The best tactical pen will be much more than just a tactical pen. It will be a tool that you use as an extension of yourself and which you have on hand for when you might need it for a tactical purpose.
The utility and versatility of a tactical pen cannot be understated, but in all reality, the chances of using a tool like that for an actual self-protection consideration are slim.
Most of the time it will be a glorified, albeit very interesting pen. Sure, the conversation starter that is the Tactical pen is at times nothing more than a writing instrument and perhaps even a novelty, until it’s needed.
The best versions will be ready instantly to help fend off an attack or be used to grab DNA from an attacker, incapacitate an intruder or break a window in a car crash.
Sure, those situations will be few and far between, but you need to know you can count on your tactical pen to be ready for action at the highest level if that time does come.
In this article, we will detail the reasons one tool is better than another and highlight the beneficial material and design inclusions that make these choices the best of the best.
8 Best Tactical Pen’s
1. Smith & Wesson SWPEN3BK
Smith & Wesson SWPENBK
Features
- DIMENSIONS: 5.7 inch (14.5 cm) overall length and a weight of 1.4 ounces
- DURABLE: Pen is made of reliable T6061 Aircraft Aluminum
- DEPENDABLE: Quick and easy access with the convenient pocket clip and screw-off top making it ideal for everyday carry
- SECURE: Have confidence that this tool will perform when needed for self-defense and blend in when not in use
- BE PREPARED: Pen can be refilled with Schmidt P900M Parker Style Black Ball Point Cartridges
A tame-looking pen that is still quite intuitive to use for personal defense. The Smith & Wesson SWPEN3BK is the type of pen that would easily get through TSA at the airport if it weren’t for that pesky “Smith & Wesson logo.
A good-looking pen that is good for writing and jabbing and that’s about it.
Pros
- Subdued but still quite intuitive for defense
- Simple, sturdy clip
Cons
- Low functionality compared to some competitors
Why It’s Recommended
The price is right for a sturdy pen and the refill selection (Schmidt P900 Parker Style) is excellent.
This is a pen that will fly under the radar in the office and looks great, has a nice heft, and is a potent jabbing weapon in a self-defense scenario.
The clip of the Smith & Wesson SWPENBK is excellent and still quite subdued also.
2. Takeflight
Features
- DISCREET AND LIGHTWEIGHT DESIGN: Don't settle for clunky and obvious survival multitool pens. The TakeFlight Tactical Pen is sleek, lightweight, and clips easily onto your pocket for quick and convenient access. Made of AIRCRAFT-GRADE, CNC-machined aluminum, this EDC flashlight offers a rugged, durable and ultra-light option for everyday carry.
- POWERFUL GLASS BREAKER FEATURE: Unlike other tactical gear pens with weak glass breakers, our EDC pocket tool is constructed for powerful and precise action in emergency situations. Designed specifically to break glass, this multipurpose tactical pen can be used to egress from a vehicle, or even for self-defense against an attacker.
- THE ULTIMATE POCKET MULTITOOL: Trusted and used every day by military personnel, Navy SEALS, first responders, and SWAT teams, the TakeFlight Tactical Pen features an emergency glass breaker tip, screwdriver, LED pen flashlight, bottle opener, and a functional ballpoint pen. These tools are discreetly concealed within a sleek and streamlined body that effortlessly clips inside your pocket. This tactical multitool also comes with 2 ink refills, 1 battery refill, and a complete user guide.
- PROFESSIONAL TACTICAL GIFTS FOR MEN AND WOMEN: Packaged in a handsome gift box, our top-of-the-line tactical pen gift sets make practical and everyday use gifts for friends and loved ones. Whether you're gifting them for bugout bag survival kits, Father's Day gifts for dad, cool gadgets gifts for men, grandpa gifts, or a women's self-defense kit, our tactical pens are the gifts that keep on giving.
- COMMITMENT TO QUALITY AND DURABILITY: At TakeFlight, we're committed to providing our customers with professional-grade tactical accessories to keep themselves and their loved ones safe and protected. As a veteran-owned business, we take the quality and durability of our tactical and personal defense equipment very seriously. If for any reason you aren't satisfied with your window breaker LED flashlight pen.
Generic is a good description of takeflight, but it does offer a lot for the money including a flashlight and a DNA catcher.
