Best "Cheap" pen

[+StarBrand]

I received a complaint that my standard bic pens were all frozen and didn't write in the log (duh - it was 10 deg outside) but 1 guy left me a pressurized pen he said would work to -40. No markings on pen - anybody ever hear of such things?? Where do I find them?

 

(I know, I know - put in pencils and a sharpener)

Edited January 25, 2007 by StarBrand

[+starcr250]

I have a pen called a "space pen" that is supposed to work to specs something like that...-30 to 250 degrees, upsidedown, on wet surfaces. www.spacepen.com as for cheap, nope. But I would look for any pressurized pen. A google search turned this up: http://store.everestgear.com/eqrir037.html

[+StarBrand]

I know rite in the rain sells one - is it any good (not that I would leave one in a cache for a log pen - but might be nice to carry)

[+stormcloud]

The Russians have the same thing. It was called a pencil.

[Cape Cod Cacher]

Pencil with a sharpener.

 

Bring your own. (You're HOW old and don't carry something to write with? )

[+StarBrand]

I know - pencils........ Just wondering about the pen and if there is such a thing as a cheap one.

[+Syndam]

I received a complaint that my standard bic pens were all frozen and didn't write in the log (duh - it was 10 deg outside) but 1 guy left me a pressurized pen he said would work to -40. No markings on pen - anybody ever hear of such things?? Where do I find them?

 

(I know, I know - put in pencils and a sharpener)

Yes the Space Pens are good, but expensive. Personally I wouldn't worry about the complaint, people should bring a pen when they go caching.

 

Most of the pens I have found so far are so cold that they won't write. I carry my own pen as well as a lighter. If my pen is so cold that it won't work I hold the ball-point end an inch or so (maybe 2") over the flame from the lighter for a few seconds and the ink warms up. There ya have it, a cold pen that works... and I don't have to worry about losing an expensive pen.

[+eigengott]

Put in soft pencils and a sharpener.

 

Freezing is only one issue with pens. The other issue are damp or wet logbooks. Even if your pen is working (not dried out, not freezing) they are no good on damp paper - they tend to tear it. But with a soft pencil you can still write your log.

 

I usually put a pen alongside a soft pencil and a sharpener into my caches, since most people (including myself) prefer writing with a pen. But there's always the pencil as a backup, when the pen is "lost" in a geocachers pocket, frozen or the logbook is damp (think of heavy rain and no shelter).

[+StarBrand]

I use rite in the rain paper in most of my caches (not all but most). I too try to leave both paper and pens as some people really do perfer pen. Plus the logbooks just look cool with different colors of ink, stamps, labels and pencil in them.

[+Colorado Cacher]

The short golf pencils near the computer terminal at the library are very cost effective.

[+StarBrand]

The short golf pencils near the computer terminal at the library are very cost effective.

My sig item - I have 750 or more of these....

 

[rokclmb]

Own a few of these. I carry the Matte Black Bullet Space Pen With Clip in my pocket, keep a Black Lacquer Cap-O-Matic Pen in my car, and carry a Black Cap-O-Matic Pen for work (when I'm not a stay-at-home-father). I've also given them as gifts to several people.

 

In my book the Fisher Space Pen is great. But I wouldn't want to leave them in a cache. They are a little expensive and wouldn't want someone to take it in trade for anything.

Edited January 26, 2007 by rokclmb

[tttedzeins]

The Russians have the same thing. It was called a pencil.

 

I was thinking exactly the same thing. 6B rules they are all I use now.

 

I know the whole techno thing would be cool, but, people will take the space pen and 6Bs are really cheap by comparison

[+mudsneaker]

I've been hooked on using this pen I found at local craft stores for around $5.00 that I carry at all times while caching. works well on most all wet logs except for the gooy ones that have turned to pulp.

 

Zig Millennium

 

while googling for links, I found theres quite a variety of pen styles with double ended, etc. using this ink and brand.

 

Heres the ink description copy:

ZIG Memory System Millennium Pens This pen has loads of great features: pigment ink, acid-free, archival quality, lightfast, waterproof, fadeproof and non-bleeding. Available in a variety of colors and tip sizes to fit your individual needs.

[+rjb43nh]

I've bought these Uni-Ball Powertank pens on Ebay. They write upside down, on wet paper, and to -40 degrees. The seller generally has these for sale at 4 for $3 plus $2 shipping.

[+chuckwagon101]

Put in soft pencils and a sharpener.

 

 

 

TFTC!! TOOK SOFT PENCILS AND SHARPENER.....LEFT KEY CHAIN.

[+Gator Man]

I found an inexpensive source for the short golf-type pencils. Every local LOTTO counter provides hundreds of them, free of charge.

[+Renegade Knight]

You can't beat a pencil for cold weather writing. Space pens work (I'm told) but are pricy.

 

Pencils suck on wet paper though. Sharpies I haven't tried at below zero (though I've tried pencils down to 60 below).

 

The unibal Power Tank writes on wet paper and is supposed to work in the cold...but I've not tried it. Thus far though It's my carry when caching pen and it's worked well to 18 degrees give or take. But It's in my cache pack and not hanging out in the cold all the time.

[+StarBrand]

I've bought these Uni-Ball Powertank pens on Ebay. They write upside down, on wet paper, and to -40 degrees. The seller generally has these for sale at 4 for $3 plus $2 shipping.

I found a great review on these - they rated even higher then the pricey space pens - I found them several places for about $2 each. - they look like a winner and cheap enough to be leaving in some of my cache boxes.

[magellan315]

I have both space pens and the uniball. The Uniball pens are a great low cost alternative to the space pen and are not affected by cold weather. I'd still go with pencils in a cache and have the pens in your cache bag, most of the cachers I know carry something to sign a log.

