A pen puts phone numbers, directions and medical notes on paper when your phone is dead or the network is down. It lets you leave a note for family at a meeting point, mark a map and fill out forms on the way home or out of town.
A pen is the backup for a dead phone. It puts phone numbers, meeting points and medical notes on paper that anyone can read. Choose one that writes in any weather.
- Ink: Pick a pressurized cartridge that writes in rain, in cold and upside down on damp paper.
- Body: Choose a metal or hard plastic barrel that survives the bottom of a packed bag.
- Quantity: Carry one in every bag and every adult's pocket, plus a spare refill in the bug out bag.
- Clip and closure: Look for a sturdy pocket clip and a cap or click that keeps the tip closed in transit.
- Storage: Test each pen twice a year and swap in a fresh refill, since heat in a car dries out ink.
