This year I’ve done quite a lot of travelling, and it’s really got me thinking about travel stationery. 

I’ve had my choice of travel journal nailed since the beginning with the traveller’s notebook – its suitability for travelling is literally in the name. And more recently I’ve discovered my perfect pen case for travelling in the Lihit Lab Compact pen case.

But finding the perfect travel pen is something I’ve been finding a lot harder, and for each trip I’ve taken this year, I’ve tried a different pen, none of which ended up being perfect. 

But I’ve now come up with a list of attributes that, to me, make for the perfect pen, which I hope will help me. So for me, a travel pen should be:

Cheap

Above all, I want a travel pen that’s cheap and easy to replace, should the worst happen, and I break or lose it whilst out and about. If I’m trying to have a fun trip, the last thing I want to be doing is worrying about my pen, so I need a travel pen that I can just throw in my bag.

Compact

As with anything you take travelling, the more compact, the better, so it takes up less space.

Durable

I’d also like a travel pen to be durable, as unlike the pens I keep in the case on my desk, a travel pen is going to be travelling around with me, mostly in my Lihit Lab case, but it could also be tucked into my traveller’s notebook, slung straight in my bag, or even carried in my pocket. So I don’t want a pen that’s going to crack or break easily, and not be able to withstand some slightly harsh treatment. 

Easy to refill

I ideally prefer to use fountain pens, but depending on the pen, they can be quite finicky to refill. That’s why for travel, piston fillers and converters are out, in favour of cartridges, that I can easily just replace when the pen runs out of ink. 

I really don’t want to be travelling around with bottles of ink, or trying to do messy refills on the go. I have enough inky disasters just sitting at my desk refilling my pens! 

Nice to use

Just because I’m travelling and the pen has to fulfil all the other purposes, doesn’t mean I want a rubbish writing experience! If I’m writing in my travel journal about all the adventures I’ve had, I want it to feel like a fun, leisurely activity that’s part of the enjoyment of the trip. So above all, I want a pen that is reliable, a smooth writer and consistently performs well.

So with all these requirements, you can probably see why I’ve found finding the ideal travel pen a little difficult. 

I’ve come to the conclusion that my favourite gel pen for travelling is the trusty Uniball One P, as it fulfils most of the brief: it’s small, it’s cheap, it’s easy to refill and it’s nice to write with. Plus the metal clip makes it easy to carry around. I’d also say it’s relatively durable, as the plastic is quite thick, and I’ve never yet managed to break one. But it is also still a plastic pen, so it’s never going to be the most durable. 

But I do prefer fountain pens, and that’s where I’ve had more trouble finding the best option. 

The closest I’ve come is the Kaweco Sport. For a fountain pen it’s relatively cheap, it’s small and portable, takes international standard cartridges and is a consistent writer. For a plastic pen it also seems quite durable, but again, it’s still made of plastic, which could crack. 

I also have a Kaweco Al-Sport, which is also a good option, but it no longer fits into the cheap category then, and whilst it’s not my most expensive pen, it’s expensive enough I would be upset if I lost it. 

So I still don’t think I’ve found my ideal travel pen, but I’d love to know in the comments what your favourite is!

So what are your requirements for a good travel pen? And what is your favourite travel pen?