Pokka Pens are one of my favorite purchases of 2023. These tick all the boxes for me as an EDC pen – they’re affordable, they’re lightweight, they’re easy to carry at the bottom of a pocket, they last of LONG time, and they will write in places that a nicer gel pen or roller ball might not.
The real innovation of the Pokka Pen is the form factor. It is a half-size pen that has a long, snap-on cap. When the cap is posted, it is long enough to create a full-size pen. They are so compact that there is no need to clip them in a pocket. Just drop it into the bottom of your pants pocket and you’ll never know it’s there until you need it.
Pokka Pens can be great as your only pen for EDC or as a second pen. The latter is how I typically use them. I like nice pens and I typically carry one daily. However, when it comes to being able to write on almost anything, it is hard to beat the good old ballpoint pen with its oil-based ink. There are a lot of things like receipts that gel pens, roller balls, and other inks just struggle to write on but the Pokka Pen handles this easily (this includes Rite in the Rain paper).
These are available in several versions and with a variety of add-ons like clips, aluminum caps, and more. All of that is nice, but for how I use these pens, I like the plain-jane ballpoint type (similar to a Bic pen). The basic ballpoint Pokka Pen does everything I need it to very, very well. If you intend to use these in the elements, Pokka Pens does make a slightly more expensive version with pressurized ink that will write in even more challenging conditions.
When I am carrying a nicer pen, there is Pokka Pen in the bottom of my pocket as well. When I only carry one pen, it’s a Pokka Pen.
Where to buy:
Refills are available direct from PokkaPens.com and are very easy to install. I buy my Pokka pens in multi-packs on Amazon where they are available in a variety of colors: Pokka Pens on Amazon