The Glass breaker is a relatively standard addition and the pen performs for the money.
Pros
- Lifetime warranty
- Multiple functions
- DNA catcher
Cons
- Very generic design
Why It’s Recommended
One thing to note is the small company that makes this pen seems to have excellent customer service.
Despite the pen having a kind of dull generic appearance, the multi-purpose capabilities of the pen plus great reviews about customer service makes the takeflight a diamond in the rough.
3. Takedown
Features
- 6 inch overall length - 1.7 ounces total weight
- Ultra Strong and light weight Black Tactical Pen - Nonbreakable Aircraft Aluminum alloy
- Solid steel pocket clip – Window Breaker and self defense Heavy duty Tactical Pen
- Crafted from aircraft aluminum durable, strong and light weight alloy
- Standard size replaceable cartridges so you will never run out of INK
Slightly less generic than some of the cheaper pens, the Takedown wins hands down for the price point and the multi-functionality at the price.
It’s cheap, effective and relatively well made. A bargain compared to some of the pens available on the market.
Pros
- DNA catcher
- Window breaker
Cons
- Not particularly elegant
Why It’s Recommended
For the money, it’s a hard pen to beat, with the 3 functions (DNA catcher, window breaker tip, and the pen refill ability).
The refills are the weak link though with generic refills being used. For access, it’s great, but the quality of writing maybe not be as much.
That said, the Takedown packs a lot of value into the pen.
4. Gerber Impromptu
Gerber Impromptu
Features
- Impromptu Tactical Pen is rugged with machined steel body with Cerakote
- Ready for tactical Pen use, the Impromptu featured "Rite In The Rain" Ink Cartridge Works In All Conditions, Inside And Outdoors
- Reliable tactical Push-Button Mechanism Deploys Ball Point Mechanism
- Integrated Glass-Breaker Tip Features Tempered Steel And Is Designed To Get You Out Of Trouble
- Made in USA
The GERBER Impromptu is good-looking and built to last by a company that’s been doing this kind of thing for a long time.
This pen offers relatively good performance and features and while it is a bit expensive, the quality is top-notch.
The Rite in the Rain refills is another top-tier component part.
Pros
- Clean Design
- Rugged
- Good functionality
Cons
- A Bit Pricey
Why It’s Recommended
The proven Gerber Impromptu is good-looking, offers a lot of good features, and includes a push/click pen for a better writing experience.
The optional colors of the GERBER Impromptu make it more a reflection of the owner’s taste and the proven reliability makes it an obvious choice.
5. Smith & Wesson SWPENMP2BK
Smith & Wesson SWPENMP2BK
Features
- DIMENSIONS: 5.8 inch (14.7 cm) overall length and a weight of 1.4 ounces
- DURABLE: Pen is made of reliable T6061 Aircraft Aluminum
- DEPENDABLE: Quick and easy access with the convenient pocket clip and screw-off top making it ideal for everyday carry
- SECURE: Have confidence that this tool will perform when needed and blend in when not in use
- COMFORTABLE: Finger Grooves Provdide Ergonomic Grip And Reduces Slippage
Smith & Wesson SWPENMP2BK – It’s plain and vanilla, but it’s also well finished and looks like a quality pen. Shocker: it is a quality pen.
The only drawback is the logo and name on the pen, and while we wouldn’t begrudge a good company from branding.
This can be a hindrance because now all the people will “accidentally” keep your pen as a result of the branding and quality.
Pros
- Sleek and simple design
- Good Brand name
Cons
- Short on functionality
Why it’s recommended
Simple, and straightforward, this screw-off-top pen is good-looking and functions well as a writing implement.
The only real drawback is that once someone sees how good it is, it might disappear.
The comfortable body of the Smith & Wesson SWPENMP2BK is easy to use as a defensive weapon and while it lacks other functionality, it is still very good for the single role it does fulfill.
6. Schrade SCPENBK
Schrade SCPENBK
Features
- DIMENSIONS: 5.7 inch (14.5 cm) overall length and a weight of 1.4 ounces
- DURABLE: Pen is made of reliable CNC Machined 6061 T6 Aluminum
- DEPENDABLE: Quick and easy access with the convenient pocket clip and screw-off top making it ideal for everyday carry
- SECURE: Have confidence that this tool will perform when needed and blend in when not in use
- BE PREPARED: Pen can be refilled with Schmidt P900 Parker Style Black Ball Point Cartridges
Simple, but elegant, the Schrade SCPENBK is a pen that also happens to be a very good defensive weapon.