[chuckr30]

Take a Mont Blanc refill ($12) and put in a $2 pen. I believe they are pressurized, all for $14. You may have to trim the top of the MB refill to make it fit. But otherwise it fits.

 

Mont Blanc pens are the $200 pens found in the malls.

[+Blue Power Ranger]

So how long does a pen last in a cache? If I spend a day on the trails, I often come home with a different pen than I left with in my pocket. Nothing intentional, it just seems to work out that way. I think pens probably move more than Travelbugs.

[+StarBrand]

So how long does a pen last in a cache? If I spend a day on the trails, I often come home with a different pen than I left with in my pocket. Nothing intentional, it just seems to work out that way. I think pens probably move more than Travelbugs.

I don't know - one of my earliest caches that has been out for 5 years still has a bright blue pen in it that works pretty good. Left it that first day.

[+jellis]

I have the Space Pen too and got it from Rite in the Rain

[+KKTH3]

The short golf pencils near the computer terminal at the library are very cost effective.

My sig item - I have 750 or more of these....

 

 

These must be popular as trading items as, while I already knew you had these as a sig item, I don't believe I have ever seen one in the field.

 

OT, we bought a gross of golf pencils at OfficeMax and have yet to use them up in the caches we place or caches we find where no writing utensil is provided despite having room for one. One of the first caches we had found locally had used a ball point pen and it had suffered horribly due to the weather. It fell apart in my hand and I was tracking blue ink everywhere for the rest of the day. The container wasn't in much better shape as it was just a rusted coffee can with no lid and live spiders living amongst the soaked logbook, broken pen, unwrapped pack of stickers, pre-tested lip gloss and used golf balls. Ever since then we have been turned off of the idea of keeping pens in caches.

[+Tahoein' Bunch]

You can't beat a pencil for cold weather writing. Space pens work (I'm told) but are pricy.

 

Pencils suck on wet paper though. Sharpies I haven't tried at below zero (though I've tried pencils down to 60 below).

 

You Would not catch me out in below weather man -60 is Friggen Cold.......

 

Greg

[+cerberus1]

I use a Fischer space (bullet) pen mostly. Found it to be reliable in all weather. Had it three years and haven't run out of ink yet, due to pressurization. I wouldn't want it in a cache though, as they cost $21.00 each. (Expensive "trade item.")

We seem to have luck with Pilot G2 s left in caches. Would still leave pencils with sharpeners . ( Folks grab those too.)

[+mamid]

I found a cool pen at a dollar store and I plan on grabbing more when I go there again in a few days. The top is a flashlight! No need for both a flashlight and a pen with that baby!

[rokclmb]

I found a cool pen at a dollar store and I plan on grabbing more when I go there again in a few days. The top is a flashlight! No need for both a flashlight and a pen with that baby!

 

So does the light point up when you're writing? Are you still able to see what you're writing in the dark?

[+mamid]

the cap/flashlight comes off so i can pick where to write.

[GermanSailor]

Hi,

 

the pencil of course.

 

Nice urban legend in this context:

 

http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/spacepen.asp

 

GermanSailor

 

P.S. Did anyone figure out how one could make an underwater logbook? I know that you can buy grease pen / boards in Scuba shops, but those ones don't have a lot of space. I'm looking more for a real notebook.

Edited January 28, 2007 by GermanSailor

[+Arndtwe]

I have a pen called a "space pen" that is supposed to work to specs something like that...-30 to 250 degrees, upsidedown, on wet surfaces. www.spacepen.com as for cheap, nope. But I would look for any pressurized pen. A google search turned this up: http://store.everestgear.com/eqrir037.html

agreed! that is a very good pen, ihave on that i use for caching. it works great because you wright on lose wet soggy log books and its not all that expensive, mine was only $16

[+StarBrand]

Uniball power pen rates as good as or better than the space pens.

 

See this website for the review.

 

I found them for $2 ea - looks like the best deal.

[+DocDiTTo]

I use the Uniball Powertank RT (retractable) model. The non-RT powertank has a really easy to lose pop-off cap, the RT has the push button retractable point. Walmart and Officemax sell them, Walmart is usually cheaper. I take one along on all my cache trips, never let me down. I accidentally left one in the most southwestern cache in the US by accident. Bummer. But a buddy of mine retrieved it a couple months later, hopefully it's serving him well.

[chuckr30]

P.S. Did anyone figure out how one could make an underwater logbook? I know that you can buy grease pen / boards in Scuba shops, but those ones don't have a lot of space. I'm looking more for a real notebook.

I work in the printing industry and have seen ads for waterproof paper, which you can write on with a pencil or pen. What this means is, you write on it above water, then use it underwater.

 

I have also seen a person make an underwater scuba "notebook". Basically it was old floppy disk cases (3.5 inch) which he tied together with a zip tie, and removed the labels from the cases. It provided a smooth plastic surface to write on with a grease pencil.

[+msrubble]

How about a gel pen?

 

My 10-for-a-buck cheapie from the dollar store has worked well this past week with temperatures in the single digits. Carried around in my outside coat pocket.

Edited February 2, 2007 by msrubble

[+StarBrand]

Got a few of the Uniball Power Tank Pens - they seem to be great - I am freezing afew to see how well they work.

[+Renegade Knight]

Uniball power pen rates as good as or better than the space pens.

 

See this website for the review.

 

I found them for $2 ea - looks like the best deal.

 

Nice link. I didn't even know Bic had a contender. I didn't see they covered the ink running over time due to being wet. The UniBall I've tested and it doesn't run. If the Bic doesn't run either, it would be a viable pen.

Edited February 12, 2007 by Renegade Knight