Unless you’re very into the world of every day carry, the idea of survival and tactical pens may seem foreign to you. For the most part, the average person doesn’t think too much of a pen. It’s essentially something that lives on your desk. It isn’t something that you generally carry with you everywhere you go. Also, it isn’t something you pay $20 for, unless you’re getting a 20 pack to last you for a while.
In this article, we’re going to change your mind. You’re going to find out why you need a high-grade pen as part of your every day carry. You’re also going to find out why we think Atomic Bear may be one of the best companies currently providing a solution in this vertical. So, if you’re new to the EDC world, welcome. Get out your note-taking gear, we’ll wait for you to find your current pen, wherever that may be.
What’s the Point of Survival and Tactical Pens?
Great question, we’re glad you asked. A survival and tactical pen is a multi-mission piece of kit that everyone should have. Even if you aren’t a gun person, or someone who heavily invests into the EDC mentality, a good pen can change or save your life.
For starters, how many times per week do you find yourself asking to borrow a pen, or searching for one nearby? I’d wager it’s at least 8-10 times per week for the average person. With tactical pens, this isn’t an issue that you’ll find yourself having. You’ll always know exactly where your $15 pen is, similar to how you always know exactly where your $120 CRKT pocket knife is. You only need to lose one of these items a single time to make a habit out of always knowing where it is.
On top of this, tactical pens serve several other purposes. At the fore-front of these is self-defense, and vehicular escape and rescue. Every solid tactical pen is going to be made aircraft grade aluminum, and feature a solid tungsten carbide impact-end. What’s so good about durability and tungsten you ask? Well, they’re perfect for breaking the glass commonly found in vehicles, and obtaining pain compliance from an unruly attacker.
Who is the Atomic Bear?
The Atomic Bear is a company that specializes in the production of every day carry, bush-craft, and survival items. Their mission statement reads as follows.
The Atomic Bear’s mission is to equip and train more people like you so that no matter what the government, authorities, criminals and mother nature throw at us, we’ll be ready.
In my opinion, this mission statement says a lot about the company’s mindset. A mindset of self-reliance that bleeds through in every product that they produce. On top of producing some of the highest quality, and most affordable tactical pens currently on the market, they also offer a wide variety of other amazing EDC products.
You can check out their web-page, as well as some of their other products, by following this link.
Meet the Atomic Bear Tactical Pens.
When it comes to tactical pens, not all items are created equal. It is always going to be dependent on the end-user’s needs. So, when you are looking at tactical pens ensure that you are keeping your specific needs in mind. What works for me, or for one of your co-workers, may not exactly work for you. For example, I myself travel often via the use of airlines. As a result, I need a more covert pen with that I can remove the tungsten carbide striker from. That’s why my personal choice is the Defender Pen.
For you, you may be able to carry something a bit larger and more robust. If that’s the case, the SWAT Pen may be exactly what you’re looking for. We don’t know your individual needs however, so we’re going to break down all four of the Atomic Bear Tactical Pens in the sub-sections below. I personally own all four of these pens, and can vouch that each individual pen is well-made, and fulfills it’s role in my EDC regardless of what I am packing for on any individual day.
The SWAT Pen.
The SWAT Pen is the big dog self-defense EDC tool. Coming in at right under $16, it’s an amazing piece of kit for the person who can use a full-sized tactical pen in their every day carry. Overall, it has a great feel when you write with it. The grip is aggressive, with the striking end having a solid tungsten point to it that would make it very easy to break glass. Also, on the writing end, where the cap rests, there is a place to lock your thumb in place to improve your grip with the pen in self-defense situations substantially.
Removing the cap is also satisfying. You can hear an audible click both when removing and replacing the cap, which assures you that the cap is snugly fit. It also ships with a handy nylon carry case that easily attaches to your belt. I’d recommend going with this option if you’re looking for a more overt self-defense tool that can double as a pen when needed.
