Since I’m getting ready to leave for the San Francisco Pen Show, and a large part of that show is devoted to planner/Japanese techo notebook systems, I’m loading up nearly all of my notebook covers with different papers, refills, and accessories to have available for both after-hours show-and-tell as well as several classes I’ll be taking. I’ve also been working on better organizing my various notebooks and planners to ensure that everything I’ve decided to keep following my “great summer purge” gets used for a specific purpose. When you’re playing with this many notebooks, it’s hard to avoid thinking about pens - namely, what’s the best “planner pen” or pen to keep alongside your primary everyday notebook system or system techo? Here, I talk about five select pens that are excellent for this type of use, with the selections driven primarily by size, versatility, and the ability to let me write small in compact spaces.
The pens discussed here, clockwise from left: Lamy 2000 4-Color Ballpoint, TWSBI Swipe Fountain Pen, Traveler’s Company Brass Ballpoint (standard version), Pilot Capless Decimo, Pilot Hi-Tec-C-Coleto Lumio, and the CW+T Pen Type-C (in front).
Fountain Pen Recommendation: Pilot Decimo. For “planner purposes,” and for most writing in general, I remain a fan of the Pilot Decimo over the larger standard Vanishing Point. Not only is the Decimo easier to slip into pen loops in notebooks and planners, but I find the slimmer body more comfortable to write with and easier to manage with one of Pilot’s excellent EF or F nibs. In addition to compact size, one other attribute I look for in a “planner” fountain pen is a high-capacity cartridge, so that I can carry a few with me when traveling and not have to worry about constantly refilling in a hotel, on an airplane, or even at the office. Of course, if you prefer a slightly larger pen, the standard Vanishing Point is excellent and uses the same Pilot proprietary cartridges, but it may be too wide to fit in certain pen loops.
Fountain Pen Recommendation: TWSBI Swipe. Since it’s release, the Swipe has continued to surprise me with how much I enjoy this pen. I keep my Prussian Blue Swipe with an EF nib tucked into one of my “go” notebooks at all time. While TWSBI made it’s name with piston fillers, the Swipe added cartridge/converter capability to the lineup, and TWSBI also offers a high-capacity ink cartridge though some might find the color selection basic. The Swipe is currently available in four distinct colors (all currently available in the T.G.S. Curated Shop), and I understand that more are on the way as the company continues to expand this segment.
Ballpoint/Gel Recommendation: Lamy 2000 4-Color Ballpoint/Multi-Pen. Personally, I feel strongly that every stationery enthusiast - and particularly those who use their pens and notebooks for work, research, school, and other “productivity-related” functions - have at least one mutifunction pen in their collection. I enjoy the Lamy 2000 version due to its refill versatility (it accepts D1 refills) and streamlined look. I recently revisited my original review of this pen, and as you can see, it’s received a lot of use over the years.
“Writing Small” Recommendation: Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto. Ok, many people don’t like to recommend the standard Hi-Tec-C gel pen since the full-size refill can be extremely temperamental if you get a bad one. That said, I’ve had good luck with the Coleto multi-pen refills (Pilot also offers a Coleto mechanical pencil insert), which are available in tip sizes ranging from .3mm to .5mm. The .4mm version is my personal preference as it strikes a good balance of smoothness and precision. If the ability to change colors on the fly isn’t important to you, CW+T makes a flat “bookmark” pen (the Pen Type-C) that accepts single Coleto refills.
General Form-Factor Recommendation: Traveler’s Company Brass Pens/Pencils. Since they’re designed to complement the Traveler’s Notebook lineup, it’s only natural that the compact and durable Traveler’s Brass pens (and pencil) would make their way onto this list. Borrowing from the vintage “bullet pencil” format, Traveler’s Company makes pencil, ballpoint, fountain pen, and rollerball versions, with the ballpoint being my personal favorite due to its excellent needle-tip refill and fast-drying ink. (Editor’s Note: If you’re at the San Francisco Pen Show this weekend, stop by the Traveler’s Company booth to customize your own limited edition Brass Ballpoint in two show-exclusive colors!)
Assuming I don’t hit the bag weight limit (and/or can get my carry-on closed), all of these are coming to San Francisco with me this week.
Pen Recommendations Looking Forward
I’m considering revamping my “Best Pens” list to include new categories organized around different use cases. For years I’ve had the list organized by price point and/or product category, which tends to focus more on the process of acquisition rather than what one does with the pen once it’s purchased. Lately, most of the questions I get seek recommendations on a pen for a specific use case, not in a particular price bracket. Stay tuned as I work through a few more of these questions and perhaps look for a revised/expanded general resource in the future.
This post does not contain links to paid sponsors or affiliates, though a few of the pens on this list may be stocked in some form in the T.G.S. Curated Shop. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.