Most Durable Pen?

[Djehuty]

When the weather here in sunny Pennsylvania clears up a bit (current forecasts call for mud), I hope to find someplace to go take a hike now and then. I'll need to bring a notebook along, as it's wise to take down any odd thoughts I have when left alone for extended periods, in case I need to blackmail myself later. Is it feasible to bring my new addiction with me? Are there fountain pens which can withstand the rigors of life in the Great Outdoors (falling out of pockets, bouncing off of rocks, getting doused in streams, etc.)? Or should I stick to safe, cheap, easily replaced pencils?

 

[kissing]

A metal pen ('flighter') of some sort may work out for you. I have a Hero 100 all stainless version that I could take anywhere with me without fear of damage.

 

plus, it has a protected hooded nib (14K Gold!

 

They cost around $30-ish.

 

 

edited to add: There are many Hero pens even under $10 available at isellpens.com that are very durable (esp. the ones with hooded nibs like the 329, etc). They don't cost much, they usually write well out of the box, and are durable

Edited March 1, 2007 by kissing

[errantmarginalia]

Hi, Djehuty. If you're willing to spend a little more (around $60), you could look at a Rotring 600. Take a look at the Pentrace Greenboard, where someone (DocNib, I think; no affiliation) has a few old-style 600's for sale. It's solid, sturdy, and can double as a weapon if you're fallen upon by bears, cougars, rabid chipmunks, and the like. Best,

David

[Djehuty]

I never would have guessed they made pens like these. That Rotring, especially, looks like a pen that truly would be mightier than a sword!

 

[Vaiar]

For more on the Rotring 600, see ebay.co.uk, the "Penseller from France" (Lewertowski has both old and new style pens available for way less than $60,-.

[meanwhile]

If you're one of the people who likes the grip, take a Rotring Core or Lamy Safari. The plastic body is very tough, they're cheap, and the clip is superb. Great nibs, too.

 

Don't forget waterproof ink!

[mikeyp]

What about a Parker Reflex or Vector?

 

They are about 10 bucks and write quite good.

[petra]

I've been looking for a "backpacking pen" for a while, and I think I'd try the new Pelikan Pura. It's metal and takes cartridges (pelikan & international cartridges come in range of colors), so you don't have to drag around a bottle of ink. Seems to be selling in the $55-$65 range. I haven't tried one yet though, so I can't comment from experience.

 

I wouldn't take a plastic pen. A lot of people here like Lamy Safaris, but my suggestion is to handle one before you buy it. I find the faceted grip section to be really uncomfortable. As for the Rotring Core, I think they are hideous and it would just depress me to have to write with one of those. The Rotring 600 is a durable pen, but slightly on the heavy side, and the grip section might be too slender for some people.

 

Petra

[MikeLip]

Consider also a Lamy 2000. I have both the 2000 and the rOtring 600. Both are super pens and should pretty well take whatever you can throw at them. The rOtring is quite heavy though, and i find it to be a little too heavy for extended writing. It also doesn't post well, becoming top heavy. The 2000 is nice and light, and the Makrolon should pretty much last until the sun burns out.

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

I'd say that plastics are more resilient than metal (flighter pens--I'm not talking about the Rotring 600 which is a big exception). A Vector is quite a tough pen with durable plastic, so is a Pelikano. Lamy 2000 is also a good choice.

 

The Hero 100 is an especially bad candidate because the plastic is prone to splitting.

 

Dillon

[mmoncur]

I wouldn't hesitate to take any of these backpacking:

 

Waterman Phileas / Kultur

Rotring 600

Hero 329, 616 or 100 or many others

Pilot Knight

Danitrio Tac Carry II "$33 pen"

Pilot 78G

Duke Carbon Fiber

 

All of these are durable, although only the Rotring 600 and the Danitrio Tac Carry can be used as a defense against bear attacks. More importantly, all of them are pretty easy to replace.

 

For durability, I'd probably include lots of other pens on the list - Parker 51, Esterbrooks, Pelikan, Sheaffer Snorkel - but I couldn't bear the thought of losing an expensive or vintage pen, and I expect to lose things when I'm in the outdoors.

 

I'd probably take my Pilot Vanishing Point anyway, though, just because I can't bear to be separated from it.

[jonro]

Out of curiosity, what fountain pen did the US government supply to troops during World War II. I'm assuming that writing instruments were part of the standard set of supplies issued to soldiers. That might be an indication of the type of pen that would hold up under adverse conditions.

[JRodriguez]

That's an excellent question Jonro. Now lets hope someone can give us the scoop.

[jpolaski]

What about a Hero 200A? Flighter style, nice gold nib, I'd take one of those anywhere. And as far as durability goes, the Parker "51" made it through WWII, and one of our own has three on his arm in Iraq! That has to say something about durability!

[petra]

hmmm... WW2 pens and water soluble ink pills... I'm sure there were durable ones, as they're still around, at least the pens are. I don't know about ink pills .

 

On the other hand, if I were climbing Mt. Everest ( not even a remote likelihood, but if I were), I'd want the benefit of the technology and materials of modern equipment, and not what was being used 60 years ago, unless I were doing an historical re-enactment or something.

 

So the question would be, ARE there in fact any truly meaningful advancements in FP technology and materials, or did they reach their technological zenith in the past, in relation to use in rugged conditions?

 

Lamy 2000 makrolon piston filler does look VERY durable. My own preference would be for the convenience of cartridges.

 

Petra

Edited March 1, 2007 by petra

[superfly]

I have the Rotring 600, and I find the grip too thin for my taste. I have large hands, and I find myself often gripping the 600 way up in the middle of the pen, on the hexagonal part of the barrel. Hero 329 is also on the slimmer side of the things.

 

 

[Djehuty]

Hmm... I think it's down to a choice between the Lamy 2000 and the Rotring 600. It depends on whether a slightly more modern look, or a slightly more medieval weapon of clunking people on the head look holds greater appeal.

 

Thanks yet again for the good advice!

Edited March 1, 2007 by Djehuty

[superfly]

I was looking at the new Pelikan Pura, and I really think you should include that one to your list of choices...

 

I know I want one now...

[skipwilliams]

My vote for most durable pens...modern only

 

Pelikan Level L65

Pelikan Futura

Lamy Safari

Pilot Varsity

[MikeLip]

QUOTE (Djehuty @ Mar 1 2007, 03:18 PM)

Hmm... I think it's down to a choice between the Lamy 2000 and the Rotring 600. It depends on whether a slightly more modern look, or a slightly more medieval weapon of clunking people on the head look holds greater appeal. Thanks yet again for the good advice!

While there is a good bit of appeal to having an impact weapon in your shirt pocket, the rOtring has one strike against it; While in the field, you;re going to want to post the pen. My rOtring 600 does not post all that well. The cap is sort of tippy. It's being held on by an o-ring, and there isn't a lot of bearing surface there. So it's not real stable. It won't fall off (I've tried unsuccessfully to *make* it fall off), but it's not very confidence-inspiring. It's also top heavy. This is the only pen I have that I use unposted.

 

On the other hand, the Lamy 2000 posts nicely. But of course I am pretty sure it's considerably more money. So you have a choice to make (or a coin to flip, whatever )