It doesn’t look like a weapon, it looks like a well-crafted pen, and yet, with the build quality and the thumb purchase it offers strong striking capabilities in defensive use.
Pros
- Good Looking
- Simple to use
Cons
- Lacks multiple functions
Why It’s Recommended
A very good-looking pen that has a lot of potential as a jabbing weapon. With the solid cap for your thumb and the strong aluminum body offering lightweight but robust stature.
The Schrade SCPENBK is first and foremost a pen and can be used daily with a quality refill included, the style is subdued and it will give a lifetime of service.
7. Schrade SCPEN9BK
Features
- DIMENSIONS: 5 inch (12.8 cm) overall length and a weight of 1.6 ounces
- DURABLE: Pen is made of reliable CNC Machined 6061 T6 Aluminum
- DEPENDABLE: Quick and easy access with the convenient pocket clip and push button top making it ideal for everyday carry
- SECURE: Have confidence that this tool will perform when needed and blend in when not in use
- BE PREPARED: Pen can be refilled with Easyflow Schmidt P900M Parker Style Black Ball Point Cartridges
Schrade SCPEN9BK is a pretty sexy pen that has no explaining to do. It’s a pen. Not a tactical pen. It’s a writing implementation. Not a defensive tool. But it can be a tactical pen. And it can be a defensive tool. It’s built really robustly, and it clicks. Like an audible click. That’s just pure functionality there.
Pros
- It clicks
- Can get stabby, but doesn’t have to if you don’t want it to
Cons
- Not the strongest design for pure tactical use
Why It’s Recommended
Simply put, this is a really great pen that can get stabby when needed.
It’s called a tactical pen, but really, it’s just a great pen that writes nicely and is built in a ridiculously heavy-duty fashion.
The clean good looks and the balanced feel in the hands means you won’t hesitate to grab this if it’s needed in a defensive situation.
For the 99.9% of the time that’s left, you’ll really enjoy writing the next Great American Novel with the Schrade SCPEN9BK.
8. Benchmade
Features
- HIGH-QUALITY: All pens are made of anodized aluminum, titanium, stainless steel, or Damascus bodies to provide a sturdy shell.
- WELL-DESIGNED: The O-ring pressure fit cap securely snaps open and closed to keep the ink from drying out. The 1101-2 includes a glass breaker Carbide tip.
- COMFORTABLE: The ergonomic knurling pattern provides optimum comfort and minimum stress on the han
- LONG-LASTING: The Fisher Space Pen ink cartridge allows continued use beyond an ordinary ballpoint.
- PRECISION CRAFTED: When your writing is meant to make a statement
If it wasn’t expensive and unique it wouldn’t be Benchmade. But that’s why they are so loved: not everyone can afford/justify one. If you can afford one and can justify one, you won’t be disappointed, until someone tries to abscond with it.
The price tag is very large, and the custom colors and material choices are vast, but this is more than just a vanity pen.
Besides, you cannot find a pen this capable of defending against an attacker and this elegant for the money anywhere else. The Damascus steel one is particularly beautiful.
Pros
- Classy and Elegant
- Great brand reputation
Cons
- Very expensive
Why It’s Recommended
This is a specialty pen that borders on custom. The gorgeous lines and well-made components mean this will last you a lifetime if you can keep pen thieves from stealing it.
Maybe you just need to jab at them with it to defend your property. The Benchmade pens are a work of art that doesn’t feel out of place mixing it up in a defensive situation.
Finally, Benchmade has a lifetime warranty.
Types of Tactical pens
During these tactical pen reviews, you will probably get an idea of the subtle and the not-so-subtle differences between the different pens and it will be up to you to decide how hardcore you want to get with the looks versus the design.
That said there are myriad defensive tools that can also be utilized as a writing instrument, here are some style options:
Subdued
These are the hidden in plain sight types of tactical pens. The pens actually look like pens until they are needed as tactical devices, whether to help fend off an attack or to provide some life-saving measure or ultra-utilitarian task.
