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Some will laugh a little at first at the thought of a "tactical" pen. But after it's explained, it's actually a pretty good idea. I like things that have multiple uses. This makes carrying less gear possible and makes every piece of gear useful.
When I was in the Marines, one rule was...you always have a couple pens with you at all times. It's one of those Marine Corps things. Well...most other professionals in the law enforcement, military, and security fields carry a pen as a daily piece of gear as well.
The Tuff-Writer has taken the pen to a new level. The Tuff-Writer is just as tough as it's name implies. Made of 6061-T6 Aerospace Grade Aluminum, the Tuff-writer sports a tactical finish that is hard anodized to Mil-A-8625 “F” specifications. This extremely hard finish doesn't wear off very easily. When it comes to toughness nothing was spared. The clip is made of cold pressed spring steel with nickel oxide finish and all connections are made with Black oxide stainless steel bolts and chemical welding. When you hold this pen you can tell it's made to last and take plenty of abuse.
Like i said earlier...I like a piece of gear that has multiple uses. This pen is not only a pen, but also a great defensive weapon. One end is more blunt to be used to strike or put pressure on pressure points for pain compliance, come-alongs, etc, etc. The other end is more pointed for even greater pain compliance.
Yet a third use for this pen is that the pointed striking end can also be used as a a stylus point on a PDA or other touch screen device.
The pen/defensive tool has some deep knurling on it to help you maintain a good grip on it. Make sure, however, that anything you put in a pocket next to this pen is just as durable. If you put a regular Bic style pen next to this pen in a pocket, the knurling will tear it up a bit.
The clip on this pen is also slightly bent up from the body of the pen...this makes clipping to the pocket or other area easily done and with one hand.
The hole you see in the cap, I assume is for a key ring for retention purposes when using as a self defense tool. I would prefer this hole be slightly larger so that a piece of 550 cord can be put through this hole for retention on the body when being carried. For instance, wearing the pen around the neck, or attaching it via a piece of 550 cord to the MOLLE/PALS webbing of a vest. The reason I would like this as an option is because when you take the cap off, there's really nowhere to put the cap. If you try to put it on the end of the pen, it doesn't fit just right and easily falls off. I've been just attaching the cap to a piece of my gear via the clip when I'm using the pen to prevent losing it.
Another feature when it comes to the cap is that is screws onto the pen...that means no lost caps then the pen is not in use.
The ink cartridge is gas pressurized and uses waterproof ink. Because of the pressurized cartridge, these pens will write upside down and under water. They are designed to work in frigid cold and blistering heat and will function in environments ranging from -30F to 250F. Unlike others, I haven't had a build up of gooey ink on the tip of the pen...so there isn't the need to wipe off the tip before writing like other all-weather pens I've used.
This pen feels a bit long with the cap on (6.5 inches), but this is for defensive use. However, if this is a bit too much bulk for you, the Tuff-Writer shorty is what you may want (5.75 inches).
Tuff-Writer also makes a sanitized version, with no "Tuff-Writer" logo, and a silver executive model.
I've been using this pen for almost a year now and I have to say that this is an excellent tool/pen/weapon system. It's something that you can carry inconspicuously as a weapon, and always have a pen with you at in one package. Durability is excellent. I've even seen someone hammer theirs through a 2x4 with no damage....that's a tough pen.
Color options: Stealth Black, Sniper Gray, Desert Brown, Sanitized Midnight Black
MSRP $79.95-$99.95 (depending on the model)
Made in the USA 
Here are a couple of Maxpedition motivational items. I love Maxpedition products. They have a lot of unique products and they have proven to be very durable.
The first item is a 32 oz Nalgene bottle with the Maxpedition logo on one side and measurements up to the 32 oz on the other. This is a newer style Nalgene bottle that is BPA free and has a wide mouth opening for easy filling of water and ice.
The second is a Maxpedition logo hat. I love this hat. It was very comfortable right from the start and has a buckled adjustible back.
If you're looking to get a new hat or need to get a new water bottle...these items are great. If you like Maxpedition items pick one of these up on your next order.
Maxpedition Bottle - $8.88
colors: spring green, slate blue, dark gray
Maxpedition Hat - $12.99
colors: Black, Foliage Green, Khaki Dark brown embroidery on tan cap; silver embroidery on black cap; black embroidery on foliage green cap)
This past winter I tested out the Cold Avenger, produced by Talus Outdoor Technologies. This is, by far, one of the best face masks I have used. It's not just your ordinary gaiter or face mask. This mask has been tested by the manufacturer in extreme weather and I tried to simulate that the best I could in a very cold winter here in NY and the mask performed great! First off, this mask isn't a full balaclava, but I actually like that in this mask because it gives you the option of wearing a winter hat and the mask, and if you start to overheat, you can remove the winter hat for ventilation. This allows you to cool down and not overheat while still protecting your lungs and the areas of the face/head that are prone to frost bite. The main attraction with this face mask is it's ventilating face piece. This face piece, which is made of medical grade plastic, has adjustable vents in the front. By turning the smaller plastic insert you can allow more or less ventilation into to face piece. This ventilation does 2 things: - The mixture of cold air breathed into the mask, with the exhaled air breathed out into the mask is 40-60 degrees warmer than the outside air. This helps to protect the lungs and windpipe from frostbite and other cold injuries. The warmer air and moisture in the air inside the face piece help to prevent the airway from becoming dried out as well. If you've ever spent time outside in the cold, especially exerting yourself, you know how the cold air can really wreak havoc on your airway and lungs.
- The ventilation also helps to prevent fogging of goggles and glasses worn with the mask. I really like this. Normal face masks or balaclavas tend to vent the hot humid air you breath out through the top or eye hole. This fogs up your eye wear. With this mask the ventilation prevents this. Additional vents are placed on the bottom side of the face piece to help reduce upward ventilation as well.
Comfort with this mask is excellent, even with the plastic face piece. The face piece is flexible and has an included foam nose piece that you can insert via double-sided tape. The back of the mask is adjustable for the size of your head and has a wide range of adjustment. The only thing I would change in the design of this mask would be the option of completely sealing the ventilation holes if preferred. Also, for smaller faces the top of the mask has the tendency to ride up into the way of your eyes. It only comes up to the lower eyelid and isn't a huge deal, but possibly making this area a little more ergonomic to the shape of the eyes may help for smaller faces. The Neoprene material of the mask is lined with fleece for comfort and wind resistance. Through my experiences this past winter, this mask is an excellent mask and performs as advertised. I never got cold while wearing this mask and never felt a burn in my chest or throat area from breathing in cold air. If you live in an area where it gets cold this is definitely a great investment. Colors: White, Black, Hunter Camo
Prices Vary depending on model
