridge emerges. But that’s not actually the case. The stylus is actually under the cap and the tapered end you see when the cap is in place is actually all business. All self-defense business that is. From a strictly aesthetic perspective, we love the way the Williams Tactical Pen looks. It has an undulating, minimalist profile that’s very easy on the eye. From a strictly self-defense perspective, however, we wish they’d provided us with a bit of knurling or contouring or something we could anchor our grip on. Still, even with less than an iron grip this puppy is going to hurt when it bites.

The Schrade SCPENBK Aluminum Refillable Tactical Pen is another that is practiced at the art of deception. It’s fashioned from high-quality CNC T6 aircraft grade aluminum and features a fluted, tapered end that one could be forgiven for thinking was the writing end. It’s not. It’s actually the “stick the weasel” end and it’s going to send an unmistakable message to anyone who decides to try and have some fun with you. In terms of a writing instrument, the Schmidt P900 ballpoint cartridges produce a full, clear line and the pen is beautifully balanced so that the words just seem to flow off the tip. At just of 5.5 inches in length it might be a wee bit too small for those with big hands. But for everyone else it’s going to hold down the fort with authority.

If you’re looking for a tactical pen the TSA will love and that’s as much a conversation piece as it is a writing instrument or self-defense tool look no further than the Benchmade 1100. The design here is one for the book. Almost too attractive to consider soiling on a would be assailant. But should you find yourself in a tight spot fear not because the Benchmade 1100 is as formidable as it is handsome. With a titanium and stainless steel body and deluxe features like a pressure fit cap and computer designed finish, you’re going to pay for this particular addition to your self-defense kit. But what you’ll get in return is as much a collector’s item as it is a writing instrument.

The X-701 Tactical Ballpoint Pen looks, at first glance, pretty much like a pen you might pick up at 7-11 or the stationery store. But a closer inspection reveals it to be a breed apart. With a stainless steel barrel that features a stylish anodized finish and a pressurized barrel that lets you write upside down while lying on your back this is not your everyday school pen. Read the package a little closer and you’ll see it’s also capable of performing in weather from -30 to +250 degree Fahrenheit and that the writing end of the barrel has the potential to gift any would be assailants with a very nasty reminder of why they should have left you alone. There’s also a lanyard loop that lets you attach the pen to your climbing or rescue gear for easy retrieval.

The makers of today’s best tactical pens are to be commended for their commitment to not only producing lightweight, stealthy and effective self-defense kit but also for making these devices so damn stylish. The CRKT Williams Tactical Pen is a perfect example of this. It has the look of a high-end executive pen and will likely last just as long as anything from Cross or Mont Blanc. But the slender, tapering lines betray a deeper purpose than to simply please the eye and produce beautiful script. Because the tapered end you see when the cap is in place is not harboring a writing cartridge. It’s harboring a determination to make any would be assailant very sorry indeed.

The Kubey Titanium EDC Tactical Pen sports a tough as nails barrel, a compelling satin finish, a robust pocket clip that isn’t about to break off under a little stress and a tungsten carbide tip that’s actually harder than nails to break glass or defend yourself with. The slide and lock mechanism is easily thumb operated and a welcome change from the screw-on cap or standard push button. All in all the Kubrey Titanium looks sharp, works like a clock and is built to last.