Bonus points to the SWAT Pen because it comes with access to an online course that teaches you how to use the device to break windows. The course also gives you simple instructions on how you can train with the tool in a self-defense situation.
The MTP-6 Pen.
If the SWAT Pen is the big-dog for self-defense, then the MTP-6 is the Swiss Army Knife of tactical pens. This bad-boy is loaded with extra features that can fill multiple roles in your EDC. When I know I won’t be traveling for a long period of time, this is the pen that I generally have on me. Here’s a list of all the things it can replace inside of your current EDC.
- Flashlight.
- Bottle Opener.
- Self-Defense Tool.
- Glass Breaker.
- Hex Tool.
- Screw Driver.
- Pen.
Coming in at just under $25, when it’s not on sale, the MTP-6 is a no-brainer for people into the every day carry lifestyle. It comes with three pen refills, and extra sets of batteries to keep the flashlight running for quite some time. On top of this, you also get access to the same self-defense and glass breaking course that comes with the SWAT Pen.
If you’re looking to de-clutter your pockets a little bit, we highly recommend picking up the MTP-6 as your tactical pen of choice.
The Defender Pen.
The Defender Pen is my usual go-to. Like I said earlier, when investing in a survival or tactical pen, you need to make the decision that’s best for you and your situation. For me, since I travel a lot, and often need to do work from a tablet device, the Defender is a great choice.
It features a great stylus that works on all of the devices I use. On top of this, the tungsten tip is removable, which means I can put it in my checked baggage, and still carry the pen through TSA check points with me. It’s also a far more covert option, as it’s shorter and more compact, making it far easier to conceal than most tactical pens currently on the market today.
Coming in at around $20 when it’s not on sale, the Defender is a great option for the EDC aficionado who is always on the go.
The Rebel Pen.
The Rebel is bottom-line tactical pen for the individual looking to see if this is the kind of item they need in their life. It will set you back a measly $13, and comes with many of the same features as the SWAT pen. While it’s certainly not the most fancy tactical pen out there, it will accomplish the mission of breaking glass, and operating as an effective pain-compliance tool against an attacker.
If you’re brand new to the EDC scene, or seriously trying to save every dollar, this is the perfect budget tactical pen for you.
Are Tactical Pens Worth the Money, and Do You Need One?
For the most part, the USD barrier for entry into the survival and tactical pen space is very small. Generally speaking, you can get a solid item for right around or under $25. For this, you’re generally getting a high-quality aircraft grade metal pen with a tungsten steel glass breaker at the end, regardless of what company you are choosing to go with. The quality of the ink, and ability of the pen to be used as a functional office tool is where you need to make sure you are getting the bang for your buck. That’s why I’ve selected Atomic Bear at the end of the day. All of their pens write very, very well, which is something that’s important to me as someone who writes for a living.
When it comes to answering the question of do you need one? Well, that’s ultimately something you’ll have to answer yourself. At the end of the day, I think everyone who fancies themselves as self-reliant should indeed have one. You never know when you’re going to need to break a car window to save a life, possibly even your own. That could be from ditching into water, or simply being in or near a car accident that pins the vehicle doors shut. Ultimately however, it’s up to you to make the decision.
If you want more information on Every Day Carry, here’s a great video from Sootch00 Fun Gun Reviews.
Final Thoughts on Atomic Bear Survival and Tactical Pens.
There’s a ton of Chinesium on the market today in this space. With Atomic Bear, you don’t need to worry about what you’re getting in the mail. I’ve had all four of these pens in the rotation with my EDC for a very long time now. So long in fact, that I’ve even needed to use some of the free ink refills they include. For me, this I can recommend Atomic Bear survival and tactical pens all day without a second thought. On my list of EDC items, these pens sit pretty high up there.
That’s just the opinion of one reviewer, and one EDC user though. Let me know down in the comments if you have any experience with Atomic Bear products. If you have another company that creates a tactical pen you want the world to know about. As a community, we can come together to make much better purchasing decisions. We’ll see you out there.