These are made by more traditional makers or utilize a very simple design that favors aesthetics over functionality. This is the minimalist type pen that is more about having a pen than it is about using a pen capable of killing an attacker.
Prepper
It’s slightly more obvious that this pen is more than just for writing notes for your manuscript of the next “Great American Novel”. You might see some relief cuts, sharper edges, or reinforced parts on a pen like this, with the most notable being a ruggedized construction.
This is so that the pen is made of tougher materials and built with a standard of integrity in the parts like the clip which secures it to your shirt pocket.
This style offers some more advanced features that come in handy on the day to day basis.
Aggressive
Increasingly obvious that this is more than just a pen, this type of pen offers more specific things like a DNA-catching crown or lightweight material construction.
The looks are aggressive, this pen is no ordinary pen. The quality and rigidity of the pen are top tiers. The finishes might start to go from pretty, to pretty stealthy.
Full-on, in your face Tactical
It’s no question as to why you bought this pen, and it may even be the subject of some water cooler talk if you have it out too often in the workplace.
This is the type of pen that combines all the different technologies and stylistic options that have been discussed thus far. It pulls no punches and is not uncomfortable in its own skin.
A pen-like this is perhaps utilizing features that include a stiffened body; a couple of sharp edges; a protective finish that offers some advantage and a specialty refill, generally.
It may even include things like a built-in ruler or a flashlight. It might even include a way to add-on or increase functional use by adding accessories like tips or tools.
Concealment/Design
This is going to be vastly dependent on the user and the type of pen you pick. The improvised name classification system used above is done so in a joking way, but it speaks volumes, we hope, to the practicality of these types of pens.
Most of these pens can be concealed well, and the design is not so over the top as to make them unpalatable by the majority of the population.
There are some however that won’t be accepted on a plane at the airport due to the extreme design; and others that would be commented on in the office environment.
It’s up to you to determine what you think your threshold for acceptance is. In the end, these are aggressively styled pens, generally speaking, made of good quality materials and built in a way so as to be more useful than just a pen. It’s a simple equation.
Ink Cartridges Used
There are some very good ink cartridges available for use in tactical style pens, they range from Parker to Cross to Schmidt to Fischer space pen and even “Rite in the Rain” cartridges.
All of these refill cartridges are proven, reliable performers. Every single one offers solid choices from ballpoint to gel, with a few also offering rollerball technology to complement your writing style and preference for ink flow and writing capacity.
This is a big differentiating feature though, with a single maker only offering the ability to use 1 or 2 types of refills.
There are very few that offer more than 2 refill types for ink cartridges. So plan accordingly if you have a particular affinity towards a specialty ink brand.
Bottom Line
Now you know what each of these implements can do in the real world. You also should have a good grasp on the practicality and looks of each of these and will be able to determine which one makes the most sense for you.
Sometimes the deciding factor will be how non-tactical the pen looks, and that’s ok because most of the time you will be using it in a much more mundane safe condition.
Sometimes the decision will be how many features or how rugged it is, the choice is yours, now that you have all the information you need. It’s a simple task to pick the best self-defense pen with the plethora of information you have, but which will it be?
Are you leaning towards the cool, sophisticated, sleek one? Or are you more of the subdued, plain vanilla type? Did you want the one that is obviously there to show off its swiss army knife-like gadgetry?
Remember, the chances of using it are slim; know ahead of time what you will do with it and how to prepare yourself to take action should the moment arise where your tactical pen becomes your best friend.
Check out all the other tactical gear articles put together by the expert team at Guns & Safety Reviews below;
- Tactical-Gloves
- Tactical-Flashlight
- Tactical-Pants
- Tactical-Knee-Pads
- Tactical-Tomahawks
- Tactical-Vest
The Review
Best Tactical Pen
A tactical pen is a very good, very concealed self-defense tool that has the potential to save your life. Investing in a quality self-defense pen is a must!
Review Breakdown
- Smith & Wesson SWPEN3BK
- Takeflight
- TAKEDOWN
- Gerber Impromptu
- Smith & Wesson SWPENMP2BK
- Schrade SCPENBK
- Schrade SCPEN9BK
- Benchmade
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