I can't decide what pen or pens to take on my vacation this summer. Fortunately, I will be driving a car so airplane pressures are not a factor. The main decision was cartridge or ink bottle (By the time I complete my posting I will probably decide what to do, but I would still like some other opinions.). I lined up my pens in two groups selecting only those I like to write with. They vary greatly in price from Lamy Safari to Montblancs.

Well, then I took a look at all of them and chose my four favorite pens based on not only writing joy but looks as well. They are all ink bottle fill only - two Pelican 400's and two Montblanc 146's. But still, I will be sitting in a folding chair in the woods doing my writing. G-d forbid I should lose one of those!

On my last two vacations, Hawaii and then Florida we had to fly. I took 3 pens to Hawai, Rotring Core, Wing Sung 237 and a Parker 51. When I went in the wild I took the Core, inexpensive and rugged. Florida a just took the Core and a Parker 51. No problems.
PMS

I never go on vacation without my Pelikan M215. I bought an Aurora Optima Mini yesterday for exactly the same purpose. The next two I'll buy in this "league" are a Pelikan M320 and a Duofold Demi. Yes, they are all small pens and they all fit nicely into my T-shirt pocket (even altho I have fairly large hands). Most important, they are all "Current Issues" so that if one ever gets lost or stolen or falls out of my pocket and breaks, I can renew same immediately (unless of course I'm in the Arctic or in Madagascar etc). OTOH if you happen to be on vacation and spend all day in the hotel then why not take your 149 after all? I always carry a small Nalgene bottle of ink around too (this time in another pocket).

Ahoi!!

Mike

I always take flight-safe pens like the Parker 51, Lamy 2000, Pelikan M600, or Snorkels. I usually tote 3.

Best,
Summer

I took my Visconti Opera Club with me on a trip across South America and around Cape Horn. Their traveling ink pot or ink well worked great. I put it in a zip-lock bag just in case. I was writing with a fine nib and never ran out of ink over the 20 days I was gone.

I would take the pens that fill from ink bottles and take some ink along with me. I carry ink in my bag at college and have not had spill problems. I just put the ink bottle in a ziplock bag.

I like to travel with cartridge pens, because I think it is cleaner. The bottle can leak or break in transit. Then, when you are filling up in an unfamiliar place, you will have to wipe your pen down after refilling, which could cause a mess. (If you have a Sheaffer Snorkel, feel free to disregard the last point.)

Last year I carried my Pelikan M215. I don't know if or when I'll be doing any traveling this summer, but if it's before my M215 gets back from Chartpak, the pen I take will be either a Parker 51 or Lamy Studio -- both very durable and with reasonable ink capacity.

In my former life I traveled a great deal for work, most all by air. I typically have the best luck with piston fillers and Snorkels. My pen of choice for travel is the Pelikan 200 - no mess, ultimately reliable, holds enough ink for a few days of notes and if you take three or four along, you can easily go a week. When I took extended trips, I carried a bottle of ink, double bagged in my checked bag. I never had a problem.

One good habit: always uncap your pens after flying over a sink or trash can - it pays to use some care.

I'm travelling in the South at the moment - Ashville NC to be exact.

Went with durable pens I would not have to worry about too much - 2 Hero 616s, one Parker 45 and one Lamy Vista (with a pack of violet cartridges). Bottled ink in double ziplock bag: PR Burgundy Mist and Pelikan Brilliant Brown.

Flushed and stored about 18 pens that had been in rotation before I left home. Will start a new rotation when I return.

I was tempeted to take one of my 51s, but was too afraid of dropping it or losing it. Vacations are too frenzied for me...I would not take a high-end pen with me. I hate to lose things...

My last trips had been accompanied by vintage pens: Pelikan 400, Lamy 27 and Parker 51. No matter if I went by car or airplane. All those pens hold a lot of ink so travelling with 2-4 pens will last 2 weeks (at least for me). I am taking a roller ball or ballpoint with me, too. Just in case I run out of ink ....

I usually take a Waterman Expert II, because it is virtually unbreakable, being a metal pen, and I can use the long Waterman cartridges in lieu of worrying about converters and ink bottles.

I also have a Cross Townsend ballpoint that travels with me.

I think I will leave my Pelikans and MB's at home. It's not like I am going to be doing any extreme sports, but you are right about the frenzied thing. It's just hard to stay focused when the surroundings are unfamiliar.

Maybe I will take a stainless steel pen since it is durable. I may end up with pens I don't usually write with. They need lovin' too, right?

I'm leaving next week for a mountaineering trip. I plan on bringing a Hero 616 loaded with Noodler's polar blue, and a Kaweco sport (vintage) loaded with Waterman blue-black. I think both will be kept in a zip-lock bag.

Polar Blue will not freeze.

A user grade, but nice writing Parker 51 aerometric rescued from a yard sale and restored. The 51 aeros are pretty much bullet proof, easy to fill, and can be uncapped and capped rapidly.
Reportedly they can also withstand significant pressure changes without leaking. I'll be testing the latter claim on a high altitude trek shortly and will provide an update.

I take all the pens I normally write a letter with; seven as a rule, plus two additional depending on the slickness of the paper. I also take four ink pots and two wax seals with wax, postage, and a bunch of stationery. Lastly, a writing surface with several sheets of large blotter paper.

I've written with the above kit while on business trips, aircraft, in the car and during wilderness camping trips.

I don't know; I just don't know. I've loaded up this week on cartridges and have inked several candidates, but the ink gushes out of a couple of them. They don't write as well as the finer pens. I said earlier I would probably take a few of the cheaper pens. Of course the Safari is cheap but GOOD.

Take the ones you'd prefer to write with. You're on holiday & want to make it as pleasurable as possible don't you?

Regards

Richard.

Yeah.