I want to talk about something that most people probably give very little thought to: car pens.

For a long time, I've found myself frustrated when I'm in the car and I need to make a quick note for myself, or fill out a deposit slip at the bank drive up.

My wife tends to stock our car's console with a plethora of low quality, freebie pens. Experience tells me that I can never be sure if one, or any of these pens will work when I need them. I can’t help but ask:

Will I need to scribble to get the ink flowing again?
Will the ink flow consistently because the pen has been baking in the car in the subtropical region we live in?
Will the pen work when I'm traveling in winter and it's so cold it seems like your breath freezes in the air?

The answer, most often is that these pens will disappoint, time and time again.

There is a solution though: pressurized ink cartridges!

First, a bit of history.

The gold standard in pressurized ink cartridges is the Fisher Space Pen. Fisher is the originator, and innovator when it comes to pressurized ink cartridges.

Since the Apollo 7 mission in 1968, the Fisher Space Pen has been the standard for pens that will write in the most extreme conditions known to humans.

The geek in my loves the idea of a pen that will write upside, or in almost any weather condition. (This is made possible by the pressurized cartridges the pen uses).

For years I carried a Fisher Bullet as my EDC pen, although the overall writing experience left something to be desired. Looking back, I think it was a combination of me not understanding I could get a smaller point size on the cartridge, and big hands writing with a small pen.

Over the years I tried other pressurized cartridge pens, if casually. I got a Rite in the Rain brand pen as part of a set...I have no strong opinions about that pen one way or another.

These days, part of my everyday carry (EDC) is a Zebra F-701 with a Fisher cartridge. I'll speak about this pen in detail in another post, but in short, this pen is completely stainless steel, and has an aggressively textured grip section. This detail will become clearly important in a bit.

A while back, while listening to The Pen Addict podcast, I was introduced to the Tombow Airpress. Brad Dowdy (The Pen Addict) spoke highly of this pen, and I decided to check it out.

I'm still new to thinking about pens much, and yet I am familiar with the Tombow brand.

Many people who are quite creative with their bullet journals espouse the benefits of Tombow pens, and as I venture into learning brush pen calligraphy, the Tombow brand is a favorite brush pen for many.

That being said, do I really want to allow Tombow's version of a "write anywhere" pen into my life?

I decided to check out my new favorite pen website, JetPens.com.

Here is the description for the Tombow AirPress from the JetPens website:

This pen leverages the energy from each push of the cap to inject air pressure into the ink cartridge, which allows the pen to write on challenging surfaces—it can write upside down, on wet paper, and in cold weather! Its compact size slips easily into a pocket, while its elastomer body is easy to grip even with wet hands or while wearing gloves, making this pen ready to use wherever you might be. The sturdy wire clip opens wide, allowing the pen to securely attach to both thin pockets and thick sheets of paper.

When I began researching the Tombow Airpress, it was with the intention of keeping the pen in our car.

Reasons that I wouldn't carry this pen as part of my EDC are exactly the reasons it (I hoped) would make a perfect car pen.

From the pictures online, it was clear to me that the barrel of the pen was think (think Dr. Grip). That thick barrel takes up some space.

Though my carpal tunnel appreciates such barrel geometry, my EDC is space efficient, and this big barrel has no business in my EDC.

Second is the body material. The elastomer body (feels like a silicone phone case) has a little give to it and tends to snag on material just a bit. This improves the grip ability of the pen, but it would be highly problematic for the way I carry EDC pens (the pen would be challenging to deploy quickly).

That being said, these qualities are perfect for a car pen!

The large barrel makes the AirPress easy to keep track of in our car console.

The handle material seems ideally suited to the weather conditions our car is in most often (hot).

Whereas the stainless steel barrel of my EDC Zebra F-701 is tough and reliable in a pocket or pouch, if left in a hot car, it quickly becomes painful to write with.

The body material of the AirPress does not heat up to the point of being uncomfortable to write with.

The length of the pen is a bit shorter than other ball point pens. A bit shorter than I expected, but not so much shorter that the writing experience is uncomfortable. The compactness fits well in our car console without getting lost.

Top to bottom: Tombow AirPress 0.7mm, Zebra F-701 (Fisher Space Pen refill), Zebra Sarasa Clip 0.3mm, Pilot G2 .38mm

The fact that it a clicky top pen instead of a cap pen is a huge bonus for a car pen. No cap to lose, no decision when I pull the pen out about whether to hold the cap or post it, then replace the cap...the clicky top is just more efficient! (In the case of the AirPress, the process of clicking the point of the pen into the writing position repressurizes the ink cartridge to keep the ink flowing smoothly).

I was also able to get the AirPress in my youngest child's favorite color (red) which is easy to keep track of in the car. The bonus for me is that so often I hear my wife say that things I choose for EDC look too tactical for her taste. She has yet to say a word against the asesthics of the AirPress.

Further, she's used the pen several times without comment.

My wife is like me in the fact that she has strong opinions about things. The fact I've heard nothing from her reinforces my decision to try the AirPress as our car pen.

Though it's only been a few weeks, the Tombow Airpress has been flawless in performance.

It is such a small thing, a simple thing, but there is one less thing to think about when I can rest assured that I will have a reliable, consistent pen when I need it quickly in the car.

In fact, I haven't really thought about that pen since it's found a home in our car console.

It's just there.

It does what I want it to.

I think that's one of the biggest compliments I can give Tombow for this product.

I don't have to think about it. There's no doubt in me that it won't perform when I need it to. Beyond that, it will perform in the conditions I need it to...without burning me. Without frostbite (probably...I haven't actually put that to the test yet).

Finally, reasons the Tombow Airpress is my new car pen:

Writes consistently in a variety of weather conditions
Short barrel fits nicely into a variety of spaces
Color choices make it easy to find in a sometimes cluttered console
Thick barrel provides comfortable writing experience when my carpal tunnel is acting up

I believe in the right tool for the job, and the AirPress fits the bill. Period!

My New Car Pen- First Impressions: Tombow AirPress 0.7mm

How I Journal

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