There's a certain "snob appeal" factor just like there is with cars, knives, watches etc. but there's also a very large segment to whom a pen that feels good, looks good, and writes well is important in its own right, regardless of price. I'm one of those people to whom ergonomics and "feel" is important. I own everything from cheap to expensive and use them all, but my criteria is always as stated. There's a place for all of them. I don't fault anyone for buying what makes them happy as long as their family is not going hungry. I'm a believer in practicality, so I no longer use fountain pens, but I can still appreciate good ones....so different strokes for different folks, I guess.
There’s definitely some of that going on, but I don’t think snobbery is the underlying reason for many of us. To me, snobbery equates to showing off, There are some who definitely do that with their edc, but most of us are nerds. Showing off would seriously limit our chances to reproduce, so we’re careful with that. Giving a about quality, artistry and ingenuity isn’t bad. Within reason, I’ll even go so far as to say it’s a good thing. We sometimes struggle to keep things within reason though..
I agree there is a level of “showing off” with some, but I also think many of us are just excited.to share about something that we enjoy and have found works well for our needs. My EDC consists of a $20 Chinese flashlight, a $30-40 SAK, a $13-15 pen, and lately at $30 Leatherman...decidedly non-snobby and nothing to boast about...but I like sharing my experiences with them because Ive found that they work very well for me (in some cases better than I expected). As for the utility of the space pen, I have found it to work better than my bulk pens. It will write on things and in conditions the cheaper bulk pens won’t. One example is filling out a deer tag made out of that shiny, coated water repellent paper in sometimes very cold, wet conditions. I’ve also had cheap pens and mechanical pencils break in my pockets with some regularity. I like Sharpie markers for fieldwork applications for similar reasons. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Viper Titanium Money Clip Omega Speedmaster Professional 1969 861 Cal. Spyderco Para 3 Maxamet Maglite AAA LED Flashlight Fisher Pen Wind Passion Paracord Bracelet Michael Kors Prescription Sunglasses Ford 4x4 Ecoboost SUV key Missing from photo - iPhone 7 Over the year’s this is what I can’t live without. I really don’t carry my Sig P320 or Beretta Tomcat 32 very much. Only when the need arises. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I'm a fan of the Bullet Space Pen. I do put a little clear tape around the tip to eliminate tip rattle. I also found that later versions of the Rite in The Rain bullet pens come with ink that seems more like the Fine Point Fisher refill, which is much nicer than the medium. My on-person, work basics....plus my phone.
Keep trying to whittle my edc down to a minimum, and at the same time I keep adding items. Recently added back into my edc a pocket magnifier that I used to carry, but had tried to do without. Recently I’ve just had too many situations where I couldn’t read the small print on an item without the glass (so I added it back in). The glass on the SAK is okay in a pinch, but not nearly as useful. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
fyi. A good alternative I have found is to get a 'fresnel' lens magnifier; thin, plastic (lightweight); readily available in credit card size. I keep one in various FAK, including my pocket size 'Altoid' base FAK; also keep one in my wallet. If you look on Amazon you'll find a plethora of choices -- most are deals where you get a bunch of them, each with a sleeve to prevent scratching; work out to around $2 per lens +/- https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Fresnel-Pocket-Magnifier-Starter/dp/B06WD3HSZJ/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1YALZW548RIYR&dchild=1&keywords=fresnal+lenses&qid=1596644018&sprefix=fresh%2Caps%2C139&sr=8-2 Am Yisrael Chai! Moshe ben David
Ditto, plus I'm somewhat of an excited kid at heart, and I love sharing my passion with others. A lot of the people around me don't carry anything, so part of my mission has been to grow this preparedness mindset in others even if I have buy someone something occasionally. You can usually get a feel for what would be most helpful to that individual. My price cap is roughly $20, and I've found there are generally good budget minded options in that range for most basic pieces of kit like a knife or light.
Thanks for the idea. That would definitely be nice size wise. I may actually have one of those around d her somewhere. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Quite minimal in the woods today Too minimal, maybe. Got a bit carried away, and went pretty far into the woods with no food. I usually have some emergency food stashed in my backpack, but not today. Could have gone without the flashlight, as it’s still a fair amount of light until pretty late in the evening, but better get into the habit again before it’s really required, suddenly one day it’s dark before you expected. And I often use it later in the evening anyway.
